April 11, 2017: LaPlatte River Marsh Natural Area and Shelburne Bay
On April 11, I visited the LaPlatte River Marsh Natural Area, and Shelburne Bay. This is the time of year that many birds migrate back to Vermont, and it was evident. I could hear many different warbler sings, although I did not actually see any. I also heard a pine siskin, which I had never encountered before. There were also many of the year-round residents out and about, such as the common merganser, bufflehead, mallard, brown creeper, song sparrow, black-capped chickadee, and hairy woodpecker, which were the first birds I saw upon entering the natural area. These birds can survive winters in Vermont because their feathers are warm enough that they don't get too cold and suffer. Additionally, birds that live in Vermont may have to change their diet for the winter. Birds that usually eat insects may have to eat berries and such in the winter because there will not be many bugs flying around. Birds such as sparrows that usually eat seeds and nuts can collect them and are able to survive throughout the winter. Woodpeckers can still find insects in the winter since they're found under the tree bark, so that is a reason that they forego migration. I saw some other water birds along that trail, such as the double-crested cormorant, great blue heron, great egret, canada goose, and a caspian tern, which was a really nice surprise. Another birder told me that the caspian tern just arrived here, would be sticking around the area for a few more weeks, and then continuing to migrate north. In the winter, caspian terns migrate to more southern bodies of water because there are more resources, such as fish. Now that it is getting warmer up north, the terns are coming back up north because there are resources in this region again. After spotting the waterbirds I saw an osprey that was looking for fish. Osprey are returning at about this time of year as well. Since fish make up most of the osprey's diet, they migrate south in winter where fish are abundant and where lakes don't freeze over. Now that spring has come, they are back because there are resources available.
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