Field Journal 2- Ornithology- Feb 18th- Middletown Springs, VT

Ornithology- Field Journal 2

Date- 2/18/24
Start time- 1:40
End time- 3:15
Location- Middletown Springs
Weather- Overcast, ~30 degrees Fahrenheit; sparse, brief snowfall; little wind
Habitats- Roadside/backyards in Middletown Springs, leading through a snowy cornfield with lots of agricultural disturbance, to a riverine pathway in deciduous-dominant forest (boxelder, American basswood, sugar maple, red oak, American elm, eastern black walnut, eastern white pine); site is situated approximately 5 miles from the source of the Poultney River (cold water, high clarity, likely high dissolved O2 levels)

I began this walk in my backyard at home in Middletown Springs, VT. We have lots of bird feeders, so I was able to practice identifying numerous species such as the House Finch, Northern Cardinal, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. One thing I noticed was that the birds would frequently fluff their feathers so they looked quite larger than they do in warmer months; I assumed this was a tactic to enhance insulation in their feathers so they could remain active for longer during the colder hours. Further, the sheer number of birds at the feeders would indicate that they could rely on humans as food sources during the winter when their usual feeding habits (searching for seeds, fruit, berries, etc.) are unavailable to them. A lot of the birds seemed to be coming back and forth from coniferous trees, namely Norway spruce and tamarack. I interpreted this pattern to demonstrate the bird’s reliance on evergreen species for nesting and resting spots for the winter; however, the tamarack loses its needles, so maybe this isn’t always the case.

Once I reached the cornfield and river habitat, birds became scarcer and harder to identify. I saw a Red-tailed Hawk flying over the field, possibly hunting for rodent prey or smaller birds. That was exciting to see, as I haven’t come across one in a while and it was refreshing to see a raptor species (not that the passerines aren’t lovely to see as well, they are just far more common). Unfortunately, I could not find many easily accessible snags. Still, I would assume that considering the correlation between snag and cavity size, smaller birds, such as Sparrows or Wrens, would use smaller snags as resting spots, while larger birds could utilize the larger snags. However, one species or group of species that certainly use snags to form cavities are the woodpeckers; the Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers I saw at the feeder likely use snags at a distant site for nesting. Because of their strong insulation, snags are critical overwintering habitat for species that do not migrate. Hopefully, on my next outing, I’ll come across more of them to investigate more thoroughly.

הועלה ב-פברואר 24, 2024 04:24 אחה"צ על ידי