Over in the Meadow: Geprags Park

On Wednesday February 17, 2016, I went to Geprags Park in Hinesburg to look for birds. Geprags Park is a mostly open meadow area surrounded by some new growth. It was a mostly quiet, cold day: 32 degrees Fahrenheit and cloudy. I arrived there at 3:45pm. Getting out of the car I noticed an American Crow fly up into one of the trees by the road and parking lot. I didn't think to take a picture of it then because I figured I would see more once I got over the hill and into the heart of the meadow. Once I got into the meadow it was very quiet except for some jets and (what I thought was) a tow plane in the sky above. I walked along one edge of the meadow to the back of the park and started to hear some calls. I heard an American Crow and a Black-capped Chickadee in the distance but still did not see anything. I came to a spot with a few apple trees, one with many apples still on its branches, but no signs of any birds having a late lunch/early dinner.

Out of this silence, from behind me, came a single, short, high pitched chirp. I turned around, fumbling to get the lens-cap off my camera in such a way that didn't scare it, and got its picture (out of great focus but enough to tell some markings). I believe this was an American Tree Sparrow. I took a few steps closer to get a better look but it flew away. In that same instant a Tufted Titmouse, from across the field, began to call very loudly. It was too far into the trees and moved too fast for a great picture, but one can just make out the shape from the image.

As I was leaving, it seemed a small group of Black-capped Chickadees followed me out, from a distance. I could hear them and saw one from a ways away. An American Crow flew overhead as I headed back across the meadow. I was hoping to see more crows or some hawk or other large bird, but that was not the case. It wasn't windy when I was there, but, unsheltered from the cold, a meadow is certainly not the warmest of places to hang out. Perhaps this is why it was so quiet.

Publicado el 17 de febrero de 2016 por bkelley