Fj4

Date: 3/22/21
Start: 2pm
End: 3:30pm
Location: Calkins trails, forested area and near Winooski river.
Weather: Sunny, warm, light winds.
Habitat: Farmland/forest/river

Throughout this lovely birding experience I saw several species of bird that I hadn't seen in previously. These included the waterfowl Mallards, Common Mergansers, and Canada Geese that were located around a small land mass within the Winooski river. I also observed two White-breasted Nuthatches and got to see them upside-down on trees as we had discussed in class, which helped in my identification of them.

The waterfowl were observed interacting with one another, but usually within their own species. There were two geese that stayed on one side of the mini-island within the river, potentially guarding their nest or territory.

I found several feathers along the river bank that were contour feathers from Mallards, and they were rounded at the top and fluffier near the bottom. They also dried out very quickly when I played them in my bag, which is beneficial to the Mallards for retaining body temperature and maneuverability on land and in the water. This is different than the red plumage of the Northern Cardinals, which is beneficial for attracting mates and is more adapted to mid-range travel in strictly air.

The Mallards and Common Mergansers swam around the land mass and down the river in their respective groups, and I observed several different takeoffs and landings of the Common Mergansers on the water. They would fly very close to the surface for medium distances until they were out of sight, which was juxtaposed by the behavior of the Mallards who only swam and occasionally hunted for fish. This behavior could be related to the circadian rhythms the Mallards have, and be representative of their daily movements. While gathered on the central land mass, they communicated through quacks and gurgles before breaking off from the main group. It is possible that they were trying to communicate movement plans or threats of predators, which I may have been viewed as. I also heard various unidentifiable calls while walking along the wooded part of the trail that may have been mating calls given the warming weather.

Posted on March 22, 2021 09:55 PM by