Diario de kayley-j-dillon

Winter in Vermont has officially given way to mud season. Temperatures have risen consistently above freezing, and my friends, Meghan and Jasper, and I decided to set out to Centennial Woods in hopes of seeing some of this year's first migrants. The weather was rather overcast. We set out early on April 7th, around 9:00 AM, and stayed through the morning to return around noon.

Most of the species we observed were still resident species, like Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Downy Woodpeckers. The birds that remain in Vermont for the winter have the ability to deal with the harsh conditions, such as cold and lack of food. Black-capped Chickadees are able to go into hypothermia and recover, allowing them to endure bitter cold. Some species, like Downy Woodpeckers, still have decent access to a food resource. You'll see woodpeckers on trees in the middle of winter as well as the summer. Even American Robins were relatively common through this winter. As generalists, robins are able to take advantage of the resources still available, like seeds which persist through winter and fruiting trees.

A few exciting migrants did appear though, including the iconic Red-winged Blackbird. One bird was seen perched in the top of a tree over the retention pond, singing his heart out. By arriving so early, the blackbirds have an opportunity to claim territory and prepare for the breeding season. Another notable migrant was the Eastern Phoebe. Surprisingly, however, I was able to find little information about Eastern Phoebe migration. Despite being such a well-known aspect of birds' lives, migration isn't fully understood in many species.

To put migration into perspective, the Eastern Phoebe's migration could be as far as 1,200 miles or more. I found that the exact wintering grounds of many bird species were difficult to locate. Using information from All About Birds, Birds of North America, and Google Maps, I was able to come up with some rough distance estimates. All the migratory species we saw on this trip traveled an estimated cumulative 2,844 miles, and those are just the species seen in one morning.

So far, the warmer weather has held, and hopefully these conditions will continue to bring the birds back north. I'll be keeping my eyes out for more migrants as the weather warms and spring fully takes hold in Vermont.

After a few days of rain, the weather finally cleared and I was able to go out to enjoy it. This weekend I headed to East Woods, a small natural area near UVM campus. I set out shortly after 8:00 AM and stayed out until shortly after 10:00 AM, hoping to catch the birds early in the morning. The woods were a combination of old pines and some deciduous trees. I noticed a large amount of snags and downed woody debris in the area. Potash Brook also runs through the woods, providing habitat for some waterfowl and other associated birds.

It's officially spring; the warm weather has persisted and snow has been replaced with rain. This shift means that birds are returning and busy preparing for mating season. During this trip, I noticed a few recent migrants such as the Winter Wren and Eastern Phoebes, and many species were also being quite vocal, such as the usually shy Brown Creepers. Despite being a relatively small area, East Woods actually provides quite a bit of nesting habitat for all of these small songbirds.

The Winter Wren was a particularly exciting sighting; it's a very small bird and can easily hide among branches and downed woody debris. I did a bit of research using the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's website, allaboutbirds.org, to research the nesting habits of different species. I found that Winter Wrens often nest in natural cavities. East Woods offers a few good options for nesting sites, including upturned trees by the water and a variety of fallen trees and standing snags to choose from.

The Brown Creepers are also fond of old trees and large snags; however, they're a bit pickier. Brown Creepers specifically like dead or dying trees with loose bark and will build their nests in between. Both Brown Creepers were spotted near a large dead snag with missing bark which could potentially serve as a nest site. Similar large trees were scattered through the woods, suggesting that they have a large selection of nesting habitat.

Eastern Phoebes weren't spotted easily, but they were frequently heard while walking alongside Potash Brook. The brook offers good potential feeding habitat and was surrounded by many small trees where they could perch. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Eastern Phoebes often make their nests on human structures. East Woods is a relatively small area, so they may be nesting near the edges of the woods. Eastern Phoebes are also known to be rather territorial. Individuals were heard singing at the far ends of the loop where it follows Potash Brook, not close together. This suggests that the birds may be using separate parts of the brook and singing to announce their presence in their territory.

Other sightings from today included Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Tufted Titmouse, all of which have been regular appearances on my birding trips. A male Mallard was also spotted on Potash Brook and paused on a small island in the middle. American Crows and gulls were both heard and seen flying over.

As the warm weather sets in, the birds have become quite vocal, likely trying to attract mates or defend their territories. I've started paying careful attention to sound to both identify species and locate them on the landscape. It may be easy to find species like Black-capped Chickadees, but even shy species are making themselves known again. Listening closely has been an excellent tool for locating these other little marvels of the forest.