Field Ornithology Journal Entry Two 05/19/2020

During my Tuesday morning Bird walk, crows were not extremely vocal but had a high number of individuals which were in sight for most of the morning. I estimate there to be 30-40 individual crows on the property, which is a higher concentration than the surrounding area likely to do abundance of agriculture in the valley, providing ample forage for these birds. Although I did not venture down the route 14, I know from previous experience these birds flock in the bottom of the valley after corn in harvested, but it appears they were foraging on grass in the fields along the ridge. One field I observed 13 birds walking through the grass at one time.

I did not visually observe a red-eyed vireo as I was unable to spot it after hearing it. While I was sitting in an overgrown section of abandoned pasture I heard its characteristic song coming from an open section of hardwoods along the southern portion of the pasture. I attempted to find the bird but was unable to.

As I was sitting in a field atop the mountain which is currently used as cow pasture, I heard a singular scarlet tanager singing from an island of brush no more than 100 yards away. As I approached the island I was unable to visual observe the bird as I speculate it saw me coming towards it in the open pasture and flew to cover further away.

Gray Catbirds were vocally active throughout the morning. I visually observed 3 gray catbirds all on separate occasions as I was walking along field edges. All three Gray Catbirds were moving through the honeysuckle bushes along the sides of the field.

I visually observed 2 house wrens during my morning bird walk. I witnessed the first one fly from a bank dominated by honeysuckle and young saplings, across the road in front of me, landing in a honeysuckle bush ~10' in front of me on the trails edge. When I attempted to take a picture the bird flew across the field and out of sight into a group of young pines. The second one I observed was moving amongst the branches of a box elder tree with a group of song birds comprised of common yellowthroats and chestnut-sided warblers. I did not have house Wren songs memorized before entering the field therefore I cannot comment as to the number of house wren vocalizations I heard.

I observed field sparrows in a singular spot on the property. As I was sitting in an abandoned pasture above a current hayfield I watched a pair of field sparrows moving up the honeysuckle along the edge of the field in my direction before departing back into the overgrown pasture. Over the next hour I periodically heard field sparrow vocalizations.

I visually observed 3 song sparrows during my morning bird walk. Two of which I observed while walking through an overgrown pasture, and the other I observed as I was walking trough dense white pines with significant understory vegetation. Throughout the morning song sparrows were vocally actively.

I visually observed 2 chestnut-sided warblers as they were moving throughout a box elder tree with 2 common yellowthroats and a house wren. I periodically heard chestnut sided warbler vocalizations throughout the morning.

I visually observed one eastern kingbird in a section of hayfield which hasn't been mowed for a few years. It was sitting atop an old fence post when I initially saw it and after a moment it flew over a bank into the grassy area below and out of sight

I visually observed two ruby-crowned kinglets as I was walking from an open field onto a trail exiting the field into a conifer forest. This pair was working amongst a honeysuckle bush. As I got closer they flew into a nearby sumac tree.

As I was hiking through the woods to get from the parking area to the grassland location I heard a singular tufted titmouse vocalization coming from an apple tree approximately 20 yards into some thick brush along the side of the trail.

While I was sitting in the abandoned pasture above the active hay field I heard a singular white sparrow calling from the north end of the pasture periodically for about 30 minutes. I did not pursue this bird to obtain a visual observation.

During my morning bird walk I saw a total of 5 wild turkey hens. All of which were extremely responsive to hen cuts and yelps and were able to be called into a close distance. All hens were on their own and not within flocks.

As I was walking along the edge of a current hayfield I observed a pair of what I believe to be yellow warbler moving amongst bushed on the bank below the field. The bank was relatively steep comprised of honeysuckle and hardwood saplings.

I consistently heard Canada Goose vocalizations throughout the morning which is typical for this area as they use the White River as a travel corridor and often spend the day in the cornfield across route 14 at the bottom of the ridge.

I recorded a singular dark-eyed junco observation along the side of the trail as I was hiking into the grassland section of the property. This observation was located along a VAST trail in a deciduous forest with significant understory.

As I was hiking up a pasture which was cleared last fall using a brontosaurus excavator attachment I observed two Hermit Thrush fly out of a honeysuckle bush down over the bank. It appeared as if one was chasing the other.

As I was walking down from a deciduous forest towards a hayfield on the western portion of the property I observed what I believe to have been an ovenbird moving up the brush along the side of the trail. It appeared to be curious of my presence and came within 10 feet of me but due to the sun being behind the bird and my camera lens having a crack in it I was unable to photograph this experience.