elenarbernier's Journal

Start Time: 4:00pm
End Time: 5:30pm
Date: 04/04/21
Location: Trinity Woods, Burlington VT
Weather: 45℉ and sunny
Habitat: A couple of acres of woods in an urban area. There was a little valley made by two hills with old-growth pine trees. One thing to note was that this area gets a lot of noise pollution from the F-35 jets that fly over routinely.

On a bright, sunny Sunday I headed over to the woods behind Trinity to go birding. I saw a few American Crows, Ring-Billed Gulls, a Mourning Dove, two Rock Pigeons, and a Great Black-backed Gull. I was fairly surprised when I saw the Great Black-backed Gull because it looked like a crow with a white head! But upon further research afterwards, I was able to determine what species it was.

A year-round resident species that I observed was a couple of Rock Pigeons. They do not migrate because they are able to survive in cold temperatures and do not want to expend the huge amount of energy it takes to migrate. To keep warm Rock pigeons fluff up their feathers, creating air pockets around their bodies that insulate them. When they are sleeping they tuck their bills into their back, which helps to keep the heated air trapped around their body. Rock pigeons can also enter a state of torpor. In this state, barely any energy is used and their body temperature drops down to as low as 50 ℉.

A facultative migrant that I observed was a Mourning Dove. Mourning Doves who reside in the northern United States and southern Canada will fly thousands of miles south to Mexico. Individuals who breed in central and southern United States may only migrate a few hundred miles or not migrate at all. However, with warming climates and shorter winters, fewer Mourning Doves may opt to migrate every year. If this mourning Dove did opt to migrate this winter, I can assume that it was arriving in Burlington to either stay for the spring/summer or head more north into Canada. It could have come from as far as Southern Mexico! Mourning Doves migrate in the spring to partake in the breeding season. In addition, they migrate because their survival offsets mortality that would result from not migrating. Warmer weather and widespread new growth that comes with Spring facilitated its arrival to Burlington.

Mini Activity: total miles traveled by all migrants observed

Mourning Dove: 3,480 miles
Notes: Populations who spend the breeding season in the northern U.S. or Canada will fly as far as Southern Mexico for the winter. Populations in the central and southern U.S. may not migrate at all.

Ring-Billed Gull:
Total distance traveled: 1,300 miles
Notes: Ring-billed gulls tend to migrate along coasts and large rover systems. They spend the winter in the southern U.S.

Black-Backed Gull: 850 miles
Notes: Some populations in Massccutes and Nova Scotia stay year-round, while populations in Eastern Canada and Maine migrate south along the coast or to the Great Lakes region. This individual was probably passing through Burlington as it continued its migration to Canada.

Time: 1:30pm-3pm
Date: 04/17/21
Location: Winnoski River, Winooski VT
Weather: Overcast and about 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Habitat: River going through a semi-urban area.

Note: I also saw an American Robin but was unable to get a picture of if so I did not list it as an observation.

Start Time: 1:05pm End Time: 2:40pm Date: 04/025/21 Location: Centennial Woods, Burlington VT Weather: 30℉, rainy, and overcast. Habitat: Wooded area with waterways running through it. The woods had human footpaths, and a mix of coniferous trees, deciduous trees, and shrubs. Some behaviors that I observed related to nest selection was a female American Robin flitting around the branches of a coniferous tree, possibly inspecting different branch forks that would be ideal for building a nest in. I heard lots of American Robin calls, which I can assume to be territorial reminders. The American Robins that I observed are most likely nesting in evergreens because of how early in the season it is. American Robins have 2-3 clutches of eggs every year. The first clutch is often raised in evergreen trees because they offer the most protection as opposed to deciduous trees and shrubs that have not leafed out yet. I additionally saw a pair of Mallards, one male, and one female. They will probably be nesting on the bank of the small pond that I was walking by. Mallards prefer to nest in places with some cover, so most likely under a shrub or overhanging vegetation. Mallards have different habitat requirements (a body of water with sufficient food and vegetation on the bank) than an American Robin, who need leafy trees with forked branches to build their nests. Another species I observed was a House Sparrow, which generally prefers to nest in man-made structures or nest boxes. They also will nest in tree cavities. Additionally, American Crows prefer to nest in tall evergreens, and therefore need more middle/old-growth forest stands. A bird that I observed defending its territory was an American Robin. I believe it was defending a prime piece of territory because there were lots of evergreens, which they prefer to nest in during the colder months of spring. This indicated that this individual was pretty fit because it has to ward off any other robins who may be looking to steal or trespass on its territory. It probably had a sufficient source of food and shelter, and therefore could spend energy defending its territory. An American Robin builds its nest out of dead grass, twigs, and mud. While grass and twigs are the most common building materials, they also have been known to use feathers, roots, moss, and paper. The nest is built from the inside out. First, a cup of grass and twigs are formed, and then mud is added to the outside. Soft grass is then used to line the inside. American Robins have to go to wooded areas to find twigs and roots, and places with fields/meadows for grass. Additionally, mud can be acquired near waterways or in low-lying areas where water generally collects. Mini-Activity: For my mini activity I chose to sit by a stream on the edge of Centennial Woods. I heard 3 different bird calls in about 10 minutes. There was a lot of repetition. I think I heard an American Robin calling the most, along with periodic American Crow calls. There was another bird song that I believe to be a house sparrow, but it was so far away that I could not hear it as well. Overall the American Robin was the closest to me and stayed in the same area. The American Crows flew over me while calling to each other.