Journal Entry 5 (Migration)

Date: 4/4/21
Time: 4 pm - 5:30 pm
Location: The Salmon Hole on the Winooski River
Weather: Sunny, clear skies, 56 degrees, slight breeze
Habitat: Riparian habitat

This birding trip went exceptionally well, and I was able to see a wide variety of species. One of the species I observed which is a year-round resident is the Black-capped Chickadee. These birds forego migration as they are small and unable to fly long distances. They are able to survive in the winter because their feathers provide insulation for their body and because they are able to find shelter in tree cavities and other small holes. Similar to Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice are also a small, year-round species here, and they survive winters by hoarding food while their feathers provide sufficient insulation to stay safe from cold temperatures. I also observed many American Robins, and I noticed that although these are certainly a year-round species which I saw throughout the winter, they seem to be more active now that it has gotten warmer. American Robins are able to survive the winter by being nomadic and moving around in search of food and to avoid areas hit too hard by things such as heavy snowfall. A species which I observed that is a facultative migrant is the Double-crested Cormorant. I had not seen any Cormorants throughout the winter, and I was very excited to see one at the Salmon Hole. I expect that Cormorants have recently migrated back to Burlington from somewhere in the southeast United States, where they would have spent the winter to avoid harsh conditions such as heavy snow and cold temperatures. Since it has recently gotten warmer here in Burlington, the Winooski River is a perfect habitat for these Cormorants, which like rocky and sandy shores. I also observed some Common Mergansers, which I would consider to be obligate migrants, as they are expected to migrate South in late fall and back North in early Spring. This coincides with my observations throughout the semester, as I had not seen any throughout the winter but am now seeing multiple during early spring. This migrant arriving in Burlington in early April can be helpful for controlling fish populations in the water bodies where they are present, as Mergansers are considered to be keystone predators.

Frequent Flyer Activity:
Double-crested Cormorant - Double-crested Cormorants have migrated about 1000 miles from their wintering locations in the south.

Common Merganser - Common Mergansers have migrated about 400 miles from their wintering locations further south.

Since the other species I observed are all year-round in Burlington, the total distance added between the species would be about 1400 miles.

Posted on April 5, 2021 08:33 PM by tjkeegan