Field Journal 2: ID and Flight Physiology

I went out with Allan's field trip group Saturday morning, leaving at around 9:05 am. It was sunny and partly cloudy, with a 5-10 mph NW wind and a temperature of 21 degrees Fahrenheit. When we returned at 10:38 am, the sky had become fully cloudy and the temperature had raised to 23 degrees. We walked through Athletic campus, Redstone, and down South Prospect St. This was a mostly urban/suburban area, with a few more wooded areas around Redstone. One particular area was the Redstone Woods, just across from the church. This is area is made up of mostly Eastern White Pines and we saw a few birds here. Going down S. Prospect St. there more scattered trees, mostly deciduous but also some pines and spruces.

At one point in this excursion, while in front of the Southwick music building on Redstone campus, a group of maybe three or four Ring-billed gulls flew over us, coming from the direction of the water. I know that gulls have high aspect ratio wings, which are good for endurance and gliding, which fits their lifestyle. If they're going to be living most of their lives over water, it's important to be able to glide and dive easily, although personally I can't think of a time when I've seen a gull actually diving for fish. Most of the time its just trash.

Compare this to American Crows, which have low aspect ratio wings that are better for breaking and maneuvering. Crows may often have to swoop down to grab prey and these wings would be best for that. I also noticed that when crows are flying, they don't seem to glide at all, they just flap their wings over and over again. My guess is that this style of flying is more going faster over shorter distances by using more energy and gliding less.

Publicado el lunes, 22 de febrero de 2021 a las 11:02 PM por emma2forsythe emma2forsythe

Observaciones

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Cuervo Norteamericano (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

Seen in a tree on UVM Athletic Campus, making a clicking sound, maybe clicking its beak?

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Carpintero Albinegro Menor (Dryobates pubescens)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

three birds, two were flitting around lower branches, the third was sitting very very still on the lowest branch of a crabapple tree. It seemed like it wasn't even breathing, probably out of fear.

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Cuervo Común (Corvus corax)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

Two ravens flying overhead.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Carpintero de Cresta (Dryocopus pileatus)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

High up in a white pine in a stand. Chipping away at the trunk.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Mirlo Primavera (Turdus migratorius)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

at least 20 sitting on the grass.

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Gaviota Pico Anillado (Larus delawarensis)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

four birds flying overhead.

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Chara Azul (Cyanocitta cristata)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

sitting on a transformer box on a telephone line.

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Gorrión Doméstico (Passer domesticus)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

at least six individuals flying between bushes.

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Jilguero Canario (Spinus tristis)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

flitting between lower branches of a maple tree.

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Pardillo Sizerín (Acanthis flammea)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

flitting between lower branches of a maple tree.

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Bajapalos Pecho Canela (Sitta canadensis)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

in an old maple tree.

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Bajapalos Pecho Blanco (Sitta carolinensis)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

In an old maple tree.

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Carbonero de Capucha Negra (Poecile atricapillus)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

flitting between two rhododendron bushes.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Cardenal Rojo (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Fecha

Febrero 20, 2021

Lugar

UVM Campus (Google, OSM)

Descripción

A male and female in a bush, maybe courting?

Comentarios

No hay comentarios aún.

Añade un comentario

Entra o Regístrate para añadir comentarios