Field Journal 4 Mar 18 Sean Devine

Start and End Times: 4:30-6:00pm
Date: 3/17/2023
Location: Crow Hill Nature Preserve, Easton Connecticut
Weather: Clear, 50F
Habitat: Mixed hardwood forest, with some surrounding houses
Species Observed: Red-shouldered Hawk, Eastern Bluebird, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Goldfinch, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, American Crow, Canada Goose, Northern Cardinal
All of the birds I saw here were first spotted from the noise they were making by communicating. All of the species were also concentrated close together, as about 90% of the individuals I saw were in the first quarter of my walk. The high level of activity in such a small area allowed me to witness some interactions both within and between species. For example, I saw two Downy Woodpeckers chasing each other from tree to tree, with one of them making loud calls in flight. I don't know for sure what it was about, but my guess would be fighting over territory. Another interaction through audio cues was the Canada Geese I saw in the distance. They were foraging mostly silently, until one started calling and the whole group joined in and took off. it's possible this was a communication of some sort of threat. I also saw a Red-shouldered Hawk which was making frequent loud calls from a treetop. This was likely some sort of territorial call, but a side affect seemed to be a lack of bird activity in the immediate vicinity of the hawk.
Two birds with very different plumages I saw were the Tufted Titmouse and Eastern Bluebird. In a forest of gray and brown with fading light, the bluebirds were much easier to spot than the titmouses, who were easy to hear but not see. The blue backs of the bluebirds were especially noticeable in flight, whereas the Tufted Titmouse plumage blended in with the gray tree tops they were singing from. The advantage of the bluebird plumage would likely be sexual selection, as a display of color is more likely to attract a mate. The titmouse might still show sexual selection, but the plumage lends itself more to camouflage than some more colorful birds.
An individual I was able to closely watch the behavior of was the Downy Woodpeckers, who seemed to be very active. 3 of the 5 were pecking at trees and foraging for food, while the other 2 were flying after each other as mentioned before. They're activity makes sense given the time of day, as they are not nocturnal birds but do become more active at dusk. It also makes sense given the time of year, as the weather is warming and breeding season is well underway.
My attempts at spishing did not achieve much besides scaring birds away, which was likely due to me being unable to get close enough. In general, spishing works because it imitates the communication of songbirds. Even if it doesn't match the call of a species, birds still recognize it as another bird trying to say something, such as a threat being near, which sometimes leads to birds getting closer to evaluate the situation.

Julkaistu maaliskuu 19, 2023 12:16 AP. käyttäjältä sedevine sedevine

Havainnot

Kuvat / Äänet

Mitä

Ruostehiirihaukka (Buteo lineatus)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sex: unknown
Behavior: Making frequent calls, flying between tree tops
Habitat: Forest edge on hilltop

Kuvat / Äänet

Mitä

Punakardinaali (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sex: one female, one unknown
Behavior: Perched in branches of small tree
Habitat: Edge of forest and road/yards

Kuvat / Äänet

Mitä

Kanadanhanhi (Branta canadensis)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sex: N/A
Behavior: Flock on ground, took off as group after some time
Habitat: Yard near forest edge

Kuvat / Äänet

Ei kuvia tai ääniä

Mitä

Amerikanvaris (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sex: unknown
Behavior: 2 individuals flying between trees/the top of a building
Habitat: Yard near forest edge w/ large mature trees

Kuvat / Äänet

Mitä

Tammiraitatikka (Melanerpes carolinus)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sound at 3:30 mark in audio file
Sex: unknown
Behavior: only heard, not seen
Habitat: Forest interior w some undergrowth

Kuvat / Äänet

Ei kuvia tai ääniä

Mitä

Amerikanhömötiainen (Poecile atricapillus)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sex: unknown
Behavior: only heard, not seen
Habitat: Interior forest

Kuvat / Äänet

Mitä

Puistotiainen (Baeolophus bicolor)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sex: unknown
Behavior: On branches of low-lying shrubs and saplings
Habitat: Dense forest

Kuvat / Äänet

Mitä

Amerikantikli (Spinus tristis)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sex: unknown
Behavior: Only heard not seen
Habitat: interior forest
Tufted titmouse also in sound recording

Kuvat / Äänet

Mitä

Amerikannakkeli (Sitta carolinensis)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sex: unknown
Behavior: Only heard, not seen
Habitat: Interior forest

Kuvat / Äänet

Mitä

Hohtosinikka (Sialia sialis)

Havainnoija

sedevine

Päivämäärä

Maaliskuu 17, 2023

Kuvaus

Sex: unknown
Behavior: Perching on lower branches of medium trees
Habitat: Interior forest/Edges
White-breasted Nuthatch in recording as well.

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