katelyn282's Journal

Katelyn Beskind
Field Journal 7

Field Journal Basic Information
Date: 4/27/2024
Start time: 1:26pm
End time: 2:30pm
La Platte River marsh

Weather
Temperature: 62 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind speed & direction: 16 mph NNW
Precipitation: Not raining or snowing
Humidity: 27%
Visual appearance: Sunny, few clouds

Habitat(s):
Marsh edge near open water
Coniferous/deciduous marsh
Coniferous marsh

In addition to the birds I found, I also found a cute Garter Snake and some turtles! I think the Garter Snake is a Common Garter Snake and the turtles are box turtles, but I am not a reptile expert!

(Common?) Garter Snake

(Box?) Turtles

Katelyn Beskind
Field Journal 6

Field Journal Basic Information
Date: 4/21/24
Start time: 1:35pm
End time: 2:58pm
Location: La Platte River Marsh

Weather
Temperature: 46 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind speed & direction: 11 mph WSW
Precipitation: Not raining or snowing
Humidity: 41%
Visual appearance: Cloudy

Habitat(s):
Lakeside edge
Weedy/bushy marsh
Marshy lakeside
Coniferous/deciduous edge marsh

Prompt Response
During my birding exploration today, I saw many signs of the approaching breeding season. The entire time I was out, the “chonchareeee” song of the Red-winged Blackbirds followed me, and I noticed an Osprey was building a nest on top of a perch. The marsh was full of songs from many distinct species, creating a lively yet slightly overwhelming auditory experience. I also noticed birds beginning to select territory. As I was walking about the lake inlet, a pair of geese defended a patch of water with some trees surrounding it. This pair would stay in their territory or swim around it, while chasing any intruders away.

Many of my observed species would nest in marsh territory with shrubs and bushes. The Belted Kingfisher would nest in the bank of the inlet, while the geese nested in the edges or little islands in the water. One specific bird that I watched for a while was a male Red-winged Blackbird. This male was defending a territory of shrubs with a few small trees that was situated in a marsh near the water. I think this territory would be prime habitat for a Red-winged Blackbird, since they like to nest in dense shrubs in a marsh habitat. Therefore, this was a fit individual from an evolutionary stance. He sang often and quite loudly, meaning he defended his territory well.

The Osprey that I noticed was sitting on a nest platform with what was either an old or an in-progress nest. The nest was made of a base of sticks, with a mix of fresh and old grass on the sides. There also appeared to be some mud or sand as a part of the nest, but it was difficult to see. For the Osprey to find these materials, it could look in the nearby marsh. There are many trees that could lose branches for the base, and the edges of the water are often weedy.

While I was doing the sound map, I found myself very overwhelmed. There were lots of sounds, and I was having a tough time just noting all of them down while trying to identify them. I did realize that I am unbelievably bad at determining the direction of sound, especially when staying still. Distance was another aspect that I struggled to determine. Many bird sounds are designed to carry, and an open lake is a good space where sound can travel far. As a result, some birds sounded faint, but I could not tell how far they were. Additionally, for the birds that were close to me, I could not determine just how close they were, since I did not see any of the birds I was hearing.

My sound map

Katelyn Beskind

Field Journal 5

Field Journal Basic Information
Date: 4/7/24
Start time: 11:08am
End time: 12:14pm
Location: Rock Point

Weather
Temperature: 42 oF
Wind speed & direction: 15 mph N
Precipitation: Not raining or snowing
Humidity: 56%
Visual appearance: Sunny, few clouds

Habitat(s):
Mixed deciduous coniferous edge
Deciduous edge
Mixed coniferous deciduous

Katelyn Beskind
Field Journal 4

Field Journal Basic Information
Date: 3/24/2024
Start time: 1:10pm
End time: 2:17pm
Location: Centennial Woods

Weather
Temperature: 32 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind speed & direction: 1mph NNE
Precipitation: Not raining or snowing
Humidity: 43%
Visual appearance: Clear skies

Habitat(s):
1. Coniferous stands
2. Mixed coniferous deciduous edge
3. Mixed coniferous deciduous
4. Urban (Cedar Waxwing)

Prompt Response
Over winter I saw mainly passerine species and occasionally some hawks. These species would forego migration because the cost of migration would be much greater than the cost of staying behind. Migration is an inherently dangerous activity, since it requires a lot of energy (and therefore food) and increases the chances for individuals to become injured or lost due to weather, disease, lack of resources, etc. Additionally, migration wears on feathers, which would then need to be replaced before migrating again. Therefore, it is more advantageous for some species to not migrate. To overcome winter, birds must secure a source of food and ways of maintaining heat. Like humans, birds can shiver to retain heat, spend time in the sun to warm up and maintain feathers to insulate their bodies. Additionally, birds may seek shelter in tree cavities or in groups to protect themselves from weather or heat loss. To keep their energy up, birds must forage for insects, nuts, and seeds from trees. Some birds cache food for winter, while others forage consistently.

Facultative migrants are coming from southern locations such as the southern United States or South America. These places have warm winters with abundant food to offset the cost of migration. Obligate migrants lose their food source in breeding locations during winter, which forces them to move to be able to survive. For these species to return to Burlington, the weather would need to warm slightly, and other food sources (fruits, insects, fish, nuts, etc.) would need to become more abundant. While food is available for species in winter, not all species can survive on that food. As a result, the food source for an individual species would need to be replenished enough for the species to survive.

An advantage of these species arriving in Burlington in late March / early April is that they could become re-established before other species have and begin to capitalize on available resources. It could also be advantageous for territorial species to come early so they can establish territories and find nest sites first for breeding. Some disadvantages would be the potential for difficult weather and lack of food. It is still possible to have below-freezing temperatures and snowstorms in Vermont during this time, which could be a problem for these species that are not as adapted to winter in Vermont. Additionally, food may be more limited during this time due to inclement weather or because the food has not fully recovered yet.

Most of the species I found today are permanent residents, although some may migrate if needed. For example, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Northern Cardinals, and Tufted Titmice do not migrate. However, American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Brown Creepers can be residents or migrants. As a result, I will calculate the distance for the previous four species as if they migrated for sure, even though some may not migrate. Since the wintering ranges of these species are quite varied, I chose general locations in the southeast United States. The total migration distance for these species was 3918.65 miles. This is very rough since ranges can change and each of these species may stay in Vermont anyway. However, it is cool to think about how far these birds could have collectively flown.

Katelyn Beskind

Field Journal 3

Field Journal Basic Information
Date: 3/3/2024
Start time: 1:15pm
End time: 2:20pm
Location: Centennial Woods

Weather
Temperature: 41 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind speed & direction: 8 mph north-northwest
Precipitation: Not raining or snowing
Humidity: 96%
Visual appearance: Overcast & cloudy

Habitat(s):

1. Deciduous edge
2. Mixed deciduous / coniferous edge

Prompt Response

Most of the birds I saw were Black-capped Chickadees. The individuals that I saw hung out in groups of two-three and seemed to follow each other around. They would call to each other and jump between branches. I would assume that the birds are telling each other about any threats (or lack thereof) in the area, if there is any food nearby, and potentially where they are going if traveling in a group. Black-capped Chickadee’s have black heads and chins with a white strip on their cheeks that start at the beak and extend back. Their belly feathers are a light gray/tan color, and their back and wing colors are a gray/brown color. The darker wing colors would have more pigment in them, which could help strengthen the feathers. The distinctive pattern on a Black-capped Chickadee’s head could be a way to identify other members of the species or provide extra sun absorption for heat during winter. The second species of bird I saw was a Tufted Titmouse. Tufted Titmouse have gray backs and heads with a tan/white belly and rusty sides under the wing. Tufted Titmouse have similarly colored undersides to Black-capped Chickadees but very different heads. The lighter color on the Tufted Titmouse could be an evolutionary in-between to provide extra strength to the feathers without costing too much in terms of producing pigment.

When I focused on an individual Black-capped Chickadee, they seemed to be mainly preening and fluffing their feathers. In terms of the rhythm of a bird’s day, I assume this would be a period in which birds are either beginning to look for a place to rest or trying to warm up. Since it was a cloudy day without much sun, birds would probably be focused on sheltering or using their plumage to stay warm. This fits with what the individual I was studying was doing, since it was puffing up their feathers to create more insulation and shifting around the feathers to cover up the apteria.

When I tried sphising to some Black-capped Chickadees, they did not seem interested, and I felt very foolish. Truthfully, my attempts to sphish seemed to scare the birds away more than it attracted them. However, considering sphishing is known to alter bird behavior, it is worth using when birding. Sphishing could work if the sound we make mimics the call of another bird. If this were the case, other birds could be attracted to see who is in their territory, or if there is food or a predator nearby – depending on what the call means. Small birds tend to group together more than larger birds, especially those that are songbirds. Therefore, mimicking the sounds of another small bird might attract other birds to join the group in search of food, shelter or protection.

Katelyn Beskind
Field Journal 2

Field Journal Basic Information

Date: 2/19/2024
Start time: 2:05pm
End time: 3:20pm
Location: Birds of Vermont Museum (Huntington Vermont)

Weather
Temperature: 16 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind speed & direction: 6 mph northeast
Precipitation: Not raining or snowing
Humidity: 53%
Visual appearance: Sunny, slight wind chill

Habitat(s):

1. Deciduous edge
2. Mixed deciduous / coniferous edge
3. Coniferous stand with lots of snags

Prompt Response
For this field journal, I went to the Birds of Vermont Museum to use their trails. While I was there, I got to observe a large group of Black-capped Chickadees all clustered in the same area. This segment of the museum was set up for bird watching, with a few seats and feeders further down the way. However, this flock of birds was not clustered on the feeders. Instead, the birds were clustered in two small bush-like trees, one coniferous and one deciduous. There were at least 15 different Black-capped Chickadees centered in these two buses that would occasionally fly back and forth to other trees. While watching these birds, I noticed they were staying on sun-lit branches and moving around to stay warm. They also occasionally pecked at the snow that had gathered on the branches. My best guess for this behavior is this was an attempt to drink some water or to clear the branches for perching. I also saw two Mourning Doves that were preening and basking in the sunlight. Overall, the birds were using the sunny day to warm up. The smaller birds also were moving around a lot, potentially to produce body heat through respiration and muscle movement.

In terms of budgeting time in winter in general, it seems like the birds were taking advantage of the daytime to keep warm and look for any food that might be around. While I am not exactly sure what food would be available in winter, my best guess is they would be foraging or leftover/cached seeds (either from the birds themselves or potentially rodents if they are left out/not buried), insects/insect eggs, or (if carnivorous) small rodents/birds. This diet would be more insect heavy, since trees would not be seeding, and any leftover seeds would be cached by squirrels or other rodents. While some insects die in winter, many have their own survival strategies, meaning they are an available food source for some birds. While the day would be spent hunting and foraging, the night would be spent sleeping, in a group or a nest/burrow. Solo species would nest in a cavity in a tree or in a more sheltered section of a tree. Species that nest in groups would choose a sheltered tree in the interior of a forest where the wind is less likely to reach the birds.

While I was on my walk, I came across a section of the forest that was a giant coniferous stand with lots of snags in it. While not every snag had cavities, there were a few that did. I specifically looked at four snags which had large enough holes to potentially house a bird or a mammal. The first snag had five cavities, the second and third only had one, and the fourth had three cavities. While I did rap on these snags, nothing poked its head out to investigate. This could be because nothing was there, or that there were species that spent their nights in the cavities but were out foraging or warming up during the afternoon. I did find more cavities on the more robust snags, specifically those that were thicker and taller. This makes sense as a tree can only be dug into so many times before it either becomes too unstable or you run out of space. The thicker and taller a tree is, the more space there is for a cavity to be made.

Ironically, when I entered the snag-filled section of the forest, there were no birds present at all. I could not hear or see any life in this part, despite the large quantity of Black-capped Chickadees on the edge. My best guess as to why is that either the birds are choosing not to utilize these snags for some reason, or they are absent from the location doing other things during the day and would return at night. Snags are important because they provide softer wood for birds to make cavities or have naturally formed cavities, and they are also likely locations for insects. Cavities are useful areas for birds and other small mammals to nest since they are protected from a lot of elements – therefore maintaining a microclimate and allowing the individual to retain heat easier. The species that are most likely to utilize snags are species that survive winter alone, since they need the microclimates to maintain body heat even when it is much colder. Species that overnight in groups use the body heat of other individuals, as well as their physical bodies, to supplement their own heat and block the wind. As a result, group sleeping individuals do not need snags for roosting. Some examples of snag-utilizing species are woodpeckers and owls. In terms of insects, snags have softer wood, which makes it easier for insects to dig into them. Therefore, snags are often utilized by insects, which makes them a useful hunting spot for insect-eating species.

A snag from my excursion

A wild "flamingo" I found

Field Journal Basic Information:
Date: 1/3/24

Start time: 1:15pm
End time: 2:24pm

Location: Centennial Woods

Weather
Temperature: 26 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind speed & direction: 9mph North / Northwest
Precipitation: Not raining or snowing
Humidity: 70%
Visual appearance: Overcast, windy, & cloudy

Habitat(s):
      Coniferous stands, edge
      Weedy, early growth edge
      Mixed coniferous / deciduous edge
      Coniferous edge with lots of snags, edge

Prompt Response:
The first individual I observed was a Black-capped Chickadee. This individual would flit between trees, often flapping off the branches before swooping down to lower branches in a different tree. When it did flap, it tended to flap in three beats to gain altitude before swooping down and landing. When the individual I was watching crossed a semi-open field it chained together the set of 3 flaps with the glide until it reached the other side of the clearing. In this way, the flight pattern best fits the flap bounding style of flight.

The next individual I observed was a male White-breasted Nuthatch. He was much bouncier and climbed up the tree before gliding to the next tree. While this was like the Black-capped Chickadee, I didn’t notice the Nuthatch flap while gliding between the trees. Instead, the Nuthatch climbed the tree before jumping off, in contrast to the Chickadee who would jump, flap, then glide. This observation does not cleanly match a specific flight style, but my best guess would be a flapping bounding style.

Both birds were observed in mixed coniferous and deciduous edge habitats, so it makes sense that their flight style matched. I could not clearly see the wing shape, so I don’t know what it was exactly, but I would guess they both had elliptical shaped wings. This makes sense because elliptical wings can be good for high maneuverability, which would be useful for moving through forest stands. Flight and flapping patterns can be useful for determining what kind of species you might be dealing with, since birds like accipiters would be more likely to glide or soar than bound. Bounding flight and flapping patterns would also be more likely to belong to a songbird, which already narrows down the list of potential candidates.

I was genuinely surprised at how many birds I found despite the time of day. I know that birds are far more active in the morning than in the afternoon/evening, so when I started at ~1pm, I figured I would find some birds, but not nearly as many as I did. I did notice that the further into the forest I got, the more birds I found. This makes sense because birds probably would be scared off by cars or extra people moving around. However, I did think it was easier to spot birds in interior edge environments, where I could see the movement of the birds easier. I do think I might have seen more birds if I went out earlier in the day, however I was pleased with the number of birds I did see. I also think since it was not raining or snowing the birds were more active.