May 1, 2020

FJ8

On Wednesday, April 29, from 5-7 I went on a walk around my town of Belmont, Massachusetts. The weather was nice, about 55 degrees Fahrenheit and partly sunny. I mostly walked on sidewalks and streets, where some trees and bushes line the sides. There is also a large, grassy, and mowed field where I spent some time observing birds scavenging for food. But my town is pretty densely populated, without much tree coverage.

Posted on May 1, 2020 04:31 AM by miahandtereinecker miahandtereinecker | 8 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

April 23, 2020

FJ 7- Field Observation: Reproductive Ecology and Evolution

On Monday evening, April 20, from around 5-8 pm, with a long pause in my observing mid-way through, I went on another observation walk around my neighborhood in Belmont, Massachusetts. The weather was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny. My observations began from inside of my house.
I noticed a Red-bellied Woodpecker on the side of an Oak tree on my street. This oak tree, as I observed last week, seems to already be the home of two nesting Downy Woodpeckers. They were quite upset that this Red-bellied Woodpecker was trying to infringe on their nesting area, and put up a long fight that lasted for about an hour before they gave up. They were calling loudly and diving at the intruder. However, the Red-bellied Woodpecker was mostly unbothered and still remains on the oak tree, creating what I assume is a nesting cavity. I assume this because the cavity it is creating is very large and it has been working on the same spot for multiple days now. It is also between March and May, which is when Red-bellied Woodpeckers nest. However, upon research, it seems that normally a pair of woodpeckers work together in creating their nest (allaboutbirds.org). It is possible I have not noticed a second one, but it seems there is only one woodpecker, which may mean that it is not nesting. I am going to try and ID the gender of the bird and continue to observe and see if another gender arrives in the next few days.
The Downy Woodpeckers were defending their prime territory on my street. There are a lot of decaying branches and trees, as well as many cavities that are the perfect environment for Woodpeckers. There are many other Downy Woodpeckers that live in the area, but I believe the two that attacked the Red-bellied Woodpecker are the only ones that live on my street. This allows them to have access to the resources they need and allow them to have a high level of fitness. Although they might be fit intraspecifically, it is clear that they are no match for their interspecific competition of the Red-bellied Woodpecker. Woodpeckers, both Downy and Red-Bellied, excavate their own nest in trees, using woodchips as their bedding, meaning they don’t have to collect many supplies. However, in order to have the energy to excavate these nests, they must have an adequate supply of food and protein. This can come in the form of insects, which there are plenty of in dying trees and surrounding areas.
After observing the Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, I began my walk. As I walked, I noticed many American Robins, both singing in trees and foraging on lawns. They have been singing a lot recently, which indicates mating rituals. The male sings and puffs its feathers in order to attract a female mate. Hopefully, I will be able to see some American Robin nests in the near future, as it is around the time of the first eggs to be laid. American Robins use twigs, feathers, and mud to create their nests. There are a lot of available supplies of these in my neighborhood, so it shouldn't be hard for these birds to create good nests. However, there are not many good locations, as most of the trees line the streets. This could cause nests to fall into the streets.

As I continued my walk, I came across an area of my neighborhood that is very open and grassy. It is mowed by the community, so the grass is very short. There are a few trees along the border of this grassy area and the street. I heard a Northern Cardinal calling from a tree, and as I looked over he flew on to the grass and seemed to be foraging for food. I did some research, and as it turns out Northern Cardinals often have their first brood starting in March, so it is possible that this bird was foraging for his family (allaboutbirds.org). Northern Cardinals often nest in dense shrubs, which would explain that I was unable to find a nest. I also noticed three Mourning Doves perched on a power line. Since this is a group of three, and not two, I assumed that they are not breeding. Based on my research, when Mourning Doves aren’t breeding, they sleep in larger flocks (allaboutbirds.org). Although three isn’t really a large flock, this seems to be what they were doing.
I then saw two larger birds soaring above the trees. At first, I thought it was two American Crows, but upon a closer look, it turns out it was one American Crow and one Red-tailed Hawk. I thought it was very strange that an American Crow would follow a Red-tailed like this, so I looked up this action. American Crows are very territorial, and they know that Red-tailed Hawks are a threat (allaboutbirds.org). In order to lessen this threat, American Crows often try to get Red-tailed Hawks to leave their territory. This action of defense could suggest that the Ameican Crow has a nest nearby that it is trying to protect from the Hawk.
As I finished my walk, I head multiple Blue-jay calls but was unable to see them as it had gotten pretty dark and they seemed to be far away.
Overall, there were a lot of signs of breeding in my neighborhood! Hopefully, I will be able to identify some nests in the future and observe more activity.

Mini-activity: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16jvldkVi1u9lC9LzVXqwvlu4wTGS0tgCCyzV7B4BR8w/edit?usp=sharing

Posted on April 23, 2020 01:55 AM by miahandtereinecker miahandtereinecker | 8 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

April 15, 2020

FJ 6

Today, Wednesday, April 15 I went on a walk around my suburban neighborhood from 4:30 pm- 6:30 pm. The weather was about 45 degrees Fahrenheit and there were partly cloudy skies. Belmont, Massachusetts is mostly suburban and there is not a lot of tree coverage, besides trees lining the streets and those in yards. I also walked to a pond near my neighborhood. Most of the birds were seen in the trees along the street and sidewalk, but some, like the Song and House Sparrows, were seen in bushes in yards.

Posted on April 15, 2020 11:07 PM by miahandtereinecker miahandtereinecker | 6 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

April 9, 2020

FJ 5- Migration

On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, I went on an evening walk around my neighborhood with my mother and sister, from 5 pm to 7 pm. The weather was very nice; it was 60 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny. All the parks and most natural areas near me are closed, so I set out to observe some birds in my densely populated suburban town of Belmont, Massachusetts. Overall, the habitat consists of houses located very close together, with little open grass area available. There are trees that line the sidewalks and many bushes that are used as landscaping for these houses. There is also one small pond that has a bit more tree coverage than the rest of the neighborhood.
We started our walk outside of my house, where I could already hear calls of House Sparrows, but none were in sight. As we walked around the neighborhood, we came across many House Sparrows, both male and female, located in trees, gutters, and a lot in bushes. House Sparrows often do not travel more than a few kilometers in their entire lifetimes, making them a non-migratory resident species to my town. Walking along the sidewalk, I saw a Blue Jay fly by and land in a nearby tree and seemingly eat the budding flowers and fruit on the tree. Blue Jays are most likely year-long residents of this area of Massachusetts, although they sometimes are short-distance migrants. House Sparrows and Blue Jays survive the colder months by eating a lot during the day, mostly nuts, berries, and fruit, in order to be able to stay warm overnight, when they burn many of the calories they consumed in order to create heat. They also utilize techniques of plumping up their feathers and perching in protected shrubbery or tree cavities in order to conserve heat. I did some research and learned that Blue Jays also store food in the winter as a survival technique, which I thought was really interesting and did not know about (allaboutburds.com). They do this in order to save food for when they need it during the scarcer food months of winter.
As we continued walking through the neighborhood, we noticed many American Robins all standing, presumably foraging for food, in an open, grassy park area that was closed off to the public. Some American Robins migrate, while others are year-long residents to the same areas. In the winter, American Robins move in accordance to their wintering food source- fruit. Because of this, American Robins often move south and spread out from all the other American Robins in their breeding area, because there would not be enough winter food available for all of them in one place. As it is getting warmer, American Robins are able to feed on earthworms and insects again, allowing them to return to their breeding area, as there are enough resources available now. This makes American Robins facultative migrants, as they only migrate sometimes, as a response to the severity of winter and the scarcity of food.
We made it to the small pond with more tree coverage in the neighborhood. There, I spotted 4 male Red-winged Blackbirds in the trees around the pond. They all called multiple times, which made me look up and spot them in the trees. Two of them were engaged in a fight, perhaps over territory or food. Red-winged Blackbirds are sometimes full time residents of areas, but those who breed in northern North America can be migrants and travel very far south for the winter, all the way to parts of Mexico. When I was doing research, I noticed that in migratory Red-winged Blackbird populations, the males return before the females (allaboutbirds.com). This made me think that perhaps the Red-Winged Blackbirds that I saw do migrate, as they were all male. Since I saw so many Red-winged Blackbirds all so close together, it is possible that they have just returned in a flock from the south, like Mexico, and are now establishing their territorial areas (explaining the fighting I witnessed). Like American Robins, they migrate mostly for their food source.
Finally, on the way back to my home, we came across a singular Wild Turkey, which was strange given that often Wild Turkey’s stay in flocks. However, I assume that more Wild Turkey’s were around. Wild Turkeys are nonmigratory birds, but I wondered why I only ever see them in the warmer months. As it turns out, Wild Turkeys often spend more time in more densely forested areas in the winter, instead of the more open suburbs, because of food and coverage from the more extreme weather (allaboutbirds.com).
Unfortunately, I did not spot any obligate migrants. However, I believe that I have been hearing the song of the Eastern Phoebe recently, though I have yet to confirm my suspicion with a spotting. Eastern Phoebes migrate to the southern U.S. and Mexico and the winter and return North to areas including Massachusetts and Vermont. Eastern Phoebes are fly and insect catchers, although they can also eat small fruit and seeds. It is possible that returning north so early leads to the lack of sufficient resources of insects and bugs in the chillier states. Some positives of coming back north earlier would include the ability for migratory birds to establish their territories, forage, and prepare for the breeding season. Hopefully I will be able to see more migratory birds soon!
I have mapped the possible migratory patterns of Red-winged Blackbirds, American Robins, and Eastern Phoebes by using google maps (don’t think it is possible to add a picture, but here are the numbers added up).
Red-winged Blackbirds: Possible migration of up to 800 miles (allaboutbirds.com), I mapped from Belmont to North Carolina: 614 miles
American Robins: Short distance migration of about 60 miles
Eastern Phoebes: Long distance migration of up to 3,000 miles to Eastern Mexico
3,674 miles is the possible total of miles these migrants travelled in total to return to Belmont.

Source : allaboutbirds.com

Posted on April 9, 2020 12:42 AM by miahandtereinecker miahandtereinecker | 5 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

March 25, 2020

Field Journal Assignment 4

On Wednesday morning, March 25, from 11 am-1 pm, I engaged in an observational walk at Fresh Pond in Cambridge, MA. The temperature was 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with overcast clouds and a lot of wind. I started my walk on the path that surrounds the large pond, but it was so windy and cold that I soon diverged on to the golf course area that lies next to the pond. This area has many fewer people and is more protected from the wind, so I was able to see many more birds. The golf course has many small bushes, small ponds, and variously spaced out trees, but it is mostly an open grass area.
First, I saw many American Robins on the open grass all seemingly scavenging for food. For the most part, they were well spaced out and not interacting which each other through calls or other methods. However, I heard sudden louder songs and calls and noticed that two American Robins were engaging in a fight (picture attached in observation). I did some research and discovered that American Robins can be very territorial. It is possible that one of these birds infringed on the other’s territory, which resulted in the fight. I also learned that American Robins often sing when they return to their territory, which would explain the song and calling I heard right before the fight ensued. It is possible the American Robin was trying to warn the other to back off as well. Birds often use songs to establish their dominance in their territories and to tell other birds to back off. While fighting, the American Robins opened their wings, even while just standing, this visual cue shows the other that they are large and willing to fight. When they stopped fighting, one of the robins visually became much smaller, closing his wings. This cue shows defeat and backing down.
Moving along the golf course, I noticed two Mallards, two Canada Geese, and one Great Blue Heron. The Mallards were resting in the water’s edge of a pond and the Canada Geese were resting just on the banks of the same pond. I think that is is possible that these two pairs were mates, since the Mallards, at least, were of the opposite gender. It is also getting closer to breeding seasons, which also makes it likely that these two pairs are mates. This behavior of finding a mate is part of these species' circannual rhythm. They repeat the same breeding activity each year, based on the photoperiod. The photoperiod this time of year is allowing for more sunlight per day to occur, which can help trigger breeding activities for Mallards and other birds.
Moving along, I came across a more densely forested area of the golf course. I noticed a group of three Common Grackles in a tree, that flew off as I approached closer. I noticed another black bird on the ground and took a picture. As the bird flew off, I noticed that it was not another Common Grackle, because this bird had red coloration on its wings, making it a Red-Winged Blackbird. While it was on the ground, its red spots had been concealed allowing only for a small white line to be seen on the wing. This red coloration is an example of bold coloration that can be used to attract a mate. I did some research and discovered that in order to attract a female, male Red-Winged Blackbirds perch and open their wings in order to show off their red wings. This plumage pattern is very different from the House Sparrow, for example. House Sparrows have more of a cryptic coloration on their backs to camouflage into their surroundings. Female Red-Winged Blackbirds, however also have this cryptic coloration, which makes sense because the males are the ones who are attracting the mates, while the females have to camouflage while protecting the eggs.

I didn’t encounter any Chickadees this trip, so I tried Sphishing near some foraging American Robins. This sound resembles a mobbing sound and a potential threat to birds. So, it attracts some birds who want to know the cause of this threat and it also makes some birds flee because they do not want to be hurt by this threat. The American Robins I tried it on did not seem to care that much. A few of them changed their stance to an alert upright position to listen to my sounds and a few hopped away. Next time, I will try it near chickadees or near a more dense bush area.

Posted on March 25, 2020 05:25 PM by miahandtereinecker miahandtereinecker | 6 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

March 7, 2020

Field Journal Assignment 3- Ecological Physiology

On Sunday, March first, I was visiting my parents in Boston and went on a bird observational walk with my mom from 10 am until 12 pm. It was a very sunny day with the temperature at around 35 degrees Fahrenheit. My mom and I drove to Fresh Pond in Cambridge, MA, which is s fairly large pond surrounded by a heavy foot and bike traffic path. There is also a golf course connected to the path. We began our walk in this golf course and came across a Northern Mockingbird and an American Robin engaging in a sort of fight, resulting in the American Robin leaving the area and the Northern Mockingbird staying in its territory. Northern Mockingbirds eat insects in the summer and rely more on berries in the winter. They are also very territorial of their foraging and hunting areas. This particular bird most likely wanted to protect its foraging land from other birds in order to make sure it is able to feed enough. In the winter, insects are often harder to find because of the cold temperatures and hard grounds, so there is a lot of pressure to find food, which may have led to the inter-species territorial battle I observed. As we continued to walk through the mostly tree-less golf course, we came across the songs of two Mourning Doves. We spotted one flying back and forth between a dirt mound and a small, lone tree. The bird seemed to be scavenging for seeds in the mound of dirt.

As we walked through the golf course, we came across a small pond that waa connected by a creek to the main, much larger pond. This pond was surrounded by tall grass and a few trees. We noticed a fallen tree leaning over the pond on which a Great Blue Heron stood. This is interesting because often, Great Blue Herons migrate a bit south in the winter in order to stay in warmer areas and be able to find food in winter months. This particular bird may spend its summers a bit more north, perhaps in Vermont! Great Blue Herons hint aquatic life, which is why it was located near the water. In the pond, there was a small group of Hooded Mergansers and a larger group of Mallards. As shown in the pictures observations attached, some of the ducks had their bills buried in their feathers. This protects their apteria from the cold, harsh winter air. This also highlights the fact that they are sending a lot of time resting, which conserves body energy and makes them more capable of maintaining high body temperatures in the cold weather. I noticed a Hooded Merganser diving for food in the pond. The legs of these birds remain warm in the cold water due to the counter-current exchange of the blood flow that takes place. Hooded Mergansers eat mostly aquatic life, so the bird was probably searching for prey. It is very important for birds to eat in the winter because they require so much energy in order to stay warm. This can be difficult for some birds, whose diets switch from insect-based to more berry-based, like the Northern Mockingbird. Because of this difficulty, some birds allocated their time differently in the winter and rest more during the day to preserve their energy for heat.

Throughout our walk, I noticed multiple snags of different sizes. In one particular area, there were about 5 snags next to each other that were also surrounded by bush area. In this area, I observed 4 Black-Capped Chickadees. These Black-Capped Chickadees most likely spend the night in high covered areas, like the bush I observed them in or holes in snags, in order to maintain warmer body heat. In order to converse energy, the Chickadees most likely lower their body temperatures as well. Snags are very important because they provide homes for many bird species, like owls and woodpeckers. The cavities in snags provide a shield from the cold weather of the winter, which is why many birds reside in them. They also are a source for food for some species of birds, like Pileated Woodpeckers and Brown Creepers.

Posted on March 7, 2020 02:49 AM by miahandtereinecker miahandtereinecker | 7 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

February 20, 2020

Field Journal 1

On Tuesday morning from 7-9 am February 18, I went on a field observation walk in Williston, Vermont at the location of a horse farm and the farm’s surrounding land. The weather was 15 degrees fahrenheit. There was overcast and mild snowfall throughout the observational walk. I began the walk and immediately heard the chirps and songs of Black-capped Chickadees. I then saw 6 of them in multiple trees in close proximity to each other. I took a moment to sketch the details of a Black-capped Chickadee in my notebook (attached in the observations). Then, continuing on my walk I spotted a Northern Cardinal perched at the top of a tree. On the property, there is a bird feeder. I took a moment to observe birds eating at the feeder. I saw a total of 5 House Sparrows eating at the feeder and flying around the feeder. Further along in my walk I spotted a group of 7 American Crows sitting in a tree. I took a moment to watch them. They were calling and after a few minutes flew off. I took this time to observe the flight of the crows.

I compared the American Crow flight pattern to that of the House Sparrow. House Sparrows are much smaller in size than American Crows. House Sparrows flights involve a lot of short and fast movements from branch to branch in trees, and in my observation they flew quickly on and off the bird feeder onto nearby trees. Often, it is easy to identify song birds based on their flight patterns as these types of birds tend to flap their wings more often. American Crows are fairly large birds with larger wing spans. The American Crows I observed were flying a much larger distance than the smaller hop-like flight of the House Sparrows. The primary feathers on the tips of the American Crow wings are also much more separated than those of the House Sparrow. This slotted wing type allows for more lift from flapping. The American Crows tend to flap their wings at a much slower rate than House Sparrows, and glide more. This is probably because American Crows tend to fly much further distances on a daily basis than House Sparrows, as they look for food over long distances rather than staying closer to one area like House Sparrows. House Sparrows habitats are often linked to human habitation. At the location in Williston, many House Sparrows live inside of the horse barn. Crows, on the other hand scavenge the open fields and forested areas on the property for food.

Overall, I did not see that many birds on my observational walk. This is likely due to the overcast weather and snowfall. In the future, I would like to try to return to this location on a clearer day. Also, I would like to venture deeper into the forested area towards a small pond. Observing near a body of water could lead to the discovery of more bird species, perhaps even water-dwelling birds, like Mallards or Canadian Geese.

Posted on February 20, 2020 12:42 AM by miahandtereinecker miahandtereinecker | 4 observations | 1 comment | Leave a comment

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