Field Observation 2: Ecological Physiology

3/7/21
3:00PM-5:00PM
Centennial Woods
27° F
Sunny with 8 mph North wind
Habitat: Wooded area with various hardwoods, eastern white pines, Scots pines and several snags

For this week’s field observation I took a walk through Centennial woods because I knew that there are many snags in that area. As I walked down the trail I tried my best to count all the snags that I walked past, however, there were just too many to keep track of. I found an area to sit down and observe and I counted approximately 11 snags around me. Generally, the thicker snags had the largest holes and most cavities. I noticed that several snags around me had large oval shaped holes drilled into them. I remembered learning in class that oval shaped holes are usually from feeding Pileated Woodpeckers. I had also noticed that there was a living tree in the middle of several snags with only one round hole drilled way up. I questioned why this particular tree only had one hole that’s rounder than the oval shaped holes in the snags. I used my ornithology detective skills to determine that the single round hole could be a woodpecker nest. I took a stick and tapped it on the base of the tree to mimic woodpecker drumming and sure enough a Pileated Woodpecker’s head peaked out of the hole! Luckily, I had my camera nearby to take a quick picture of the Pileated Woodpecker’s head just before it went right back into its hole quickly. This was definitely my most exciting ornithology moment of the semester so far!
Prior to the Pileated Woodpecker observation, I was walking down the trail and I heard tapping. I stopped and looked around to see if I could find the source of the noise and noticed a male Downy Woodpecker pecking at a maple tree. I knew he was a male because of his red patch on the back of his head. At first it was hard to determine whether he was a Downy or Hairy Woodpecker because I couldn’t get a good look at his beak. I then noticed his outer white wing feather had black dots and I knew this signified a Downy. I sat and observed his behavior for a while. He would fly from branch to branch and peck around the bark. I took note how the Downy Woodpecker almost always had his head towards the sky and worked upwards. While watching the Downy Woodpecker, two Red-breasted Nuthatches came flying in. They both started picking at the flaky bark on a Scot’s Pine. Contrary to the Downy Woodpecker, I noticed that the Red-breasted Nuthatch feeds with its head facing towards the ground and works downwards. The two Red-breasted Nuthatches eventually flew further away and I moved along the trail.
All three of the birds I identified are present in Vermont year-round. This means that they have to find a way to conserve energy and stay warm. Despite being 27° F, the Downy Woodpecker and the Red-breasted Nuthatches were taking advantage of the sunshine and were foraging for food. Both species may peck around the bark for insects during the summer, but usually rely on seeds during the winter. I noticed that the staghorn sumac on the trail was picked clean of all its berries. Wild berries are a very valuable resource for birds during the winter months when energy sources are scarce. Staghorn sumac in particular has berries during the winter months, so it is very important for wildlife survival. While the Downy Woodpecker and Red-breasted Nuthatches were fueling themselves with energy by eating, the Pileated Woodpecker was conserving its energy by resting. When I tapped the tree, the Pileated Woodpecker just barely peaked its head out and kept its body in the warmth of its cavity nest. At night, all three species may stay in their own cavity nests inside warm trees to survive. Ultimately, the three species that I observed today eat, sleep and stay warm to survive the winter. Now that I think about it, my winter survival strategy isn’t much different than theirs.

Julkaistu maaliskuu 8, 2021 05:49 AP. käyttäjältä owenmcnichol