Field Observation #1
I made my first field observations in Centennial Woods on Wednesday, February 15th. I chose this location because I know there are many familiar bird species there and I know the woods fairly well - this made it a great place to begin my birding adventures!
It began to snow about halfway through the late morning outing, so conditions were not ideal. I would probably have seen more movement earlier in the morning on a clear, slightly warmer day. When I first entered the woods, the only songs that greeted me were coming from a group of excited children playing in the snow; they seem to have scared the birds off, so I traveled deeper into the woods. When I couldn't hear the kids anymore, I stopped to listen for a while. Gradually, I began to hear the voices of a few Black-capped Chickadees. I walked in their direction, hoping to catch a glimpse of them. Instead, other birds began to chirp and call; I could pick out at least 2 Blue Jays, several Black-capped Chickadees, and even a White-breasted Nuthatch.
I came across several skiers and a few dogs over the course of the bird walk, which unfortunately probably reduced my chances of seeing birds. However, I did get the chance to see a large group of American Robins (24, by my count - I watched flock to a tree).
This provided an opportunity to observe some flight patterns; the American Robins seemed to flap frenetically and then glide for a second, flap, then glide for a second. It was sort of a cyclical rather than continuous flight habit. I also noticed that as they took off, they spread their tail feathers once or twice to help themselves lift off of the branch. I was also able to spend some time watching American crows fly overhead; they have a relatively slow, rhythmic wingbeat. Their primary flight feathers were also somewhat slotted, so they could flap more slowly than the American Robins did.
My simple activity sketch was of a Black-Capped Chickadee, and the most striking identifying characteristics were the dark black cap and the bright white cheek. The size of the bird was also a good clue; Black-capped Chickadees are small, and one of the birds whose shape I know best because I grew up seeing them every day.
