Field Journal #6 - M.Joyall

Date: 4/18/2021
Time: 4:22-6:35pm
Location: Honey Hollow Trail, Huntington, VT
Temperature: 54 F
Wind/Weather: 8 mph W/NW, sunny with mostly clear skies
Habitat: Mixed deciduous/coniferous forest with heavy density of hemlocks and paper + yellow birch

Black-capped Chickadees Unite! This was the most Black-capped Chickadees that I have ever seen on a single outing. I counted 14 in total! Just in from the trailhead, I spied 2 Black-capped Chickadees foraging in a birch just off the trail. Further up the trail, I spotted two more Black-capped Chickadees fluttering around in the upper branches of a hemlock tree.

I found spotting birds to be quite difficult at this location because there was so much cover provided by the many hemlock trees. While this afforded the birds greater protection, it made it much trickier for me to locate birds singing in the canopy.

A little way to the west of the trail I spotted a Dark-eyed Junco ducking into a decaying stump. Nearby, I was graced with three more Black-capped Chickadees singing their song for all to hear. As we began our return trip towards the trailhead, my birding partner spotted a well-camouflaged Hairy Woodpecker high up in a distant birch. Closer to the trailhead we came across, yup you guessed it – 2 MORE Black-capped Chickadees. (The reader may suspect that I just kept accidentally counting the same couple of Black-capped Chickadees, but I assure you I did my best to note their location and movement as to avoid double-counting them!) It was both hilarious and interesting seeing how great a preference the Black-capped Chickadees in the area had for this swath of forest.

As we approach a clearing near the road a Red-winged Blackbird lept from its’ perch and flew overhead. Just past him, an American Robin ran across the trail and into the woods on the far side. This was the best fed Robin I’ve ever seen, must have had a good food supply nearby! At the very edge of the parking lot two Song Sparrows fluttered about in grassy area by a downed tree. All in all, a nice birding walk on a trail that was new to me!

Posted on April 19, 2021 07:35 PM by