toukokuu 13, 2021

Extra Credit

Nicholas Frank
Extra Credit
Date: 5/08/21
Start Time: 12:00pm
End Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Weather: Mid 50's, partly cloudy, slight breeze
Habitats: Hardwood Forest (mostly Poplars, Oaks, Birches, Maples), Open Field, Swamp/Bog

For the extra credit assignment, I took my childhood friend Joe Purce on his first birding excursion. Joe enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and works at REI so getting him to go outside was not much of an issue, but I don't think he would have gone birding with me unless I told him it was for my extra credit. We went to a place we had both been as children for both school and cub scout field trips, the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Although he did become a little bored towards the end, he said he found it interesting how many distinct songs there were for birds that he never listened too. Joe always knew there were different songs and calls for different birds but never noticed the complexity of them until now. I believe "meowing" of the Gray Catbird is what really caught Joe's attention. He enjoyed taking the time to walk around and enjoy the wildlife in a new way. Joe also found it interesting when I told him how to identify the difference between a Hairy and Downy Woodpecker. Joe said he would never be able to tell the difference if he saw one or the other on it's own but found it interesting that such a subtle differences are used to distinguish one species from the other. Overall I think he enjoyed his first birding excursion although I am not sure if he will go again anytime soon.

Julkaistu toukokuu 13, 2021 08:08 IP. käyttäjältä nfrank22 nfrank22 | 10 havaintoa | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

toukokuu 10, 2021

Field Journal 8

Nicholas Frank
Field Journal 8
Date: 5/09/21
Start Time: 13:00am
End Time: 12:00pm
Location: Jockey Hollow
Weather: Low 50's, Cloudy, Began to rain pretty heavy
Habitats: Hardwood Forest (mostly Poplars, Oaks, Birches, Maples), Open Field

A nice little walk and saw a few different species. I saw what I believed was a Red-headed woodpecker at a feeder but I did not add it as an observation as I was not totally sure. It was a little chilly but a nice day out until it started raining pretty heavy and I had to spend the last 30 min running to my car. I guess I should have checked the weather

Julkaistu toukokuu 10, 2021 02:58 IP. käyttäjältä nfrank22 nfrank22 | 7 havaintoa | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

huhtikuu 26, 2021

Field Journal 7

Nicholas Frank
Field Journal 7
Date: 4/26/21
Start Time: 7:00am
End Time: 9:00 am
Location: Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Weather: Low 40's, partly cloudy, windy with strong gusts
Habitats: Hardwood Forest (mostly Poplars, Oaks, Birches, Maples), Open Field, Swamp/Bog

I started out early this morning before class. It was a bit cooler than the past few days and very windy which did not help. I had not gone bird watching in an environment this swampy this swampy yet though I did not see many birds in the open wetland areas where the wind was really blowing very hard.

One species I saw that was probably trying to breed or defending a territory was a male Eastern Phoebe. This bird was in an oak species I could not identify (there are so many more oak species down her in NJ than VT and it always confuses me when trying to ID them) about 15-20ft off the ground). This bird was calling with a frequent, short little chirp that lasted no more than half a second. The nesting sites these birds choose are typically close to the ground and they commonly use human made structures for sites. There were some small buildings near the parking lot, but the only manmade structures around were the wooden platforms used for trails to get over the the wet and swampy areas. Many other species prefer to nest up in trees, fields or other places opposed to man-made structures.

A another species I saw that may have been trying to build a nest is the Red-winged Blackbird. There were many of these birds up in trees bordering a large field/wetland full of reeds and other grasses. Red-winged Blackbirds commonly use these areas with lots of reeds, cattails, etc. to build a nest and that could be why they were all gathered there. I did not see any birds in the field its self though the plants were over 5ft tall and it was windy so that may be the reason.

For the mini activity I attempted to upload a photo of my map but I do not believe I can on here. I only heard bird calls and songs coming from one general direction of where I stood. These areas also happened to be up wind which may be why. There was also a lot of water in the direction I did not here any calls. This was pretty interesting because it helped me see where the birds were located relative to me in a way I never really though about before as I usually just assume they are all over the place.

Julkaistu huhtikuu 26, 2021 03:31 IP. käyttäjältä nfrank22 nfrank22 | 6 havaintoa | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

huhtikuu 19, 2021

Field Journal 6

Nicholas Frank
Field Journal 6
Date: 4/17/21
Start Time: 1:00pm
End Time: 3:30 pm
Location: Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary
Weather: Low 50's, Cloudy, Minor rain periodically
Habitats: Hardwood Forest (mostly Poplars, Oaks, Birches, Maples), River, Open Field

Did not see a whole lot of birds for how long I was out there. Nice day, not many people. I got caught up talking to a ranger about his adventures around the country and he is the one who actually pointed the pileated woodpecker out too me. I had to do this Field Journal in New Jersey and the tree species composition is fairly different than what I usually encounter in Vermont. A lot more oaks, poplars, and other hardwoods with little to no pines or hemlocks. Also saw a lot of invasives such as oriental bittersweet which had choked out many trees around.

Julkaistu huhtikuu 19, 2021 05:30 IP. käyttäjältä nfrank22 nfrank22 | 7 havaintoa | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

huhtikuu 5, 2021

FJ5

Nicholas Frank
Field Journal 5
Date: 4/4/21
Start Time: 10:30am
End Time: 12:00pm
Location: Centennial Woods
Weather: High 40's to Low 50's, sunny, strong breeze
Habitats: Northern hardwood Forest, Hemlock, Open wetlands

Most of the birds I saw during my birding excursion where year round residents. Some of The species I saw such as the Black-capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmouse are year round residents here in Vermont. These small birds stick around all winter because it would be more difficult for them to travel to somewhere warmer than it would be worth to them. Their small size makes it difficult to travel hundreds or even thousands of miles so they stay around the whole winter. Some develop a coat of insulating feathers in the winter to protect from the brutal cold. They also purposely hide food for the winter, and with good memories they find the stashes later. They also tend to keep more active in order to create body heat and stay warm. It seems like these little birds are tougher than they appear.

The Eastern Phoebe that was spotted is a migrator. They spend their winters down in the south east from Florida to Mexico. The birds travel north in the spring to their breeding grounds and stay around until the following fall. The Eastern Phoebe is an early migrator arriving here in Vermont as early as March.

For the mini activity I only witnessed one bird that fully migrate. The American Crow and Song Sparrow also migrate, but some spend the entire year here in Vermont as well. Based on my research it seems mostly the the Crows and Sparrows in Canada Migrate consistently. The Eastern Phoebe migrates any where from 800 to 1400+ miles to get to their wintering grounds. Since the Phoebe was the only migrator witnessed the total all added up is the same.

Julkaistu huhtikuu 5, 2021 06:32 IP. käyttäjältä nfrank22 nfrank22 | 4 havaintoa | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

maaliskuu 22, 2021

Field Journal 4

Nicholas Frank
Field Journal 4
Date: 3/22/21
Start Time: 9:00am
End Time: 10:45am
Location: Ethan Allen Park
Weather: 45°F, Sunny, Mostly dry ground, mild breeze.
Habitats: Cedar-pine forest, and mixed hardwood forest.

It was a very nice morning and I heard lots of bird activity going on the entire time I was there. Only a few people were around which was surprising on such a nice morning. Most of the birds I heard were very high up in the trees or flying overhead. I walked down the path until I saw the trail for the tower and made my way up the hill. I continued to hear many various calls from all over, mostly over powered by Gulls and a noisy American Crow. The car noise was a lot less heavy up by the tower and I began to see more birds. These birds were not as high up in the trees as the ones down below. I saw two Black-capped Chickadees and a Dark-eyed Junco. The tree composition changed from oaks and shagbark hickories to Eastern white-cedars and quaking aspens. The ground was mostly dry with a few damp areas in the shade. All of the snowmelt was gone.

I only witnessed one major migrating species, the Dark-eyed Junco. The Dark-eyed Junco typically winters in our area and makes its way north to breed in Canada in the summer. This bird is most likely waiting to make it's annual spring migration North for breeding season. It is now warmer where we are and all the snow has melted. The days have also been getting longer and buds are begging to form one some of the deciduous trees.

I tried to call in the Chickadees I saw with psssh sound. I thought one of birds moved closer, but they were bouncing around a lot so I was not sure. I tried this a few times in various places and the most I got was a Chickadee to come around 10yds away. I am not sure if it saw me or not as I was still and sitting in one position for over 10 minutes. After about 30 seconds it flew off. I am going to keep trying this on my own until I get one near me!

Julkaistu maaliskuu 22, 2021 06:34 IP. käyttäjältä nfrank22 nfrank22 | 6 havaintoa | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

maaliskuu 8, 2021

Field Journal 3

Nicholas Frank
Date - March 2, 2021
Start time - 1:15 PM
End time - 3:30PM
Location - Lone Rock Point
Weather - Sunny, cloudless, temperature in the high teens, hard wind from the north
Habitat(s) - Northern hardwood forest, limestone bluff cedar-pine forest, Hemlock forest, parking a lot/road.

I went birding on town hall meeting day. As the prompt states, it is still winter and it shows based on my last expedition. The day was bright and sunny, but cold. There was a very brisk wind out of the north and with the air temperatures only being in the high teens the birding was slow to say the least. I went around the warmest part of the day and stayed for over two hours and still only witness two species with a possible third. I first made my trip around past the outdoor chapel first, than up around the cliff edges until I reached the tip of the point and than back around. There was no ice on the lake but when I made my way down tot he shoreline at one point there was a layer of slush on top of the water the stretched about 30 yards out that would move with the waves. The beach had a lot of really harsh, cold wind consistently blowing although the beaming sun and it's reflection off the water kept me warm. Assuming no birds wanted to spend time in such a rough environment, I left the icy pebble beach and made my way back up to the trail and continued going assuming there would be more birds among the shelter.

As I made my way to the point to turn back in towards the woods to see if any birds were hiding in the interior I noticed a pair of what appeared to be male Common Goldeyes flying north over the lake. As they disappeared I made way out of the cedars and into the hemlocks to continue exploring. Although the wind was less intense the lack of direct sunlight made it feel much colder. After about 30 minutes I noticed an Eastern white pine snag with a plethora of small to medium sized holes perfect for small birds or animals of the sort. Following the mini-activity I tapped near a few off the holes and waited a few feet back to see if anything appeared. After nothing came out I tried a couple more times and then decided to leave it alone. As I was walking away I noticed something pop out of the hole and back in out of the corner of my eye. It could have been bird or maybe a chipmunk, I am not really sure, but it was hiding in there.

I did not see anymore birds on the walk back to my until I was along the road about to get in my car. I noticed a Red-winged Blackbird chirping on the wire above me. It was much less windy and warm with sun here. There was at least another bird or two I could here in the distance. I made a recording and uploaded it along with my observation.

I am assuming the cold weather after relatively warm temperatures the few days before are the reason the birds were hiding. Often, when I go fly-fishing in the winter for trout, a water temperature drop off just a few degrees over day or two can really shut off the fishing, but an increase of a degree or two and the bite can really be on. The birds probably were just hiding from the wind on the high exposed point. I can not imagine the birds are eating very much as almost everything is dead. I supposed there some insects in wood or something for them to eat. Birds that are more adapted towards humans most likely seek out dumpster and birdfeeders for food or for shelter between buildings. Overall, a very slow but beautiful day.

Julkaistu maaliskuu 8, 2021 04:43 IP. käyttäjältä nfrank22 nfrank22 | 2 havaintoa | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

helmikuu 22, 2021

Field Journal 2

Nicholas Frank
Field Journal 2
Date: 2/16/21
Start Time: 1:05pm
End Time: 2:50pm
Location: Red rocks
Weather: 21°F, Overcast, Fresh snowfall.
Habitats: Lake (Shelburne Bay), hemlock forest, and mixed hardwood forest.

I went the day after we received few inches of snow and walked a two-mile loop in Redrocks park around past the lake and through the woods. There was a subtle breeze at most and the sky was overcast with the sun popping out only for a few short minutes. Although it was 20 degrees out it felt comfortable due to the lack of wind. Half the bay opposite of the inlet was frozen over with snow on top of the ice. The park was not as busy as in the summer, but plenty of people were taking advantage of the fresh snowfall to walk around and cross-country ski. There were over 15 cars in parked outside the entrance and plenty of dogs running off leash which may have accounted for the limited observations in the time I was there.

I first walked down to the lake to where the ice was and stood around for about 15 minutes. I saw no species out over the ice. Just a few unidentifiable dots way off in the distance and two kids playing on the ice. I then walked back to the trails and over to where the cliff areas where. From an outlook over the bay about 100 feet up I watched a flock of about 10-15 Common Goldeneye take off from the water and fly north. Unsure of whether or not the birds were actually Common Goldeneye, I did some quick online research and spoke to a friendly passer-byer who had more information birds than I do and confirmed my suspicions. I then continued North along the path, taking in the views until I saw a familiar sight. It was another flock of Common Goldeneyes flying past me out of the bay into the larger lake. As they passed I noticed a lot closer in the distance a duck species was flying by with a distinct brownish-red head. I looked in a bird Identification book my grandfather gave me and determined it was a Common Merganser. It was very neat to see the bird land on the water and swim off around a ledge. I continued along the snowy path until a circled back and walked farther from lake on the way back in hopes of seeing more species. There were not nearly as many people there than along the lake which I thought may help my chances. The first new bird I witnessed was a Hairy Woodpecker perched on an Eastern white pine. It bounced back and forth from the pine to a shagbark hickory, then to what appeared to be a black or red oak before it took off. The last observation was of the sound of a Black-capped Chickadee. I began to hear its call as I entered a hemlock stand with some large aspens and other deciduous trees spread I sparsely throughout. I tried to see if I could see the bird up in the trees but the needs of the evergreen hemlocks that dominated the overstory made it more difficult than some of the other areas.

The only species I had time to observe for longer than minute was the Hairy Woodpecker. I watched the bird for roughly five minutes before it took off. The body is longer than some other birds and the legs are far away from the head. They seem almost like a hammer for their pecking ability, the long body allowing for more inertia and energy. The beak is obviously for pecking at the wood to find different insects. The shagbark hickory seemed like an appropriate place to see one of these land as many species use space under the bark for shelter including some birds and bats. I assumed the bird was only looking for food but in only pecked the tree once for a brief moment. I am not sure if I scared it off or if it left on it’s own.

Julkaistu helmikuu 22, 2021 07:51 IP. käyttäjältä nfrank22 nfrank22 | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

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