FJ5- Migration
Date - 4 April 2021
Start time - 1:30PM
End time - 3:00PM
Location - Little Otter Creek WMA IBA- South Slang, Addison County, VT
Weather - 45 degrees, 10 mph wind changing direction, no precipitation
Habitat(s) - Wetland Floodplain Forest and River
Black-capped Chickadees are a species that I see on essentially every birding trip I have gone on in Vermont. These species are year-round resident birds, and have adapted in many ways to stay in VT all year. One adaptation is their use of feeders in the winter, and allowing to be fed by humans. These birds are able to survive the rough VT winters through the help of humans, and their willingness to accept human life. A facultative migrant spotted (and heard) on my trip was the Song Sparrow. The Song Sparrow is coming up to Vermont from anywhere as far as Florida, mainly wintering on the Mid-Atlantic coast. These birds are starting to arrive as spring is essentially here and the ice is melting, meaning bugs are starting to make a reappearance. Buds are popping as well, meaning Song Sparrows will have more opportunity to add berries and seeds into their diet! The obligate migrant I came across is one of my favorite birds, the Tree Swallow! An advantage of arriving to Burlington in early April as a Tree Swallow is that these swallows also eat vegetable material, so if the ice has not melted and bugs are not out yet, they will not starve to death. However, if the ice has melted, the Tree Swallows will have a great advantage by getting to eat bugs as soon as they hatch here! A disadvantage is that if the ice has not melted, the Tree Swallows will have to compete with other species for vegetable material.
Frequent Flyer Distances:
Northern Shoveler- 2200 miles
Blue-winged Teal- 2500 miles
Tree Swallow- 3400 miles
Gadwall- 230 miles
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