rmarti20's Journal

Date: 3/8/2024
Start Time: 2:13 pm
End Time: 3:13 pm
Location: Golf Course behind redstone

Weather: 45 ℉, sunny, 4 mph winds from NNW
Habitat:Field, with tall oak and coniferous trees. Some brush along road

List of birds seen
3 x tufted titmouse
10+ chickadees
1 female cardinal
1 male cardinal
6 robins
Birds heard but not seen
White breasted nuthatch
American Crow

I walked for an hour along the road regarding the golf course behind redtsone campus.
Two birds I saw side by side were a black capped chickadee and a female and male cardinal

Northern Cardinal:
Male Northern Cardinals have red plumage, while females have a more muted brown coloration. This is sexual dimorphism and helps in mate selection. The bright red coloration also aids in territory defense and establishing dominance. Cardinals are known to be aggressive defenders of their territory, and the vibrant color helps. The contrast between the red plumage and the green foliage makes the male Northern Cardinal highly visible to potential mates and predators alike. This visibility can be advantageous for attracting mates. The brown coloration of female Cardinals provides camouflage while nesting, helping them blend into their surroundings and reduce the risk of predation.

Black-capped Chickadee:
Black-capped Chickadees have a distinctive black cap and chin, white cheeks, and grayish wings and back. This coloration provides them with camouflage in their habitat which consists of wooded areas and shrubs. The black cap helps in visual recognition among conspecifics and may play a role in establishing social hierarchies within the flock. The white cheeks of the Black-capped Chickadee act as a form of disruptive coloration breaking up the bird's outline and making it more challenging for predators to detect. Their muted coloration also helps them blend into the environment during both nesting and foraging activities; this reduces the risk of predation.

I saw a group of chickadees in some neighbor's shrubs. I tried to pshh pshhl them but I got no reaction. None to my eye. I would assume it works as you are making a familiar sounding noise to the chickadees themselves. Sometimes it may sound like a warning and some birds would leave. You just signal safety and food and attract more little birds. Some calls may mean predator, while others may mean safety. It's also nearing mating season, so some different calls may appear.

Unfortunately the road was busy and the cars started some away. A few stayed and I got a video of that. In the video there are several chickens foraging in the bushes, a female cardinal and tufted titmouse make their appearance too. You can hear the squeaks of the chickadee and some other calls in the background including a white-brested nuthatch.
Video linked on brightpsace

Date: 3/25/2024
Start Time: 5:00
End Time: 6:42
Location: Waterfront Bike Path Burlinton VT
Weather: about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, partially cloudy, not windy
Habitat:
The majority of this walk I was on a paved bike path allong the waterfront. Some trees and brush alongside the path. With urbanized, beach, and natural waterfront areas allong the path.

I 4 total robins foraging in the trees for food today. Usually, they scurry on the ground for food, but the ground was still snow-covered. I also saw a Dark-eyed Junco, which I have yet to see on one of these walks. Being near the water, I saw some different birds today. I saw a pair of female Mallards swimming about. And I saw 3 Ring-billed Gulls, including one swimming in the wastewater treatment pool right off the waterfront. I also saw a massive Red-tailed Hawk flying above; the photo I took of it was too blurry to make use of. I also saw a chickadee.

On my walk, I did not see any bird species that were definitely migratory in the winter. Some birds like the American Robin and the Ring-billed Gulls may travel south in search of better conditions, but they also may stay here. Gulls may move to more urban areas near water, which is the case in Burlington. But for the sake of the assignment, I drew a map of a hypothetical path of where a gull may travel in search of better conditions and wrote out the mileage. I also did this for the American Robin. The American Robin is an example of a facultative migrant who may come or go. American Robins migrate to escape harsh winter conditions and to find abundant food sources. They return northward in the spring to breed when temperatures warm and food becomes more plentiful. As temperatures rise and daylight hours increase, insects become more active, and vegetation begins to grow, providing robins with more food sources for breeding and raising their young. Also, the presence of suitable nesting sites and breeding territories in Burlington and surrounding areas further facilitates their arrival.

Mini Actvity. I saw that a common migration place for both gulls and robins is florida. This is roughly 1,283 miles point to point. I used the app how far did I run to create a point to point map. I then multiplied 1,283 by the amount of gulls and robins I saw. 8981 miles travelled noth in this hypothetical.

The birds I saw all have their adaptations for winter in Vermont. Birds employ various strategies to survive harsh winters in Vermont and similar cold climates. Here's how each of the species you mentioned typically copes with winter conditions: American Robins may migrate southward to warmer regions during the winter. Some individuals may stay in Vermont if they can find sufficient food sources, such as berries, fruits, and insects that might still be available in the area. As I saw today, the robins were feeding on some seeded plant in a tree, there is a low-quality picture with my observation. Birds are tough to photograph with an iPhone. Ring-billed Gulls are known to be adaptable and may migrate southward to coastal areas or stay in open water areas where they can find food such as fish, invertebrates, and scavenged scraps. They may also gather in large flocks in areas where food is abundant, such as near wastewater treatment plants, which is where I saw one today, or other areas with open water and accessible food sources. Red-tailed Hawks are year-round residents in Vermont. They have adaptations such as dense plumage and specialized respiratory systems and the ability to regulate their body temperature to withstand cold temperatures. They also have keen hunting skills and may prey on small mammals, birds, and other animals found in winter habitats. The one I saw today was flying low, maybe in search of prey. Mallard Ducks also are often seen in Vermont throughout the year. During the winter, they may gather in large flocks in open water areas where they can find food such as aquatic plants, seeds, and small invertebrates. They may also feed in agricultural fields if they're accessible. Black-capped Chickadees are well-adapted to winter conditions with thick plumage for insulation. They can also enter a state of regulated hypothermia during extremely cold nights to conserve energy which is really cool. They are also adept at finding food such as seeds, berries, and insect larvae from crevices in tree bark. Chickadees are known to cache food during the fall, hiding it in various locations to retrieve during the winter months when food may be scarce. Probably one of my favorite local birds. The species I saw today really utilize the winter environment up here to try and live well.

Date: 3/25/2024
Start Time: 5:00
End Time: 6:42
Location: Waterfront Bike Path Burlinton VT
Weather: about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, partially cloudy, not windy
Habitat:
The majority of this walk I was on a paved bike path allong the waterfront. Some trees and brush alongside the path. With urbanized, beach, and natural waterfront areas allong the path.

I 4 total robins foraging in the trees for food today. Usually, they scurry on the ground for food, but the ground was still snow-covered. I also saw a Dark-eyed Junco, which I have yet to see on one of these walks. Being near the water, I saw some different birds today. I saw a pair of female Mallards swimming about. And I saw 3 Ring-billed Gulls, including one swimming in the wastewater treatment pool right off the waterfront. I also saw a massive Red-tailed Hawk flying above; the photo I took of it was too blurry to make use of. I also saw a chickadee.

On my walk, I did not see any bird species that were definitely migratory in the winter. Some birds like the American Robin and the Ring-billed Gulls may travel south in search of better conditions, but they also may stay here. Gulls may move to more urban areas near water, which is the case in Burlington. But for the sake of the assignment, I drew a map of a hypothetical path of where a gull may travel in search of better conditions and wrote out the mileage. I also did this for the American Robin. The American Robin is an example of a facultative migrant who may come or go. American Robins migrate to escape harsh winter conditions and to find abundant food sources. They return northward in the spring to breed when temperatures warm and food becomes more plentiful. As temperatures rise and daylight hours increase, insects become more active, and vegetation begins to grow, providing robins with more food sources for breeding and raising their young. Also, the presence of suitable nesting sites and breeding territories in Burlington and surrounding areas further facilitates their arrival.

Mini Actvity. I saw that a common migration place for both gulls and robins is florida. This is roughly 1,283 miles point to point. I used the app how far did I run to create a point to point map. I then multiplied 1,283 by the amount of gulls and robins I saw.

The birds I saw all have their adaptations for winter in Vermont. Birds employ various strategies to survive harsh winters in Vermont and similar cold climates. Here's how each of the species you mentioned typically copes with winter conditions: American Robins may migrate southward to warmer regions during the winter. Some individuals may stay in Vermont if they can find sufficient food sources, such as berries, fruits, and insects that might still be available in the area. As I saw today, the robins were feeding on some seeded plant in a tree, there is a low-quality picture with my observation. Birds are tough to photograph with an iPhone. Ring-billed Gulls are known to be adaptable and may migrate southward to coastal areas or stay in open water areas where they can find food such as fish, invertebrates, and scavenged scraps. They may also gather in large flocks in areas where food is abundant, such as near wastewater treatment plants, which is where I saw one today, or other areas with open water and accessible food sources. Red-tailed Hawks are year-round residents in Vermont. They have adaptations such as dense plumage and specialized respiratory systems and the ability to regulate their body temperature to withstand cold temperatures. They also have keen hunting skills and may prey on small mammals, birds, and other animals found in winter habitats. The one I saw today was flying low, maybe in search of prey. Mallard Ducks also are often seen in Vermont throughout the year. During the winter, they may gather in large flocks in open water areas where they can find food such as aquatic plants, seeds, and small invertebrates. They may also feed in agricultural fields if they're accessible. Black-capped Chickadees are well-adapted to winter conditions with thick plumage for insulation. They can also enter a state of regulated hypothermia during extremely cold nights to conserve energy which is really cool. They are also adept at finding food such as seeds, berries, and insect larvae from crevices in tree bark. Chickadees are known to cache food during the fall, hiding it in various locations to retrieve during the winter months when food may be scarce. Probably one of my favorite local birds. The species I saw today really utilize the winter environment up here to try and live well.