Diario de kirsticarr

On Wednesday morning we set out on a bird walk at Derway Island. We got there around 7:45 or 8 AM, and it was a cold and clear morning, around 25 or 30 degrees F. Ring-billed Gulls were making a lot of noise in the actual water treatment plant, but on the other side of the road was a wetland area where a lot of waterfowl were swimming. We immediately saw a few Wood Ducks, although they were quite sensitive to our presence and scared easily. A few Mallards were also swimming in the water, but my favorite sighting was of a Canada Goose guarding her eggs. She was also very aware of our presence and sat in a very defensive posture, with her neck down to the water and peering out. I got to see her through the spotting scope, which was very cool. Sean mentioned that her nest looked like she had done most of the building, as opposed to nesting on top of a muskrat lodge or another previously formed shelter.

On the Winooski River, we saw a muskrat or otter swimming on the other side, near the bank. Although I only got a brief glimpse before it disappeared, that was very exciting. We also saw an Osprey flying, with a freshly caught fish in its talons. I was very impressed by its unique wingstroke pattern, as it has adapted an extra joint in its wings for easier lift out of water.

The birds continue to be louder and more active with each excursion out into the woods, which is a sure sign of spring. On Tuesday morning I was out on a hike on Mt. Mansfield and noticed how loud the birds were, which I haven't heard all winter while hiking. I'm excited for even more sightings as spring progresses.

Went out on our weekly class birding trip to Ethan Allen Park yesterday. It was a bright, clear morning. We got to the park around 7:50 AM and it was around 34 degrees F, and not too windy. Sean mentioned that we were asked to go to Ethan Allen Park by the city of Burlington and make some observations. What a morning! It has been so cool to watch as more and more birds return from migration, and become much more active in calling and singing to potential mates. It was so great to see the Barred Owl roosting in a tree. It was so well camouflaged, it took our group a long time until we all had caught a glimpse of it, even thought it hadn't moved from its spot. It was really cool to hear them sing back and forth to each other. I saw a Great Horned Owl at Oakledge Park a few weeks back, and I feel very lucky to have seen two nocturnal birds of prey. The Fish Crow was also an exciting find, when Sean pointed out the call. Even though Ethan Allen Park is a relatively small patch of land, it has a lot of cool species, like Pine Warbler, too, which was awesome to witness.

This week I've also seen a ton of Cedar and especially Bohemian Waxwings on campus. They're eating the last of the crab apples while they can. It's great to know how much to appreciate these nomadic species while they're here.