Field Journal 3: Ecological Physiology

March 1st, 2020
11am-12:30pm
25 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny
Old Red Mill Park
Jericho, VT

Northern Cardinal: 1 (sound)
Sparrow(s): 1 (sound)
Woodpecker: 1 (holes in snags and possible call)

The day was very cold and there was a thick blanket of snow on the ground. The trees were also all coated in ice and snow. When we arrived at the park, we entered the natural area by passing the edge of a river with many rocks and edge-species such as staghorn sumac and green ash. This area also contained many small shrubs with berries and drupes. As we walked deeper into the forest and increased elevation, the vegetation became more coniferous; these were mainly eastern hemlock and eastern white pine. We heard a distant rattling sound but could not identify whether it was coming from a woodpecker or something else.

During our walk we passed several large snags. One example was an eastern white pine snag with holes throughout its trunk. Near the top, there was a circle shaped hole and an oblong-shaped hole on the lower half. There were also many small holes scattered throughout the bottom of the trunk. The oblong-shaped hole indicated that it was formed by a Pileated Woodpecker. Because the hole was close to the ground, it was likely made for the purpose of finding food rather than making shelter or building a nest. We didn't hear or see anything when we knocked on some of the snags. It is possible that the woodpeckers resided deeper into the forest and further off the trail. During this cold day, some birds might have been huddled up in a cavity far away from exposure to humans.

The abundance of snags and shrub species made me wonder why we didn’t see any birds in the forest. The food and shelter seemed plentiful. Could it be because the bird species that live in denser habitats haven’t migrated back north yet? Next to the forest, there was a patch of more open habitat that was inaccessible due to the steep slope that led to it. We heard the faint sounds of songbirds in this adjacent habitat. We did not see anybody but noticed that there were several bushes that the birds probably feed on. As we learned in class, high-pitched songbirds occupy more open spaces because there is not as much attenuation as in dense forests. Some of the possible birds we heard were species of sparrows as well as a northern cardinal.

To our dismay, we heard a lot more birds when we left the park and returned to a more human-populated area. When I got back to my apartment, there were even more birds in my driveway. Every morning I hear and see American Robins, Blue Jays, American Crows, European Starlings, House Sparrows, and House Finches. This walk made me wonder whether protected areas make any better birding sites than residential areas. Last year, a House Finch hatched and raised two of her offspring in the Christmas wreath on my door. This made me realize that a bird’s shelter isn’t necessarily limited to trees in a quiet forest. Is my driveway In Burlington a better winter habitat because it’s warmer than the forest in Jericho? I would like to explore this more throughout the semester and see if birds’ niches change as the days get warmer.

Side note: I told Allan that we didn't actually see any birds on our walk. He said it's okay!

Posted on March 6, 2020 04:49 PM by nlay4185