Tuesday Grassland and Shrubland May 19, 2020
Today Tuesday May 19th at 7:30 am this morning I arrived at my field site for observations. This observational period was centered around grassland and shrubland bird species in the area. The site was located in Swanton, Vermont on Airport Drive. In this area there was heavy traffic up and down and construction going on around the airport. Instead of birding the fence line around the edge of the airport because it was hard to access during this time I went behind the Vermont Trans building where there are numerous fields that connect to the fairgrounds located close by. The area in which I birded had a system of previously brush hogged pathways lined with early successional trees and shrubs. The end of the trail that I walked was a large field bordering the area that a fair is held in the summer. I walked the edge of the field and looped back around to walk the paths out.
In the duration I was in the field I heard many different birds and was able to see a them as well. Walking out I was overwhelmed with the different calls coming from each side of the path in the shrubs. I was able to stop and break them down and eventually decipher what many of them were. The birds I was able to ID by sight and sound included an abundance of Gray Catbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, House Wrens, Song Sparrows and a Turkey Vulture. I had issues identifying one bird I saw in the field. When I came around a corner of the path I noticed a bird perched in a small shrub tree. When I looked at it with binoculars I could recognize the distinct black back, brown sides, and white belly. After viewing for a few seconds, the bird flew away into the thick shrub and I was unable to see or hear the individual after that. Once I returned home I did some researching and I believe that the bird I saw was an Eastern Towhee. Throughout the duration in the field I saw a total six catbirds throughout my walk all perched in the trees in the shrubland not only did I see six of these birds I also was able to ID three more by sound of their “meowing” call.
Red-winged Blackbirds also filled the shrublands and grasslands by the sight and the sound. A total of five Red-winged Blackbirds were recognized by sight while four of them which were flying across the field opening toward the fairgrounds, while one was perched in a tall shrub tree growing on the edge of the field. I was able to ID four other occasions of Red-winged Blackbirds throughout the duration in the field from their sharp first not and trilling end. Walking through the location sight Blue Jays were present in both the shrub land and grasslands as well. Four of the Blue Jays were spotted between the two areas and five of them were recognized from their alarm call of “Jay-Jay-Jay.” One male Northern Cardinal was seen in the shrublands with its bright red collar piercing through the shrubs, while three others were heard calling with what I recognize to be a “machine gun” sounding call. While in the shrublands I believe I heard a House Wren from the long song of up and down notes chattering. At first, I was unsure of which species this may be but after play backs and hearing the song eight different times this is what I matched it to. One of the more abundant birds recognized was the Song Sparrow I was able to ID a total of eight by sight some in the grass of the paths on the edge of the shrubland and others in the small shrubs. I was able to ID four more Song Sparrows by song with their sharp notes in the beginning, trill in the middle, and splurge of notes at the end. In the time I was observing in the field I was able to ID a Turkey Vulture that was circling above an opening in the distance. With construction and heavy traffic in and around the area’s things started to quiet down as I moved to the grassland as the day went on. I completed my observation period at 11:30 and headed back home.
Observaciones
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