Diario de sdz456

FJ5 MIGRATION
Date: March 23, 2021
Observation Period: (1)1:00 p.m. – 1:35 p.m. (35 minutes) (2) 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (45 minutes)
Location: Harvest Lane, Williston, VT
Weather: 67 degrees F, Sunny, Wind- 12 mph
Habitat: Retail building with adjacent open field, shrubbery and stand of Norway spruce trees behind buildings.

Date: March 24, 2021
Observation Period: 1:10 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. 35 minutes
Location: Gardener's Supply, Williston, VT
Weather: 42 degrees F., Cloudy, Wind-8 mph N.
Habitat: Retail establishment with landscaped grounds including several ponds.

Migration is part of a bird's survival and breeding behavior, but whether or not a bird migrates depends on whether or not it has evolved and adapted to withstand severe winter conditions or whether it has been entrained to react to changes in day length that lead to migration. If resident birds have an adequate food supply and have evolved physiologically to regulate their body temperatures to conserve energy, they will forego the hazards of migration. Migration could expose a bird to risks such as severe weather conditions, predation, mortality by hunters, lack of food, or accidental incidents like a building strike. Resident birds can remain all year as they are able to adapt their food intake to availability during varying seasons. Black-capped Chickadees and House Sparrows can also regulate their body temperature to survive the cold winters and utilize behaviors such as changing plumage (feather positions and molting into thicker plumage), finding microclimates, flocking together and adjusting exposure of extremities. American Crows roost communally at night for warmth and safety from predators. By remaining in place, resident birds can defend their territory and have a location where they are ready to breed rather than moving between breeding and nonbreeding grounds.

There is much variation in migration however, and birds may travel a short distance, a medium distance or a long distance. Obligate migrants may travel either a short distance or long distance, but in general, obligate migrants are long distance migrants that leave their breeding grounds in the northern United States and Canada for wintering grounds in the southern United States and Central or South America. I observed a pair of obligate Ring-necked Duck migrants, on March 24, 2021. If an obligate migrant is here in March, it must adapt to any adverse weather conditions and unpredictable food sources. The pond where these ducks were had been iced over just a few days prior to their arrival. They only stopped to feed and rest for a few days. However, by getting an early start on the journey to their breeding grounds, they will have less competition and more options in establishing a breeding territory.
I saw several facultative migrants during these outings such as Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, American Robin, Red-tailed Hawk, Canada Goose and the irruptive species, Red Crossbill. It's interesting to note that in the Macaulay library at Cornell, Red Crossbills are the most recorded bird with over 11,280 recordings. The Red Crossbill breeds at any time of the year, but they don't always breed in the same place from year to year, and, it is difficult for researchers to access sites in the vast boreal forest. The Finch Research Network is now funding tracking studies for the Red Crossbills to better understand their nomadic movement. Ten types based on flight call and bill shape have been identified in North America. It appears that Type 10, the “Eastern” Sitka Spruce Crossbill is the one most observed here. This winter Red Crossbills were forced to move to survive because only one conifer species in their Northeast range produced an adequate cone crop. They venture further south in the winter when there is a shortage of cone crops in the north. I observed them here in two different locations feeding on the seeds of Norway spruce cones and preening.

Frequent Flyer:

Total Miles: Facultative Migrants – 2,927 miles
Obligate Migrants: 621 miles Total: 3,548

Species List: (1) 3-23-2021
2 European Starlings-442 miles

1 American Robin-0
3 Red Crossbills-717 miles
1 Song Sparrow-442 miles
2 Ring-billed Gull-0
2 Red-tailed Hawks-0

Species List: (2) 3-23-2021

2 Song Sparrows
3 Ring-billed Gulls
1 American Crow-0
1 Red-tailed Hawk-0
9 Red Crossbills

Species List: 3-24-2021
2 Canada Geese-442 miles
2 Ring-billed Gulls
1 Mourning Dove-0
2 Ring-necked Ducks-621 miles
1 American Crow
1 American Robin
2 Red-winged Blackbirds-442 miles
7 Common Grackles-442 miles

Marilyn Ramenofsky, Thomas P. Hahn, in Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior (Second Edition), 2019 A Nomadic Facultative Migrant: Red Crossbill
Red Crossbill - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Keeping Track of These Boreal Nomads Is Notoriously Difficult | Audubon
Winter Finch Forecast Update: The Nomads – FINCH RESEARCH NETWORK (finchnetwork.org)
Crossbills here, there, and everywhere – FINCH RESEARCH NETWORK (finchnetwork.org)
The Red Crossbill Enigma | Vermont Center for Ecostudies (vtecostudies.org)

Date: April 8, 2021
Observation Period: 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Location: Saint Michael's College Natural Area, Essex/Colchester, VT
Weather: 68 degrees F, mostly cloudy, Wind: 8 mph, NW
Habitat: Walking Trail through wetlands, forest and fields encompassing Winooski riverfront, pond, and an open space compost area.

I chose Saint Michael's College Natural Area for an outing after learning from ebird of a possible nest site for a Pileated Woodpecker. After patiently observing the snag and area for a while, I saw evidence of a Pileated Woodpecker, but, unfortunately, I did not see a Pileated Woodpecker.

One interesting observation on this visit was three Turkey Vultures perched in a tree at the compost area. Generally, Turkey Vultures are most often seen aloft, foraging over open areas for carrion by sight and smell as far as one mile away. They return to Vermont in late March and early April after wintering in the Southeastern United States. I wondered where they nested in our area. I found a record for a documented nest site for a Black Vulture, but with a cursory check I was not able to find nesting observations for Turkey Vulture. Nest sites may be caves, ledges on cliffs, hollow logs or trees, dense shrubbery, abandoned hawk nests or deserted buildings. Vermont Atlas of Life documented Vermont's first recorded nest containing two eggs found in early June of 1983 in northwestern Franklin County. It is reported that nests are located mostly by accident.

Species List:
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 American Robin
2 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Canada Goose
2 Common Raven
1 Hairy Woodpecker
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 Song Sparrow
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Northern Cardinal
3 Turkey Vulture
4 crow, sp

http://val.vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/turkey-vulture.pdf
https://bie.vtatlasoflife.org/species/2481930#overview

Date: April 8, 2021
Observation Period: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (3 hours)
Location: Lone Rock Point, Burlington, VT
Weather: 60 degrees F, Partly Sunny, Wind-3 mph NNW
Habitat: Forested cliff ledges overlooking Lake Champlain.

As a volunteer for the Audubon Vermont Peregrine Falcon Recovery Project, I monitor PEFA behavior at the Lone Rock Point site from March until July with the hope that successful nesting activity will occur. In 2018 two chicks successfully fledged. Although PEFAs were observed in 2019 and 2020, no nesting activity took place. During my recent visit on March 18, only one PEFA was observed. However, this now appears to be a promising year because during this field observation I observed a PEFA pair nesting near the same location as the 2018 pair. PEFAs become sexually mature at one to three years of age, remain paired from year to year and return to the same nesting site each year.
Upon arrival I heard the periodic wailing call of a Peregrine Falcon that is used to communicate with its mate as a sign of hunger or to locate its mate. One PEFA was perched on a snag. Five different perching spots were noted in their territory. During the courtship and nesting season, male PEFAs bring food to the female. At approximately 8:20 a.m. the male PEFA flew in and a mid-air exchange of prey took place. The female PEFA then perched on a branch to feed. No further vocalization was heard.
Both the male and female create several depressions in the substrate called scrapes, but the female chooses which of these nest sites to occupy. No additional nesting material is used. The scrape here is on a cliff ledge with surrounding vegetation. Two eggs were observed in the scrape. The period for egg laying lasts approximately one week so it's possible that more eggs were laid before incubation started. The female PEFA was on the scrape from 8:37 a.m. until 8:48 a.m. exhibiting egg-laying behavior such as lowering her body, turning frequently to face the opposite direction in a reclined position and laying down. She was there again from 10:43 a.m.-10:45 a.m. An updated visit on 4-13-2021 confirmed one PEFA incubating and one PEFA perched on a snag.
I also observed an Eastern Phoebe in this area perched in two different trees near the edge of the cliff opposite the PEFA location. The male was robustly singing to establish its territory, and displaying its taxing, high energy ability to attract a mate. The nesting habitat requirements for the Eastern Phoebe is different from the Peregrine Falcon in that the female Eastern Phoebe collects nesting material to build the nest from mud, moss, leaves, grass stems and animal hair, all readily available here. Eastern Phoebes breed in wooded areas particularly near water sources and use the eaves of buildings, overhanging decks, bridges or culverts to build nests. Before these sites were available, their original nest sites were on bare rock outcrops where some still do occasionally nest. Perhaps these Eastern Phoebes are “old school” and nest here on rock outcrops. It appears to be a prime location because I've seen the males in past years staking out this territory early in the season, and its stated that they return to the same site in successive years. The habitat may have less human disturbance than would be found around some buildings or bridges and ample food resources, particularly insects, are available.
I wonder what risk the PEFA poses to the Eastern Phoebe? I don't know. It is reported that PEFAs consume approximately 450 different North American species. However, it is also noted that PEFAs generally hunt away from the nesting area (eyrie). It would appear that this area has food resources for the PEFA that is more desirable and more easily available than the Eastern Phoebe.

Species List:
2 Wood Duck
1 Common Merganser
3 Mallard
1 Eastern Phoebe
2 Peregrine Falcon

https://www.rockpointvt.org/post/peregrine-falcons-at-rock-point
https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/perfal/cur/introduction?login
https://www.liquisearch.com/peregrine_falcon/ecology_and_behavior/reproduction
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Birds/Peregrine-Falcon

Mini Activity Sound Map

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t_6E8YvEAUPRmR7ETCIq_-uHkYxYN7Iz/view?usp=sharing