Field Journal 1

On Sunday, February 16th, I visited the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center near Albany, New York. I arrived at the park in the afternoon around 2:30 pm and left around 4:30 pm. The temperature was 37 degrees Fahrenheit and the weather was cloudy with little to no breeze. There was a layer of snow and ice on the ground. The park terrain was made up of both forest and wetland.

I began by walking along a trail that looped around a pond. I observed several large footprints, most likely from a duck or goose, on the ice covering the water. However, I had a lot of difficulty observing any birds on this trail. There are a number of possible explanations for this. For example, I noticed that the path was heavily frequented by other park goers talking loudly, as well as several dogs, which may have scared away the birds. Another possibility is that there was not enough food for the birds on this trail, or that it was too exposed for this time of day.

Next, I walked around on the paths near the main lodge. Here, I had more luck finding several different species of birds. First I found a bush full of House Sparrows making loud cheep noises. I counted at least 8 sparrows, including 2 males. The Sparrow's flight involved a lot of quick flapping and short fast flights from one spot (i.e. a branch) to another. For example, I observed a sparrow chase another sparrow from one tree to a different tree. I also noticed that the sparrows had an elliptical wing. It was difficult to get a good photo as they blended in very well with the brown brush. I also observed 2 Black-capped Chickadees, as well as a few more House Sparrows near a bird feeder outside the main lodge.

On a nearby path, I observed a red Northern Cardinal near the top of a tall bush. I also spotted a flock of approximately 10 European Starlings fly up from a tree in the distance. The flock moved up and down in a synchronized wave like pattern before disappearing behind the foliage. They flapped their wings less often than the sparrows and remained in the air for longer periods of time. Lastly, I came to a small grove of trees where I observed a large number of American Robins. They had orange coloring on their breasts, grey wings, and yellow bills. They were eating the small red berries on the branches of the trees and on the ground. Their flight pattern was similar to that of the house sparrow, involving many quick trips from one branch to another or from the ground to a tree. It was difficult to get close to the robins as the loud and crunchy snow kept scaring them away,

Posted on February 19, 2020 01:28 AM by abreyo