Archivos de Diario para abril 2020

jueves, 09 de abril de 2020

March 29th Field Journal 5

On Sunday March 29th at 1:30 in the afternoon I went out into the field for bird observations. I noticed a lot of bird action from inside my house, so I decided to step into the backyard for observations this day. The weather was partly cloudy with winds light about 5 miles per hour. The temperature was about 48 degrees when I went out after a brief rain shower finished and completed my observation outing at 3:00. The area I conducted my observations in had about a 1-acre lawn, swamp bordering the lawn with a small pond coming out of it. Throughout the pond and swamp there are many cattails, and many deciduous trees behind the swamp. The road close by is a heavily traveled highway that goes to an interstate that is heavily traveled and noisy as well.

In the duration I was outside for field observations I was able to see 4 American Robins, 5 Red-winged Blackbirds, 1 Song Sparrow, and 2 Mallard Ducks (1 male and 1 female). The American Robins were seen in two groups 3 were feeding on the lawn, and 1 was roosted in a tree. Since the weather has been warming up here in Georgia, VT there has been a plentiful amount of American Robins present. The American Robin is usually a short distance migratory species when in Canada, but some chose to migrate in the US while others are able to stay throughout the winter making it a facultative migrant species. Their diets consist of insects and worms during the warmer months and consume fruit in the winter. If where they are can support their fruit diet they will stay. The Red-winged Blackbirds were seen in two groups 1 was alone roosted in a tree, while the four others were roosted in the tall cattails behind the swamp. The Red-winged Blackbird being a short distance facultative migrant it will consume insects during the breeding season, and other times of year will eat seeds, and grains.

The Song Sparrow was spotted in the grass and blended in very well it was hard to see! It stayed very still until it spotted me and flew off. Being a mainly residential bird, the Song Sparrow adapts their diet to availability, consuming insects, invertebrates and available seeds and fruits in the warmer months but switch to mainly seeds. The two Mallards were the most exciting part of my bird outing. The male and female were seen together bedded down on the edge of the pond in the yard. The Mallard is a migratory bird and will migrate to mild areas where the water does not freeze. Because of the weather warming the Mallard pair were moving north for breeding season finding a location to nest. The mallard moves to open water for their diet of water plants, snails, anthropoids, worms, insects, grass, corn, seeds. And will consume agriculture crops when migrating. Mallard species tend to winter in areas in the Southern US where the water does not freeze and will come back usually near the same breeding site from the previous year. They are coming back North during this time because the bodies of water in which they nest are now unfrozen, and the area can now support their diets. Advantages of a Mallard arriving in the Northern Vermont area in early April include being able to get back to their breeding grounds that they return to year after year without competition. There are also disadvantages to migration early which may include additional freezing weather, snow, and ice freezing up again this can affect where a mallard will nest for the time being and their food availability.

Mini activity: With the Mallard being the only obligate migratory species, I was able to see during this time and the others being facultative I was able to determine the distance they may travel. From Northern Vermont to the wintering range in states of Mississippi, Alabama, or Georgia Mallards have traveled right around 800 miles in their migratory trip.

Publicado el jueves, 09 de abril de 2020 a las 12:13 AM por ajchagnon ajchagnon | 4 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

martes, 14 de abril de 2020

FJ 6 April 13, 2020

On April 13th at 2:00 pm I went out into the field for observations and completed my observation period around 3:30. For my observation period I stayed close to home but ventured a little further into the woods for observations this time, instead of closer to the house like I was in my previous observations. The weather was cloudy with grey skies when I went out into the field with high winds. It had been raining previously in the morning, but I found a break of rain to go out. About halfway through my observation period it began raining again but just a light sprinkle. The temperature was about 60 degrees in Georgia, VT. Where I took observations, the ground was very wet and had water pooling. There was a stand of coniferous trees to one side and then a thicket with many down trees to the other side of me. In the duration I was in the field I was able to observe four Red-winged Blackbirds, two Black-capped Chickadees, two American Robins, and a song of what I believed to be an Eastern Phoebe. The call of the Eastern Phoebe stuck out to me the most because I have not heard that one around here or recognized it before. I heard the distinct of what sounded to be “phe-beee,” coming from the thickets where most of my bird sightings were but was not able to spot it.

Publicado el martes, 14 de abril de 2020 a las 10:55 PM por ajchagnon ajchagnon | 4 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

miércoles, 22 de abril de 2020

FJ 7 April 20, 2020

On April 20 at 3:30 pm I went out into the field for bird observations and completed the observation period at 5:00 pm. My place of choosing was close to home in Georgia, VT in walking distance but was centered around a thicket of trees nearby that I had recognized frequent bird activity in recently. The weather was 40 degrees and partly cloudy when I went out into the field that afternoon. The wind was gusty at about 10 mph. The wind chill made it a cold afternoon excursion. The area that I was in for my observation period was very thick with trees and shrubs. The thicket had many sumac trees and was in a low area with wet grounds, and many down trees. There was a ridge to one side that had pine trees at growing at the top. This area was high in car traffic with an interstate very close, and an access to an industrial park within 40 yards.

In the duration I was in the field I saw two Northern Cardinals, two Black-capped Chickadees, one House Sparrow, and two Red-winged Blackbirds. The two Northern Cardinals presented fascinating behaviors to watch. One male and one female being able to recognize from their striking red color of the male, and the muted red-brown color of the female were in a singing flurry darting from tree to tree which can be represented by mate selection. The male finally landed in a large tree and continued to sing while the female went out of sight. Before the two Northern Cardinals linked up the male was perched in the thicket on sumac trees singing where I first spotted them. The singing could be related to defending a territory and the area in which they were located was prime territory. In this area there were many things that could benefit a prime territory, with plenty of cover, plentiful food sources with many berry producing trees, and many down trees that could house insects. Because of the prime territory it could indicate that this bird has a higher fitness than others of his species.

The Red-winged Blackbirds seen in the duration of the field prefer a different habitat preference than the Northern Cardinals viewed as well. As the Northern Cardinals appear to prefer to nest in thickets, a Red-winged Blackbird would prefer to nest in cattails or tall reeds. There are cattails and tall reeds located very close to where my observation area was for the day where a Red-winged Blackbird may nest. The nest is built by the female and built from stringy vegetation like grasses or stocks and pieces of the cattails and reed that can be gathered within the nesting area of the cattails and reeds.

Mini Activity:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cy0hdzHyxyOG7a9TJIDznojIrp_lo66zqExKtq5fzMA/edit

Publicado el miércoles, 22 de abril de 2020 a las 07:06 PM por ajchagnon ajchagnon | 4 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

domingo, 26 de abril de 2020

FJ8 April 22, 2020

On April 22, 2020 I went out into field at 2:30 for observations and completed the observation period at 4:00. The area I was taking observations in was in Georgia, VT. I centered my observations around mostly the yard and the swamp area behind it. The area was about 80% lawn, with a small pond bordering the lawn and stream running through. Attached to the pond is a marshy area of cattails and tall reeds and a few deciduous trees emerging from them. Behind the marshy area is a small stand of coniferous trees. Around the area is an industrial park that receives heavy traffic in and out, a busy state highway, and an interstate flowing by which causes noise from traffic. The weather in the field was colder about 39 degrees, overcast, and gusty heavy winds cooling the air down more. In the duration I was taking observations I saw one male Mallard sitting in the partially frozen over pond, one American Crow perched high in a tree above the swamp, four Red-winged Blackbirds in the tall cattails, and one American Robin on the lawn.

Publicado el domingo, 26 de abril de 2020 a las 03:10 PM por ajchagnon ajchagnon | 4 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

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