Field Journal 4

Date: 03-25-2024
Start Time: 5:33 pm
End time: 6:33 pm
Location: Burlington Bike Path
Weather: The weather today was mostly sunny, with a few clouds here and there. The high for the day was 46 degrees, but when I went it was around 43. There was a lot of snow on the ground, but it was in the process of melting.
Habitat: Few trees, most were dried with no leaves. There were some coniferous trees lining the path I was on. The ground was mostly covered in snow, however, there were some soaked patches of grass where the snow had already melted.

Some of the year-round resident species I observed include Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, and House Sparrows. These birds are able to forgo migration mainly because of their size. They are small enough to still find shelter in dead trees or in tree hollows. They also don’t require as much food as bigger species, so they can survive off of seeds, nuts, and the scarce insects. In other words, their diets are adapted to survive barren winters. Additionally, these small songbirds aren’t always physiologically built for migration. Birds that migrate need strong wings to carry them hundreds of miles; their wings often have a longer, narrower shape, while songbirds have wings that are shorter, proportional to their bodies.
A facultative migrant that has been arriving recently is the American Robin. This species was likely coming from a more southern state, and could be going further north than Vermont, or staying here. This is likely due to the fact that in the winter, a southern state would be warmer and have more food availability. As the snow is melting here, though, more plants are able to start to bloom and flower, providing an additional food source. Some advantages of arriving in early April might be that those individuals get first pick at territory and nesting areas. However, a disadvantage is that it is still cold and might snow again, making it harder to survive here.
Based on my calculations, the rough total miles is at least a couple thousand. American robins have been known to reside as far south as Florida in the winter, and that distance alone is about 1200 miles. Furthermore, Canada Geese fly that distance and more. I saw a flock today flying overhead, so I’m assuming they’re flying even further north.

Posted on March 26, 2024 03:29 AM by