WFB 195 Day 2 @ Point Au Roche State Park, 5/25/2021

Date --- 5/25/2021
Start Time --- 7:15 AM
End Time --- 12:30 PM
Location --- Point Au Roche State Park, Plattsburgh, VT 12901
Weather --- (Temperature) = 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or ~ 21 degrees Celsius ... (Wind) = 20mph N/NE ... (Precipitation) = none. Almost entirely sunny in the early morning, but gradually transitioned to complete cloud cover.
Habitats --- The road into the park was surrounded by tall trees, until a greeting booth was reached and the trees opened up into grasslands. The very first thing I saw was a deer, who stared at me for about 10 minutes as I observed the tree line and open grasses. The turbulent winds made beautiful waves across the tall grasses (which came up to about my waist). I found it hard to navigate the park; there were many mini habitats within one large area, but after driving around, I was able to find trails that extended through the forests that lined the grasslands. All the while, the park was located right on Lake Champlain, and some trails even took me along the cliffs, dipping down to small rocky beaches where the wind was at its peak and nearly knocked me on my behind.

The many trails all varied greatly; it was a meshwork of interconnecting habitats. Some trails went from open air along either the beach, or forests, or grasslands, to deep within shrubland, or deep within the tallest of trees, and back out into open air. Some paths were simply patches of grass cleared for individuals to walk along, where I found a very discrete. Common Yellowthroat

I was having troubles finding the birds we reviewed for today's excursions. I believe this was due to a few factors. For one, the wind was extremely prominent, and not only would that deter birds from revealing themselves, but it also makes listening for calls and songs more difficult. Also, I have never really explored a grassland/shrubland area, so I was initially unsure of where exactly I should be looking for each species; this summer I will be looking to gain more experience birding in these habitats. Where around Burlington would be the best spots for these birds? I return at the beginning of June.

One thing I wanted to point out was the Turkey Vulture I saw, which I spotted on the ground near cat tails, in more of a shrubland area. I couldn't get good media, but my question was ... what the heck was it doing in there? Perhaps tracking down a deceased animal? I'm not sure how they nest and raise baby birds.

Seeing an Eastern Kingbird for the first time was great as well, I was happy to get such a clear shot through my binoculars.

Feeling good about this week! My improvement surrounding call/song knowledge is something I'm proud of, and even though it might not be reflected in the field right away, I know that experience and even more tips and tricks will come to me with time and more birding memories. I hope tomorrow is better in terms of seeing new species and not being subject to the winds of the Champlain Valley; I will make sure not to get locked out of my car tomorrow!

Julkaistu toukokuu 26, 2021 12:58 AP. käyttäjältä pyramidlakejake