egriffin102701's Journal

Evan Griffin
• Date – 4/16/2023
• Start time – 1:00 PM
• End time – 2:00 PM
• Location – Sucker Brook Hollow Country Park, Williston, VT
• Weather (temperature, wind speed/direction, precipitation) - ~77°F, partly cloudy, breeze blowing east. No precipitation.
• Habitat(s) – A wooded area with the main trail going mostly due east with a southern bend toward the beginning. Path encompassed several bends and slopes, some rocks and gnarled roots. The path went over a brook and a small creek that connected with the brook. Beech, pine and maple trees, some naturally felled, some with snags.

I drove over the parking area by the path, which was more crowded than last time because it was warm and sunny. The street was still noisy. The path was rougher than it was last time without the ice and snow covering the rocks and roots, but I was glad that I wouldn’t slip anymore. I began on the path heading downhill, the first birds I heard were the calls of a Northern Cardinal, a White-breasted Nuthatch and a Black-capped Chickadee. Eventually I made it to the bridge overlooking the brook, and I stood there until about 1:05 taking in the scenery. I saw a small snake by the brook which I thought was cute. I walked past the second bridge and came to the flat part of the slope where I saw and heard a lot of birds last time. While going there I heard a unique piercing song, I couldn’t record all of it, but my app said it was a Winter Wren, I can’t confirm it. I walked up the path and heard more Black-capped Chickadees, a couple of Song Sparrows, and at least one Red-winged Blackbird. I stood around there for about 5 minutes while going slowly up the path, people kept walking by, I made it further now that the path was walkable.

At the top of the hill was a wooden walkway through a flat area with several skinny trees. I got to another steep hill, aside from some faint sounds there didn’t seem to be as many birds deeper in, which I found disappointing. I walked up some stone steps to another bridge overlooking a dry stream and decided to not go further up. I looked around a bit until 1:30 before heading back down slowly, along the way I heard a Tufted Titmouse. I made it back to the hotspot and stood there for a bit, I heard a couple more Song Sparrows. I made it back to the brook and I managed to finally see some Black-capped Chickadees, 2 pairs bounding between branches and twigs near the brook. I managed to get some pictures of a couple. I walked back up the beginning of the path, hearing the song of a Northern Cardinal, I made it back to the car at 2:00, and I headed home.

This was the first time I went birding in particularly warm weather. I think I prefer to bird in places with fewer people around, since they can make noise and interrupt me, although it’s nice to occasionally meet dogs. I planned to go earlier in the morning, but I decided to sleep later. I saw a lot of the same species that I saw at the same trail a few weeks ago, but I also observed another of the spring migratory birds from class.

Evan Griffin
• Date – 4/23/2023
• Start time – 1:00 PM
• End time – 2:00 PM
• Location – Centennial Woods, Burlington, VT
• Weather (temperature, wind speed/direction, precipitation) - ~48°F, overcast, somewhat light rain that persisted the entire hike.
• Habitat(s) – A well-established place for hiking, the main path going due north and extending east. Very forested with several naturally felled trees. A babbling brook with bridges going over them. The ground was muddy and hade roots sticking out, and there were some signs said there was poison ivy on the ground. There were pine, maple, beech and oak trees, as well as various snags along the trailway.

I arrived at the parking area at about five minutes to 1:00, no other cars nearby. I walked along the road towards the beginning of the path, along the way I saw a Blue Jay that sat on one tree branch, flew to another tree across the road, back to the first tree, and then off somewhere else. I also heard what my app identified as a White-throated Sparrow with a distinct whistling song. I made it to the path at around 1:00 and walked north along the muddy and sloped path. I wasn’t expecting to hear much because of the rain and the car noises but I heard a Red-winged Blackbird, a Northern Cardinal, and a bird which my app said was a Carolina Wren. I continued north, walking over a couple of felled trees blocking the path. At 1:15 I went over the wood bridges on the brook, a little bit later I reached a fork and went left on the northeastern path trying not to slip in the mud. At 1:25, about 1000ft from the entrance, I decided to take a break to do my mini activity. I heard at least 4 different songs and did my best to illustrate them, I stood under a broken tree leaning against another tree to try and draw without as much rain falling on my notepad.

After about 5 minutes, when I wasn’t hearing as many songs, I went back the way I came, up the slopes and across the brook. Along the way I heard a Hairy Woodpecker that seemed to be right over my head and fly off, and I also heard a couple of Black-capped Chickadees singing the same song but at different pitches. I reached the start of the path at around 1:45, wet, tired, and ready to head back. As I walked back towards the parking lot, I heard another Red-winged Blackbird and possibly the same White-throated Sparrow. As I walked back to my car, I saw an American Robin walking on the pavement and got a picture, it flew to a nearby branch and perched there shortly before flying off. I also briefly saw another bird with short white tail feathers, but I couldn’t identify it. Then I sat in my car for a few minutes and drove home.

When I saw the Blue Jay, it appeared to be vigilant, making its calls loudly and flying from one spot to another in a similar location, possibly trying to find a mate or defend that area from competing birds. A Blue Jay may likely nest up on a tree branch towards the edge of the forest, while a Red-winged Blackbird may nest on the ground or in grass in a lower area, and a Black-capped Chickadee could prefer a snag deeper in the forest. The territory Blue Jay I saw may have been prime for what Blue Jays prefer, so it could have had a good chance of finding a mate for reproduction. If the American Robin I saw was to build a nest, it would need twigs, grass, and mud. It may not need to go very deep in the forest since these would be available more towards urbanized areas where they may not need to compete with other bird or animal species.