Field Observation 2
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.
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