quillynp's Journal

Date: April 3, 2021
Start: 3:00 pm
End: 4:30 pm

Location: Mad River Path in Waitsfield, VT
Weather: A bit chilly, clear skies, no breeze
Habitat: Riverside, fields, clumps of trees, around house

Species List
White-breasted Nuthatch: 3
Black-capped Chickadee: 8
American Robin: 33
Turkey Vulture: 12
Mallard: 2
Common Grackle: 1
Hairy Woodpecker: 4
Song Sparrow: 10
Red-winged Blackbird: 3
Tufted Titmouse: 1
Dark-eyed Junco: 2

I went home this Easter weekend so my birding journey took place along the Mad River Path in Waitsfield and ended in my yard. It was interesting to see how the biodiversity shifted when I walked from the fields beside the river back to my house which holds two busy birdfeeders. The most common siting in the fields were the American Robins, which gathered in flocks of about a dozen of individuals to forage on the ground. Near the river, it was much quieter (possibly because the water made it hard for songs to be heard) but I spotted a pair of Mallards (male and female) riding the current. I also noticed a large group of Turkey Vultures circling overhead together when I walked closer to the road.
Near the house, and especially the feeders, there a variety of smaller birds such as Chickadees and Song Sparrows, but a few larger birds as well, including Hairy Woodpeckers, a few Red-winged Blackbirds, and one noisy Grackle. The sparrows seemed to prefer hopping along the leaves on the ground and collect fallen seeds. Meanwhile, the chickadees were competing with the woodpeckers to keep a spot on the feeder, occasionally allowing a Dark-eyed Junco or Tufted Titmouse to have a turn.
A few examples of year-round residents of Vermont that I saw are the Black-capped Chickadee and the White-breasted Nuthatch. Both of these birds are generalists which allows them to depend on a variety of foods to make it through the Vermont winter (as opposed to herbivorous migratory birds that need to follow their food source). These species also interestingly have similar color pallets (black, gray, white, and tan) and display disruptive coloration with the black marks on their heads. This makes it so their outline is more difficult to detect, especially in the snow where their white bellies would be camouflaged. Chickadees and nuthatches also have elliptical wings to maneuver through brush, making flying long distances more energy-consuming.
Some facultative migrants I saw were the American Robin and Song Sparrow. These birds are likely coming from the southern United States/Mexico towards Canada to breed. They are mainly ground foragers, so a winter with lots of snow would make finding food more difficult. Due to the recent snowmelt and the beginnings of insect activity, robins and Song Sparrows are able to thrive in Vermont spring.

Mini Activity: Migrants’ Distances

American Robin: (FL to VT) 1,386 miles
Turkey Vulture: (NC to VT) 774 miles
Mallard: (GA to VT) 1,142 miles
Common Grackle: (MA to VT) 175 miles
Song Sparrow (TN to VT) 1,114 miles
Red-winged Blackbird: (CT to VT) 208 miles
Dark-eyed Junco: (MD to VT) 476 miles

Total: 5,275 miles!

Date: April 19, 2021
Start: 1:30 pm
End: 3:00 pm

Location: South Prospect St and South Willard St
Weather: Cloudy, breezy, warm in the 50s
Habitats: Residential, suburban, near the road, bunches of trees

Date: April 26, 2021
Start: 12:15 pm
End: 1:45 pm

Location: Centennial Woods
Weather: Chilly (~35℉), overcast and windy
Habitat(s): dense forest, nearby stream, on incline

I decided to observe bird activity along the Centennial Woods nature path. The habitat is made up of both deciduous and coniferous trees and declines in elevation as you get further from the roadside entrance. I passed a few clearings made up of grass and brush as well as some marshy areas once you get to the bottom of the hill. At this point, it’s rather flat with a nearby stream and a field of reeds/cattails. It was a bit cold during my trip and I believe this to be the reason why bird activity was pretty low. I saw only six different species and only a few individuals of each kind.

I heard quite a bit of birdsong along my walk. In particular, I recall hearing two distinct chickadee “hey sweetie”s repeatedly calling to each other. I could tell they were different birds because one song was higher pitched than the other. I assume this to be two males either competing for a mating or defending their own territories through use of song. This took place a bit off the path while I was sitting beneath a large evergreen tree. Based on the apparent competition and dense vegetation of the area, the spot seemed to be prime territory. Other factors that led to my conclusion is the distance from human interaction (the path) and nearby access to the stream. The fitness of these two birds, because of the quality of the territory and eagerness of both birds to defend it, is probably high.

During my trek, I noticed multiple different nests. One was found in a smaller tree with pinecones. It was small, about 5 inches in diameter, and made out of tightly woven twigs and grass, likely belonging to a small songbird species such as a chickadee. Another nest I saw was high up in a tree and looked much larger, maybe about 10 inches in diameter. My view of it was from quite a distance, but I believe it was crafted from larger twigs and leaves and possibly down feathers (this is based off the fact that I noticed a lot of down feathers on the ground). Because of the height and proximity to the trunk of the tree, I think this could have been a crow’s nest. I also spotted a crow flying overhead not too far away at the end of my walk.