nigelwaring's Journal

Date: 3/6/19
Time: 11:00-12:30
Location: Redstone Green and surrounding area
Weather: 30 degrees, sunny, some clouds, mild winds
Habitat: urban area, open grassy area with small patches of planted herbaceous and tree species
This past Tuesday my roommate and I went out on to search for birds around the Redstone green. While on our trip we listened and watched to see what species were active. While the start of our trip was slow it quickly became very productive. When we started to see and hear birds it was obvious that it was still winter and that all of them were trying to find food or conserve energy. The first species we found was a bird of prey that I was unable to get an identification on. While we were able to get close to this bird and watch it for a few minutes I noticed that this bird was very fluffed up and staying motionless. This was the strategy that most of the birds we saw during the outing. This strategy was used because it allows the birds to stay warm while using minimal energy. There was a lot of calling going on with many of the species, mainly Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, and Northern Cardinal. Despite these observations, movement was limited as the different species were trying to absorb warmth from the sun and conserve as much energy as possible.
The only two species we saw doing similar things were the Black-capped Chickadee and the unknown bird of prey. Both species were staying in areas where they could sit still and stay warm by fluffing their feathers. The bird of prey was sitting in an area that also allowed it to scan a large area for potential prey, but I was not able to see it hunt. The Black-capped Chickadee however was holding in a tight area and not moving, it was simply trying to fluff its feathers and maintain its body heat. The final species we saw was American Robin. This species was flying around, I would presume it was moving to a new area looking for food or moving from a feeding area to a loafing area. We also heard a Northern Cardinal singing but were unable to locate it. This bird obviously was starting to sing in hopes of finding a mate as it sang for 20 minutes while we were walking around looking for it. The different species that were feeding were looking for many different types of food. The bird of prey was obviously looking for small mammals like squirrels or song birds like Black-capped Chickadee. The American Robins were looking for seeds and small fruits such as crab apples.
During the summer the bird of prey’s diet will typically stay the same, but the American Robin will start to transition to more insects and worms as their primary food source. The Black-capped Chickadee would overnight in an area like a hedgerow like we found it in to provide protection from wind and protection. The American Robin and Northern Cardinal would likely overnight in a similar area as the Black-capped Chickadee.
While on our walk, we found a living tree that was starting to die. This tree was beginning to become a snag and had obvious holes that were drilled by woodpeckers. I would predict that this tree would be inhabited by woodpecker species in the future. Other species that may use this snag are small mammals and small birds. These species would most likely use this tree as a place to nest or for cover.

March 24th, 2019
Sunny and 40 degrees, with moderate wind
Burlington Country Club
4:30 – 6:15 pm
While on this walk, my roommate and I saw black capped chickadees, northern cardinals, hairy woodpeckers, European starlings, and American robins. This was walk very cool as both the robins and cardinals were very vocal and easily picked out as a result. The cardinals seemed to stay away from all other species and were acting as if they were trying to court/attract females. The robins and starling however seemed to interact a lot as we saw them perching together in the same tree within a few feet of each other. The strange part was that we only saw lone starlings and not a flock like they typically are seen in. The robins were all over and the most vocal. There was a large flock of robins flying all over the place as we walked around. The woodpecker seemed to mind his own business and stay away from everything else that was happening. The robins, cardinals, and starlings all were calling. The starling did not call much, but the cardinals and robins were. I believe that since the cardinal we saw was a male that both species were starting to enter the breeding stage and the courtship period had begun. The calling and being obvious would then be to attract a mate in hopes of breeding. Comparing the starling and cardinal, we see two different color schemes. The cardinal is flashy and bright while the starling uses light to shine and become visible. These two variations both have pros and cons. The starling is better camouflaged when not in the sun, but it is harder to stand out for a mate. The cardinal males stick out very well no matter what since they are bright red, but this makes it easier to be seen by predators and therefore eaten. These two options both work but in different ways. The cardinals were singing far more than any other species when we were out. One cardinal that we had the pleasure to watch for 10 minutes was quietly chirping while hoping around on the forest floor looking for bugs. He would also fly up and make louder more pronounced calls as time went on. This fits into the circannual rhythm as this is the time of the year where cardinals start to think about pairing up. The behavior of the cardinal shows that while feeding was the priority, he was beginning to start to look for a mate.
I tried the pishing technique a couple times on different species. The first time I tried using this technique I got a response from the cardinals and an unidentified finch species. The response was far quicker calling and they seemed to become excited or aggravated. I also tried the technique on chickadees and had a different technique. The chickadees took off and did not want any part of this. I believe that this technique works because it relies on a call that many species make, and it means different things based on tone, volume, and speed. I think the call can range from a danger call to a feeding or territorial call. Therefore, the response I saw was so different and why it is so effective. I think that small birds like this call because it is a simple call that is not intimidating. I believe that this is because it is a simple call that tends to have a calming affect unless used in a panicky way.