Snags and Corn Fields

03/07/2021
4:25pm-6:20pm
Zion Grove, PA
I chose a parcel of private land with a small patch of late successional forest bordering agricultural fields. This past season the fields had been planted with corn. Making them the perfect landing and feeding ground for early Canada Goose. This time of year it seems the flocks are much bigger than summer, when they break off and inhabit smaller ponds. Overall, it seems winter is a time of intense food gathering early and late in the daylight with long periods of sedentary behavior. In human populated areas, a myriad of species cluster where feeders are kept stocked all winter long. While passerines and fowl group together, many raptors and owls search high and wide for a scarce meal in solitude. A great highlight of the winter months is the opportunity to observe forest species without the impairment of leaves. Watching pairs of Northern Cardinals as the male keeps lookout for the feeding female is my personal favorite.
Another great thing about bare trees is woodpeckers. Unlike summertime, winter offers better chances at seeing feeding behavior and cavity drilling. Snags offer one of the best sources of food for non-seed eaters in winter. The incredible diversity of insect life within a snag provides sustenance for various species. Through my observation of six snags (four >~14cm DBH) it seems that the larger the snag is the more variable the cavity/hole sizes and shapes get. In snags under 10cm DBH there were no cavities large enough for nesting. It seems that smaller species will feed from larger and smaller snags. Adversely, larger species, such as Pileated Woodpeckers, will only visit large snags.
Snag deterioration also appears to effect visitation. Snags with minimal bark left are chewed up, but don't have nearly as much fresh chipping on the floor as fresher snags. Snag bark is accessed by some species, like Brown Creepers, that feed off the surface.
My last encounter of the day was a young male Northern Cardinal who got a bit territorial with me after I rapped on a snag a few times.

Julkaistu maaliskuu 8, 2021 04:45 AP. käyttäjältä