Journal archives for February 2021

21 February, 2021

FJ2 2/20/21

Date: 20 Feb 2021 1500-1645
Location: UVM Rec Path

  • Stopped about 1.3 miles in a harvested hay field
    Weather: Cloudy/Overcast with a mild occasional wind
    Temperature: 15 ºF
    Habitat: Wheat field surrounded by a mix of deciduous trees on three sides and the rec path and Spear St on the other.
    The main attraction to this site was the flock of American Crows that tend to feed there. At least 30 individuals made up this flock. As it is breeding season for this species, I assumed that this is the local brooding flock for the Burlington area. Many individuals seemed to be picking out food from the field and hopping around to get to different areas.
    Occasionally, a couple would fly five feet in any given direction to comb a new area for food. The wing flaps were shorter and not very forceful as the birds were only planning on moving a small amount taking about three to four flaps. American Crows have Elliptical wings with their primary feathers standing out individually making for a wide wing tip. This provides drag and is better for maneuvering which may be helpful when in such a large flock of birds or may be valuable when they are sitting in trees when not foraging for food. If you find patterns in flight or movements, it may be easier to distinguish it from a bird that looks similar, in this case the common Raven.
    I also saw a Black-capped Chickadee in a tree closer to the path right about the bench. When I approached it hopped up the branches to get away from me. But after a couple of minutes of sitting silently on the bench, it hopped down towards the middle of the tree and towards the remnants of bushes that are directly behind the bench. He had puffed his feathers up to try to trap in the most heat possible to keep himself warm. Eventually, I lost him in the brush, and he must have flown away.
    I believe I didn’t see many birds because it is so cold out and the space evaluated was mostly open space which birds don’t tend to be in during the colder winter months. When it is warmer there will be more birds around generally, so there will be a higher chance that the next time this spot is used there will be a higher species richness. However, I believe the best time to survey this area would be in the fall when the hay is just about read to harvest. The smaller birds like to jump from stock to stock or find safety within the hay rather than in the open, fully harvested space.

Posted on 21 February, 2021 17:59 by catherinegullo22 catherinegullo22 | 2 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

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