Ornithology Field Journal 2/17/2024
Date: 2/17/2024
Start Time: 13:54
End time: 15:57
Location: Rock Point
Weather: Partially sunny, slightly windy, about 27 degrees Fahrenheit
Habitat(s):
During my time at Rock Point, I found myself walking through a variety of different habitats. The most noticeable of these (and the one where I found myself capturing photos of and hearing the most birds) was that of the Northern White Cedars found at the top of Rock Point. These trees are significantly shorter than other trees in the area due to the harsh winds, and this makes it a lot easier to see and take photos of the birds. However, it is pretty noisy due to the wind, so it was harder to hear the birds than it would be in other circumstances. While on top of the main Rock Point lookout area, I saw 5 Black-capped Chickadees, a Downy Woodpecker, and a White-breasted Nuthatch. In a similarly forested area, I saw a group of 5 American Robins (that I could successfully count), although they were unfortunately moving around too much and in too challenging of a spot for me to be able to get a photo of them without going off trail. Additionally, I also saw 3 other Black-capped Chickadees, 2 American Crows, and a Blue Jay in other, more varied areas as I was walking around. Right as I was about to get in the car, I also saw a bird flying overhead that I believe to be some species of hawk. However, I am not overly confident in this identification, as I do not know much about identifying hawks and also do not have sufficient experience doing so.
Unfortunately, the area that I did this survey in did not have as many snags as an area like Centennial Woods would, likely due to how short the trees are on top of Rock Point and also that the strong winds are likely to displace any snags rather quickly. However, I did notice that the areas that did have more/larger cavities also tended to be where I observed or heard the most birds.
Snags serve lots of uses to a variety of species. Obviously, the first species that comes to mind is woodpeckers, whether it be a Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker (that I saw on this walk), Hairy Woodpecker, or a Northern Flicker, to name just a few, because these are the species that are actually creating the cavities. Other creatures such as the Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, European Starling, House Sparrow, Brown Creeper, and various squirrels and owls are secondary cavity nesters.
A lot of bird species change their lifestyles during the winter. For example, American Robins change their diet from primarily protein-rich invertebrates such as earthworms and insects to fruits and berries such as junipers and hollies that are rich in vitamins. Additionally, American Robins (which are fiercely territorial in the warmer seasons) become much more nomadic. Many species have similar adaptations, as well.
Overall, my birding walk at Rock Point was a great experience, although I didn’t observe quite as many birds as I did during my Centennial Walk. However, the geology was significantly cooler, there were lots of icicles in very strange places, and there were some absolutely beautiful views!
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