Diario de emquirk37

On my previous birding excursion, I went to Fannie Stebbins Wildlife Refuge in my hometown of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. I had spotted an abundance of birds and a variety of species that day and, as a result, I decided to venture out there again for this week's field observation. I drove out to the wildlife refuge on March 14, 2019 at approximately 12:30 PM. It was a beautiful day: the sky was clear, the wind was minimal, and the temperature was about 40 degrees. I went back out to around the same spot I had seen the most diversity of birds. This was located on the banks of Connecticut River and had a forest area beyond it.

During my time, I spotted dozens of Canada Geese, dozens of Mallards, a pair of Mute Swans (who I presume were the same pair I had seen on my previous birding excursion), a Song Sparrow, a male Red-bellied Woodpecker, a male Northern Cardinal, a House Sparrow, a few Red-winged Blackbirds, and a Red-tailed Hawk. Of these species, Mute Swans, Song Sparrows, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Northern Cardinals, and House Sparrows are resident species. Many of these species are able to survive the harsh winters of the Northeast because their food sources are typically seeds or bugs that live beneath the tree bark. In addition, some birds have the ability to undergo facultative hypothermia.

A facultative migrant that might be arriving in Burlington nowadays, is the Red-tailed Hawk. Their year-round range extends all the way down south to just the middle of Vermont; the remaining part of Vermont (including Burlington) is considered a breeding region for the Red-tailed Hawk. These birds might be arriving back from regions that are further south, due to their food source becoming more abundant as we reach springtime. Being a migrant that arrives back in early April can have its advantages and disadvantages. For one, April in the northeast is probably the most unstable month in terms of weather and could pose a risk to migrants due to the fact that freezing temperatures or snow could do some damage to the foods the birds feed upon. On the other hand though, arriving in early April could also give these birds their first choice at a prime nesting site.

For the mini activity, I used Google Maps to calculate that the total miles the migrant birds I saw at Fannie Stebbins Wildlife Refuge may have traveled from their wintering grounds to arrive here. From my calculations, one rough estimate might be 658 miles.

On March 14th at approximately 3:30 P.M., I arrived at Forest Park in Longmeadow, MA. This is a public and recreational area with many ponds and forests. These three pictures were taken at or around a pond. That day, I spotted two Mourning Doves, one Blue Jay, about a dozen pairs of Canada Geese, and a Mute Swan that was too far away for me to take a decent picture.

On March 11th at approximately 3:30 P.M., I ventured out to Forest Park in Springfield, Massachusetts. Forest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States, spanning over 700 acres and situated right on the banks of the Connecticut River. The majority of this land is forested, but it also features several ponds where I have noticed that many waterfowl tend to gather. It was this area where I intended to observe. On this day, the sky was relatively clear and the temperature was around 45 degrees Fahrenheit

During this bird walk, I witnessed a single Domestic Duck, a pair of Ring-billed Gulls, dozens of pairs of Mallards, and dozens of pairs of Canada Geese. Although I could not spot them, I was able to hear the songs and calls of a Tufted Titmouse, an American Robin, and a Blue Jay. I did a little research into the Domestic Duck after my visit. I learned that they're raised for meat and as pets for the most part so I wondered why this Domestic Duck was out in the wild among the other birds. I also found that Mallards and Domestic Ducks have the same scientific name and was additionally perplexed by this. Does this mean that Domestic Ducks can mate with Mallards? What would their offspring look like if they do? Are all Domestic Ducks white? What is this lone Domestic Duck's story; was it born here or was it let loose from a life of domestication? These are some questions that I would love to find the answers to.

As for mating and territorial behavior, it was immediately obvious right off the bat that the vast majority of waterfowl were paired up. They swam and moved as male and female pairs. However, since male and female Ring-billed Gulls look alike, I was unsure if the pair I saw were also male and female. I found several spots in the area that I thought might be great areas for the species I observed/heard. In the middle of one of the ponds was a mound of land that I approximate was 50 feet by 12 feet. I figured that this might be an ideal nesting spot for a couple pairs of Canada Geese due to the fact that they prefer elevated sites near water with unobstructed views in most directions. This mound of land in the center of the pond already had some Canada Geese sitting around. I found that the banks of the pond on the side opposite me may serve as a proper nesting site for any Mallard pair. These banks had various grasses and cattails lining them as well as trees overhanging them. Mallards have shown to enjoy nesting spots on dry land near water. Oftentimes, these nests can also be under plant growth. Lastly, although I could not spot the individual, I was able to hear the distinct song of a Tufted Titmouse. I found that Forest Park in general would be an ideal spot to nest in due to the high quantity and density of deciduous and evergreen trees such as maples and white pines, respectively. Tufted Titmice prefer a mix of these tree types and in great densities to nest in.

For about 7 minutes I sat in front of the pond and closed my eyes to listen to what birds I could hear. During this activity, I heard a total of 5 bird species: Canada Geese, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin, Blue Jay, and Ring-billed Gull. I heard multiple Canada Geese and I believe only individual calls and songs from the remaining species. Luckily and interesting enough, I was able to identify the songs and calls of all the species I heard!