FJ5-Field Observation: Migration

Start Time: 5:00pm
End Time: 6:00pm
Date: March 27th, 2023
Location: Redstone Green
Habitat: Open space, mixed with forest edge. Nearing Lake Champlain.
Weather: 45 F, 8 mph from the north.

Firstly, when thinking of wintering bird species in the area; the American Crow comes to mind immediately. This is a species in which I have seen a lot of over the winter for a few reasons. American Crows can keep warm at night by gathering in roosts to share body heat, these roosts also serve as information centers for where food is located. Being such a communal species has allowed some crows to forego migration and adapt to the wintering months of Vermont. For this field observation exercise, I chose to take a walk from my dorm room in Redstone Hall, to the Burlington Country Club golf course. It was a relatively warmer day with the temperature reaching nearly 50 Fahrenheit. My route of choice paid of almost right away, because as soon as I walked outside, I observed three Ring-billed Gulls swoop through the air and land in the middle of the giant open space of the Redstone Green. The green was filled with water, and I wonder if the gulls liked this area because easy access to worms for consumption. It is not certain where these birds are coming from, however it is known that they tend to migrate to open waters such as the Great Lakes for the winter months. The change in habitat in the Burlington area that has facilitated their comeback can be attributed to the ice melt, resulting in more open waters like Lake Champlain.

Posted on March 28, 2023 12:28 AM by lukelombardo lukelombardo

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)

Observer

lukelombardo

Date

March 27, 2023

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