maudmarmo's Journal

Date: 04/25/2024
Start time: 4:30 pm
End time: 5:00 pm
Location: Loop from Patrick Gym, to UVM Horse Barn and coming back to Patrick Gym by East Terrace Street.
Weather: 12°C, Sunny, blue sky, some clouds
Habitats: Path between the golf court and the street protected by trees and then a neighborhood with houses and trees (angiosperms and a bit of conifer) on each side of the road.
Species list:

• Hairy Woodpecker (1)
• Downy Woodpecker (2)
• Chipping Sparrow (6)
• White-throated Sparrow (2)
• Dark-eyed Junco (3)

Date: 04/22/2024
Start time: 11:00 am
End time: 12:20 pm
Location: Loop from Patrick Gym, to UVM Horse Barn and coming back to Patrick Gym by East Terrace Street.
Weather: 4°C, Sunny, blue sky
Habitats: Path between the golf court and the street protected by trees and then a neighborhood with houses and trees (angiosperms and a bit of conifer) on each side of the road.
Species list:

• Song Sparrow (1)
• Dark-eyed Junco (4)
• Northern Cardinal (~5)
• Downy Woodpecker (1)
• American Goldfinch (2)
• Tufted Titmouse (1)
• European Starling (2)
• Chipping sparrow (1)
• American Robin (~10)

At the beginning of the Bike path, a female Northern Cardinal is constructing her nest in a hedge in front of a house. I heard Northern Cardinal responding to one another and I am not sure if these were several males competing for territory or to attract females or if it is communication between mates.
The Song Sparrow and Chipping Sparrow were singing complex songs, which are often associated with mate attraction and territory defense. The Song Sparrow that I observe at the beginning of the Bike Path is there every time I do this walk which is almost every day. I am guessing that it is singing to establish its territory and to advertise its presence to potential mates. I did not see where they were nesting. But these two species would typically nest in dense vegetation such as shrubs or thickets, where they can find cover and protection for their nests.
The Downy Woodpecker I observed was drumming on a tree, which I learned after doing some research, is associated with territory defense. It might have defended a prime territory with suitable nesting sites and abundant food resources. A prime territory indicates the bird’s fitness and ability to secure resources necessary for survival and reproduction.
Usually, European Starlings are observed in a flock. But, I only saw two, which might be just a normal foraging activity in a reduced group since it is the mating season or an already formed mating pair foraging together. Still, the latter seems unlikely and sadly I did not observe any courting behavior.
The Tufted Titmouse was carrying nesting material, such as twigs and leaves, indicating nest-building activity. The Dark-eyed Juncos were foraging on the ground near a bird feeder and did not look at all in the process of courtship, nest building, or territory defense. Same for the American Robins that I saw mostly alone and foraging.

Field Journal 5 :
Date: 04/07/2024
Start time: 12:15 pm
End time: 13:45 pm
Location: Patrick Gym to UVM Forestry lab
Weather: 10°C, Sunny, blue sky
Habitats: Path between the golf court and the street protected by trees.
Species list:

• House Sparrow (1)
• Song Sparrow (5)
• Bohemian Waxwing (~10)
• Northern Cardinal (1)
• Mourning Dove (1)

Field journal 4
Date: 03/24/2024
Start time: 13:00 pm
End time: 14:00 pm
Location: Patrick Gym to UVM Co-Operative Barn
Weather: -1°C, snow on the ground + trees; blue sky, no clouds, sunny
Habitats: Path between the golf court and the street protected by trees.
Species list:
-Northern Cardinal (1)
-Mourning Dove (1)
-Black-capped Chickadee (2)
-American Robin (~20)
-Cedar Waxwing (~20)

Some of the year-round species I observed are the Black-capped Chickadee, the Northern Cardinal, or American Robins. The first reason I could see to explain why these birds stay all year in Burlington would be their adaptation to resist cold temperatures. Such as the Black-capped Chickadee that can enter a state of hypothermia during winter or adaptation such as a thicker plumage and the ability to fluff up their feather that I observed earlier in the year in American Robins. These species can be territorial and have established their own that needs to be defended. They have adapted to the local environment and know where to find resources necessary for survival. Burlington seems to offer a relatively stable food supply throughout the year with many foraging sites (such as insects or berries in trees) and humans are also helping by providing food in bird feeders which might also have influenced positively the stay of many birds.

A facultative migrant that may be arriving in Burlington this period of the year could be the Dark-eyed Junco. These birds typically breed in Canada, Alaska, and North America and migrate south for the winter. They may be arriving in Burlington from their wintering ground in the southern United States or Mexico. The arrival of Dark-eyed Juncos indicates a change in the environmental conditions, especially in terms of temperatures with the arrival of spring weather. It is warmer outside (except for our last couple of days), daylight hours increase, food sources become more abundant, and the change in the environment makes suitable nesting sites and breeding opportunities more available in Burlington which might attract migratory birds.

I did not get to observe an obligate migrant, but I imagine that arriving during the spring in early April is advantageous because food sources are abundant and there are many opportunities for nesting sites, facilitated by favorable weather conditions. However, challenges such as sudden cold snaps, competition for resources, and increased predation risk accompany early arrival. Despite risks, adaptability is key for migratory birds that depend on their migration from winter sites to their breeding sites to survive.

(Wintering range:

• Northern Cardinal: Southern part of Quebec to Eastern Mexico. Found in the eastern, central part of the USA. The Northern Cardinal spends its winter in Burlington but between Burlington and the tip of Mexico on the Mexican golf side there is around 1866 miles
• Mourning Dove: It is a year-round resident almost everywhere in the USA and central Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and southern Canada and its non-breeding range goes all the way to Panama. From Burlington to Panama, it is ~2495 miles.
• Black-capped Chickadee: It is a year-round resident of Northern USA all the way to Alaska and South/Central Canada. Sends its winter in Burlington but from the furthest end of its range in Alaska to Burlington it is: 3140 miles
• American Robin: It is year-round almost everywhere in the USA and spends its winter in Florida, and the Northern part of Mexico. From Miami to Burlington there is ~1348 miles

• Cedar Waxwing: Is found year-round in the Northern part of the USA and Southern part of Canada and spends winter everywhere in the USA all the way to Costa Rica. From San Juan to Burlington there is ~2464 miles.
  If we add all the miles the birds have potentially traveled we obtain 6307 miles (without the Northern Cardinal and Black-capped Chickadees that do not migrate). )

Date: 03/02/2024
Start time: 9:15 am
End time: 10:15 am
Location: Centennial Woods
Weather: 2°C, cloudy, white sky, very low precipitations

Habitats: forest with a small stream. Wetland area with mainly mature conifers and mixed hardwoods.

Species list:
-Black-capped Chickadee (5)
-Pine Siskin (2)
-Northern Cardinal (1)
-Downy Woodpecker (1)
-White-breasted Nuthatch (Heard 1)

The Black-capped Chickadees and the Pine Siskins look like they were chasing after each other. The Black-capped Chickadees were going from one tree to another, leaving when another one was approaching. The 2 Pine Siskins I observed looked like they were having a conversation going from one tree to another. The Northern Cardinal was just standing on a branch not doing anything and moved when I approached it. The Downy Woodpecker was looking for food going from one tree to another.

If I had to compare two species’ plumage from my walk, I would take the Northern Cardinal and the Pine Siskin. I remember how easy it was to spot the Northern Cardinal even if it was in the middle of the trees at first because of how red its plumage is. In contrast, I had a really hard time spotting the Pine Siskins when I first heard them. Their plumage is much more discrete, and I did not even see the yellow parts. Knowing that the redness in the cardinal comes from its diet it might not have much other interest apart maybe for reproduction, but it makes the males visible from afar which does not look ideal for camouflage. Since they are hunted from the ground by domestic cats and dogs and from above by shrikes, hawks, and owls this colorful plumage seems disabling. However, it probably plays a crucial role in their reproductive success since the females’ plumage is much more discrete. On the contrary, Pine Siskins blend much more into their environment. Their brown color and very streaky pattern is discrete and help them evade their predators like hawks and Owls. This is an advantage when they are searching for food and wandering around during the day.

The Downy Woodpecker I observed was looking for food. Since it was the beginning of the morning, I think it coincides with the idea that this bird begins its day by foraging for insects while the temperatures are still cool when insects are highly active. This aligns with its high metabolism which requires constant energy intake. I suppose that when insect activity is reduced during the middle of the day, it would rest and maintenance until it starts foraging again during the afternoon and may store some for later. When the evening comes, it finds a roosting site to conserve energy overnight, hidden from nocturnal predators and keep as much warmth as possible.

I probably did the “spishing” sound not loud enough or from too far cause the results were not super conclusive. But I think that this sound could mimic alarm or distress calls of small birds that would trigger other birds’ curiosity or lead to mobbing behavior. Knowing that Black-capped Chickadees are naturally curious birds, I wouldn’t be surprised if they came to investigate, thinking there’s a potential threat or foraging opportunity.

Date: 02/17/2024
Start time: 12:30 pm
End time: 14:00 pm
Location: College St. from UVM Green to Lake Champlain and the beginning of the walk to the beach.

Weather: -3°C, partially cloudy, a little bit of snow, some rays of light
Habitats: Street with trees near the houses on both sides of the road. Lake Champlain (sort of a dyke along the side of the lake).
Species list:
-American Robin (2)
-Cedar Waxwing (4)
-House Finch (2 females)
-Mallard (4 males – 2 females)

Saturday was not the coldest day of this winter, and I first observed the American Robins, the Cedar Waxwing, and the House Finch at the same location enjoying the rays of sunshine. They were all in trees protected from the wind by the houses all around the trees. The two American Robins I observed were fluffing their feathers probably to trap more air to create insulation against the cold. The 2 female House Finch were eating berries on a tree. And the Cedar Waxwing were huddling for warmth. Then I observed a group of Mallards in the lake. They mostly had their bills tucked in their feathers to conserve heat. Some of them were looking for food under the water.

Other information I found looking more specifically at each species was that American Robins; Cedar Waxwings and House Finch have a similar way of spending their winter, more of them are searching for food (which is mostly insects, worms, and fruits for the Robins; berries, fruits, and insects for the Cedar Waxwings; and seeds, grains, and fruits for the House Finch) and resting between foraging. They are searching for warmth or sheltered areas such as dead snags. I believe that these birds would spend their nights either on the same trees or in shelters maybe in holes on houses or trees they managed to find. The Mallards live near aquatic environments, so they have a different way of spending their winter. They forage aquatic plants, insects, and small fish. They mostly rest and preen during the day and roost overnight near water bodies on the water or on banks. These birds' diets might vary during other seasons when more food sources are available. They might search for more protein-rich food during the breeding season.

Dead snags are crucial for birds passing winter in cold areas like Burlington. They house cavities that birds and other species can use to protect themselves from the cold. It is also a place where birds can find food such as insects or fungi, and it is a good nesting place. Other than protection, dead snags are important for nutrient cycles, dead wood enriches the soil and provides resources for other organisms. It also prevents erosion. Species that are likely to use snags are Woodpeckers, Owls, Bluebirds, Nuthatches, Chickadees, and Titmouse (probably Passerines in general).

Date: 02/08/2024
Start time: 3:00 pm
End time: 4:00 pm
Location: first started at UVM Green and walked to Redstone Forest
Weather: 8°C, sunny, no wind, no precipitation
Habitats: park several trees, birds observed in pine trees, area surrounded by roads (either pedestrian trails or roads with vehicles).

Species list:
-Black-capped Chickadee (4)
-American Crow (1)
-House Finch (only heard – 1)

During my walk, I mainly observed Black-capped Chickadees. If I had to describe their flight pattern, I would say that it resembles a roller coaster. They flap their wings in short bursts that are alternated with intervals in which the wings are folded against the body, creating this roller coaster effect that is easy to recognize. I have spent a good amount of time trying to photograph them, but they move so fast when they are in trees that I struggled to get a shot. They are super active and look curious. I like how they move everywhere; they are to me quite chaotic. I saw 2 of them when I was walking on my way to Redstone and they were responding to each other using their Chi-cka-dee-dee-dee sound, it was quite amusing to observe.

Black-capped Chickadee was the only species I saw up close, but I observed one American crow flying from fare. It has a much larger body compared to the Chickadees and its flight is much calmer. It didn’t do as many wing beats and traveled longer distances. Its flight was relatively straight and direct. It also flew at higher altitudes compared to the Chickadee. I suppose the difference between the flight patterns in these two species depends on their different size and foraging behavior.

Wing shape and flight style are correlated with habitat as the bird needs different degrees of maneuverability depending on its niche. Species like Black-capped Chickadees need to be able to change direction and maneuver between branches easily whereas a crow has wings that are more adapted to open areas and help it fly longer distances.

Going birding in the middle of the afternoon might not be the best time of the day to make some observations. I think the conditions were ideal for winter, not too cold and sunny. But I think that I would have more luck if I were going in the early morning when the daylight just appeared. I also think being next to urban areas might have negatively influenced my observations. I probably missed some birds due to the outside noise of cars and people.