Observaciones de addison26

2/17/2020
4:30-6:00 pm
Oakledge Cove, 65 Oakledge Dr Burlington, VT 05401
19℉, winds from the N at 6 mph, sunny and clear skies
Scenic rocky outcroppings on lake shore. Many pine and oak trees.

As we basked in the sun along the lake, five mallards (2 females and 3 males) took off into the sunset. Mallards have high speed wings, with a low aspect ratio. High speed wings mean they flap continuously during flight. This is the most reliable wing type for birds like Mallards, that make long distance migrations. In North America, birds migrate South as far as Mexico and other parts of Central America during the winter. However, it also makes complex maneuvers, like hovering and soaring, difficult or near impossible.
We also saw a small Black-Capped Chickadee, flying between birch trees and chirping away along the lakeshore. Chickadees have a bouncy, aerobatic flight as Chickadee’s typically fly short distancances with rapid wing beats. Their pointed wing shape allows them to navigate both thick wooded areas, and busy neighborhoods, allowing them to make quick dramatic turns. This flight pattern was much more aerodynamic than the mallards, highlighting their ability to quickly hop around, rather than long durable distances like the mallard, as Black-Capped Chickadees typically do not migrate.