Journal 2

Ryan Martin
Date - 2-25-24
Start time - 10:50
End time - 11:55
Location - Walking Alongside the golf course behind redstone
Weather - Warmer for a february day. In the low 40s, with some wind. There is a cold front coming on tonight but for now it's beautiful
Habitat(s) - Lightly forested land. Some coniferous trees. All other trees still have no leaves. Snow lightly scattered on the grass. Weather has been warmer, the ground is saturated with water. Patches of mud in areas where people and other life have walked and disturbed the land. Some light brush on the outskirts.
The main bird I heard throughout my walk was the tufted titmouse. The “peter peter peter” call is easy to identify. I believe I also heard some chickadees. I did see a pair of tufttifmouse resting upon a branch of a dead snag. I prodded in a hole in the tree to see if there was any life. There seemed to be nothing, probably too early in the day for a bird to be resting. The weather was also getting warmer so birds were out foraging. I did see a male cardinal fly to some leaf litter to search for food. The other bird I saw a lot of was chickadees. They were flying from branch to branch, there were also some down in the leaf litter scavenging. Winter birds prioritize activities differently than in other seasons. Since food sources are limited, most of their time is spent foraging. They search for seeds, berries, insects, and even small vertebrates. This was seen a lot on today's walk. Resting and conserving energy become crucial during the colder months, with less emphasis on breeding and territorial behaviors. Nighttime is often spent roosting communally in dense vegetation or sheltered areas like tree cavities to conserve heat and protect against predators. I walked in the morning so I didn't see any birds nesting in snags. Dead snags play a critical role in winter bird habitats. These standing dead trees provide nesting sites, shelter, and foraging opportunities for a variety of species. The presence of cavities in snags is especially important as they serve as potential nesting sites for birds. The size of the snag may influence the size and availability of cavities, thus impacting bird abundance and diversity in the area. Certain birds like nuthatches and woodpeckers nest in snags more frequently and would be seen more prevalent in areas with a lot of snags. There weren't that many where I walked, and I didn't see either of those birds.

Posted on February 25, 2024 09:38 PM by rmarti20