Field Journal #7

Date - April 24, 2021
Start time - 11:00
End time - 12:30
Location - Ferrisburgh, VT
Weather - 49° F, 5 mph wind out of the North, cloudy, 85% cloud cover
Habitat - 90% tree cover, forest composed mostly of beech, red maple, cottonwood, and hemlock trees.

I have been noticing more and more birds spending time in pairs in the last week or so. Many birds perched together or flying around in pairs. The birds in this area have also been very vocal lately which could suggest defending territories. I watched a Northern Cardinal defending its territory. The territory seemed to be a poor area with not much space. This could suggest that this Cardinal is not as fit as the other males in the area. I also watched a House Sparrow who seemed to be scavenging for nest building materials. This bird was picking up string off the ground and then came back by with a clump of hair in its beak. There are many farms in the area that could be a good source of hair/fur for nest lining. I imagine many of the species that I've been seeing will be nesting up high within the overstory of the forest. I have also been keeping an eye on the Bald Eagle nest at the edge of the forest. There has been a lot of activity there lately - typically you can see one of the Eagles sitting on the nest while the other is perched in a large tree not far away.

Posted on April 26, 2021 09:08 PM by