epbrophy's Journal

Emma Brophy

Date: March 8, 2024
Location: Woods near Virtue Field in Burlington, VT
Time: 2:40pm - 3:40pm
Weather: 35°F, clear and sunny, 5mph wind NW, no precipitation.
Habitat: Patch habitat, new growth trees and old growth tress with cleared out areas. Next to golf course.

Species
3 Downy Woodpeckers >2 male
~10 Black-capped Chickadees
1 American Robin
1 Brown Creeper
1 Northern Cardinal

On Friday March 8th, I went to a small patch of woods in-between Virtue Field and the Burlington Country Club golf course. In comparison to Centennial Woods this section of woods was much smaller and less active with birds. There were not as many Black-capped Chickadees, and I was surprised to see three Downy Woodpeckers. The most audible birds in this section were an American Robin and Black-capped Chickadees. As I walked back to my car, I was also able to hear and record a Northern Cardinal in a more residential area. Black-capped Chickadees are very talkative, and I mostly heard their “chickadee chickadee dee call”, which is used when as an alarm, to identify a predator or another flock of chickadees, or a clear call. The amount of “dees” added to the end of the call determines the threat of a predator. “Gargle” calls are also commonly heard and used by dominant chickadee males. They use this when another chickadee is close to them or their food. In one of my observations I identified an American Robin, I was unable to get a recording, but they were doing their “alarm call” this call is to warn predators and claim their territory. I also recorded Northern Cardinal call. This call is also used to warn predators.

One of the birds I observed was a male Downy Woodpecker. Downy Woodpeckers have black wings checkered with white and black and white striped head. They also have a white belly and back. Male woodpeckers have a red patch on the top of their head. Downy Woodpeckers are year-round northern birds and inhabit forest. At a distance Downy Woodpeckers camouflage well with the forest, their pattern of black and white matching the pattern of bark. Up close their plumage can help them seem intimidating towards predators. I watched the woodpecker go up the tree pecking at the bark and moving to the next when it was done. This behavior matched well with what I have previously observed and taken note of from other woodpeckers. They are often found consistently foraging throughout the day.

The second species I observed was a male Northern Cardinal, which has a bright red plumage. The red plumage has a specific advantage to male cardinals, helping them maintain territory and find mates. The redder a cardinal’s plumage is the more advantage they have during breeding season. The bird I was observing was sitting along at the top of a high tree using an alarm like call. As it gets closer to spring the cardinal was likely calling for a mate. While watching he did not seem to be very active indicating that Northern Cardinals may not need to be constantly foraging like species such as Black-capped Chickadees or Downy Woodpeckers.

Mini Activity: While watching a group of Black-capped Chickadees, I attempted to “spishing”, I am not sure if it had an affect or not and I am unsure if I was doing it correctly. I also may have not been close enough for it to affect them. The “spishing” method works because it reflects a small bird noise and similar to an alarming one or call for help.

Emma Brophy

Date: March 25, 2024
Location: Main St, Burlington, VT
Time: 10:40am- 11:40am
Weather: 33°F, clear and sunny, 6mph wind S, no precipitation.
Habitat: Residential area, large trees next to road, residential yards

Species:
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 female, 1 male House Sparrow

10 American Robin
1 American Crow

On March 25th, at 10:40am I took a walk down Main Street and South Williams Street in Burlington, VT. During my excursion I saw a Black-capped Chickadee, a common species that I have seen throughout the winter. Black-capped chickadees and other year-round species can eat seeds in the winter, giving them the ability to forgo migration. Black-capped Chickadees have specific behavioral and physiological adaptations that help them survive in the winter. Some behavior adaptations are sleeping in cavities in trees and shivering themselves awake. One physiological adaptation they have is facultative hypothermia, which decreases their internal temperature, slowing down their reflexes and saving energy while they sleep.
As the weather starts to warm, I have started to see large groups of American Robins. American Robins can be year-round birds and facultative migrants. Facultative migrants migrate based on weather and temperature changes. Over the past few weeks, the weather has started to warm reaching to the 60 degrees, even though there was a large snowstorm on Saturday. During the winter American Robins, they can be found in the southern part of North America. They can also spend the entire year in their breeding range, Northern North America, but they are mainly roosting in trees during this time. The American Robins I observed were very active, eating berries on trees.
Migrating in April to Burlington, Vermont can be difficult for birds do the extreme unpredictable weather patterns as we have witnessed over these past few weeks. Temperatures will increase and then decrease followed by snowstorms, poorly effecting birds that are not adapted for snow and cold temperatures.

Mini Activity: 1,745,706.76 miles from Florida to Burlington Vermont. American Robins are facultative migrants that can winter in Florida. American Robins were the only migrant birds I observed.