FJ5
Date – April 5, 2021
Start time – 12:30 pm
End time – 3:00 pm
Location – Leddy Beach
Weather – 50 degrees, windy, clear skies, sunny
Habitat(s) – Beach, lake front
This week I was able to get to Leddy Beach for some birding. I have really enjoyed birding around campus but it was a nice change to go near a body of water. This week I observed many Ring-billed Gulls, and I was able to sit and watch for a while. I spotted about 30 separate individual Ring-billed Gulls, all flying and wandering the beach. They were most likely in search of food, or possibly just wandering around their home.
Some of the most common year round residents I have been able to observe are Northern Cardinals. I have seen these birds mostly alone, and often seeming to be defending their habitats. These birds are able to stay warm with their dry insulated feathers. Another bird I have spotted that is a year round resident is the pileated woodpecker. These birds have warm feathers as well as cavity nests, which allows them to stay out of the wind and snowy conditions of a Vermont winter.
A migrant that may be arriving in Vermont is the tree swallow. These birds migrate to the southern United States and Mexico and are among the first birds to come back north after winter. Tree swallows begin migrating south in July and August. The populations seen in Vermont most likely migrate along the Atlantic coast to winter in Florida and Central America. This migration is triggered by warming temperatures.
A disadvantage of an obligate migrant is that their migration is “hardwired” which does not allow for the birds to adjust to climate changes. A disadvantage to arriving in Vermont in early April is the unpredictable weather; today it is 50º but this weekend it was snowing.
I also spotted several European Starlings (5) American Robin (5) and a handful of American Crows (2 or 3)!
Mini Activity
Ring-billed Gull~2000mi
Northern Cardinal ~0mi
European Starling~0mi
American Robin~0mi
American Crow ~0mi
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