Field Journal #4
On March 24th, 2024, I went birding at Centennial Woods Natural Area in Burlington, Vermont. I started at 11:05pm and left at 12:10pm. The weather was sunny, the temperature was around 30 degrees Fahrenheit. There was still a lot of snow left on the ground from yesterday, however it had slowly started to melt away and some of it had turned to slush. I assumed that most of the birds would be hiding to keep warm and wasn’t expecting to see very many on this trip. Centennial Woods has a wide variety of different tree species and habitats. There are many heavily forested areas with species such as Eastern Hemlocks, Paper Birch, Northern Red Oak, and Black Cherry trees. There are also areas with heavy undergrowth such as bushes and ferns near to the main trail.
As I thought there weren’t many birds out, one bird I did see before even starting on the trail was an American Robin. Most American Robins are year-round resident species; there are some that will migrate to warmer areas however many will stay in Vermont through the winter months. They have many adaptations that help them survive the colder temperatures including fluffed feathers. Their second layer of feathers are down feathers which help trap air to insulate them and maintain their internal temperature. They also have a countercurrent exchange system in their legs which allows them to retain heat more effectively. The Hairy Woodpecker (and the Downy Woodpecker) is also a year-round resident. They will hollow out nesting cavities using their chisel beaks to stay warm and hide from predators in.
One example of a facultative migrant is the Yellow-rumped Warbler, they migrate south between March and April. They leave their breeding grounds in the northern areas to go to warmer areas with more abundant food. Their winter range can vary depending on the conditions, some will go to the southern states and some to Mexico or Central America.
Mini Activity:
Yellow-rumped Warbler: 2,281 miles
American Robin: 1,287 miles
Observations
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