As warmer weather approaches, Crescent Beach has continued to undergo many significant changes. The last of the snow melting from the peaks of nearby mountains, complimented by recent heavy rains, has left a lot of the beach submerged in water. In these parts of the beach, there is little activity, however I suspect that as the weather becomes warmer and the shoreline slowly starts to recede, there will be more life in these areas, similar to the type of life that I saw during my first visits here last semester. Tadpoles (with their eggs) and waterbugs should likely start to come shortly. Many gulls, much of which have already been seen around campus and the city, have flocked to the area, as its seclusion makes it a prime area with little disturbance for the time being. In terms of plant life, the shrubbery has once again begun to spring up, and tree buds have even began to take form on the trees surrounding the beach.

Nature and culture seem to intertwine very minimally at Crescent Beach. It is a very secluded area, and even in the summer only a few local residents of the north side of Burlington tend to visit. And these people, living in a more natural part of a city, do a very proficient job of taking care of the area, leaving it mostly as a haven for wildlife. As for myself, I do not really consider myself as part of the area, but more as an observer of what happens in the area. And I prefer it that way because I enjoy the idea of my phenology site being, for the most part, untouched

From start to finish, it was very rewarding to see how much a single area could change simply due to seasons. Moving forward, I hope that I will periodically be able to visit again during my very busy sophomore year. During these visits, I hope to reobserve the beautiful progression that I have witnessed throughout my freshman year at UVM. Till next year.

Greg Martin

When I returned to the woods of Ringwood, New Jersey for spring break, I traveled to Brushwood Pond, where the last layer of ice rested on the surface of the water. The weather was warmer compared to Burlington, and the first buds had started to sprout on the red oaks and sugar maples surrounding the shores of the water. As we ventured out onto the slushy ice, we noticed something that came as a big surprise to me: bugs. They swarmed the marshy, thawed areas of the pond, likely where they were laying their eggs for warmer weather. What was even stranger was the fact that they were the only sign of animal life; there were no birds or other animal tracks to be found. In this aspect, it appeared very similar to that of Crescent Beach in Burlington, where there was no sign whatsoever of any animal life. However, I predict that in the near future, if I were to go back to Brushwood, I would see a rapid increase in animal life as compared to that of Crescent Beach, primarily due to the fact that the sands at Crescent Beach act as a desert of sorts, supporting very little life in its sands. Nevertheless, as I revisit the beach, it will be interesting to see what life revisits, and I will be sure to keep a close eye on the rate at which this all happens.

Since my phenology location consists of both vegetated land and a large body of water, I would argue that there are certainly many communities within my small plot of land. While it is difficult to identify since it is barren in the dead of winter, the area surrounding the sands, when warm, is overgrown, filled with shrubs and large trees, specifically pines and oaks. This creates not only a diverse plant community, but also a habitat for birds and other animal species that can take refuge in these parts. Moving on, while the sands of the beach are, for the most part, barren and support little life, they do have some shrubs that sprout and fare pretty well during warm weather, since they are not being shaded out and out-competed by other, taller species. So while it may not be dense enough to be considered a community, the sands of Crescent Beach do tend to be the home for certain shrubs that have adapted and found a way to thrive there. Finally, aquatic communities, filled with plants and other organisms that thrive in the shallow waters near the energy of the sun, exist along the coast where sand and water meet at the shore of the beach. However, this is only the case during the warm weather, where the plants and other species such as tadpoles and water bugs can receive enough sunlight energy to incubate, grow, and thrive. When the weather becomes as cold as it has been recently, no such thing can exist, especially with a solid layer of ice, likely extending down to the bottom along the shore, that has formed.

Since the weather has had very little change, my phenology spot has undergone very little change as a result. Ergo, it is difficult to evaluate any phenological changes, if any have been made. However, I predict that this will change in the very near future, and I will expect to see noticeable changes when I revisit Crescent Beach after spring break, with the first signs of spring starting to reveal themselves.

After visiting my phenology spot for the first time this semester, much has changed. Once a lively area, overgrown with trees, grass, bushes, and other vegetation, it has now become barren and bare. The red oaks and sugar maples that once provided shade relief from the brutal summer sun are now dead and snow-covered. Unfortunately, since a fresh layer of snow had fallen the night before, there is no sign of any animal tracks to be seen. It is not likely that there were animal tracks in the first place anyway. Since the area surrounding the beach is so developed, the only likely tracks would have consisted of human footprints, dog prints, or the occasional outdoor cat. The water level of Lake Champlain seems relatively similar to that of when I had last checked before the winter break, but I predict the water to rise in the upcoming months as the snow begins to melt and runoff. As I return to the beach more often, it will be interesting to see what life wanders through it, and how both plants and animals will rebound in the area as warmer weather approaches.

As I always do when I return home, I visited my favorite spot in my hometown, which is the edge of the Wanaque Reservoir in Ringwood, New Jersey. It is a short 15 minute hike from behind my house, making it very accessible and a place where I find peace and comfort. First dug out in 1928, the reservoir is a widened part of the Wanaque River, and this contributes to the Sterling Forest watershed. Seasonally, the reservoir and its surrounding area undergoes drastic changes. In the summer, if there is a prolonged drought period, the reservoir can get very low because of evaporation and usage by surrounding towns, and you are able to walk onto parts of it that would usually be submerged. When I visited this week, this was obviously not the case after the amount of rain and snow that we got. The majority of trees are deciduous (lots of oaks, some maples) with a few pines bunched together in certain areas. Most of the trees are bare, with a few still holding onto its last couple of leaves. A couple of crows linger in the area, as well as a few squirrels looking for the last few scraps before going into hibernation. Other than that, there are no signs of any land animals remaining in the area.

As told from the perspective of 18th century philosopher Wright:

One can only marvel at such a colorful and tranquil scene. The sun shines on the clear blue water, creating millions of dazzling individual sparkles of light. Tiny, rippling waves come and go along the shoreline, making such a sound that can be compared to one’s own private little beach, where there are no worries. Crow calls can be heard from afar, signaling the approach of brisk weather, as all other birds have already migrated. Every so often one can hear the splash of a bass across the lake. A lone beaver sits on the edge of a rock near the water, absorbing the last few rays of sunlight and heat of the season. The vast trees, now bare, sway in the cool and crisp wind. There are no worries in this place. Nature is the only presence; it provides and comforts the soul. It is truly a magnificent place, and one can only marvel at and appreciate its beauty.

An Aldo Leopold compare and contrast:

A small beach in Vermont, and a lakeside woods in New Jersey. Each are beautiful in their own way. Take the marvels on Crescent Beach in Vermont. This majestic place overlooks the esteemed Lake Champlain, home to such a diverse set of aquatic life. Do not be fooled; the water is not the only thing that this place has to offer. Overgrowth occurs everywhere on the sand, with many diverse shrubs and trees making their home in a very unique place. Altogether, this creates a very unique and unlikely habitat for many species, both aquatic and land, and gives this pristine beach such a natural feel. And then the reservoir in New Jersey. Very similar indeed. The combination of the beauty of land and sea makes it very unique indeed, similarly to Crescent Beach. The woods, however, give such a wild feeling that compels one to feel almost as a part of this beautiful system. Both areas, although so individual, are so natural and admirable that one can do nothing but admire.

Crescent Beach has changed significantly since I last visited. As with all other deciduous trees in Vermont, the leaves have changed, now showing colors of yellow and red. Many leaves have fallen off already. Since we have had a lot of rain recently, the shoreline has returned to its normal area after being receded for most of the summer. Many shrubs have started to shrivel and sink. There are no signs of any tadpoles or minnows as there were while it was still warm, with the lower shoreline that isolated areas suitable for their growth no longer there. There are also less birds and insects. Overall, there has been a sharp decrease in life at this isolated beach, and I expect this trend to continue as I continue to visit and the weather becomes more harsh and unsuitable. (Sorry for the image being upside down I do not know how to flip it).

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The spot for my phenology project in NR001 will be Crescent Beach, on the north end of Burlington in Leddy Park. To get there from campus, you simply go down to the waterfront, and take the bike path north along the coast of Lake Champlain. While it may be somewhat isolated and private, I chose this spot because not only is it conveniently close to my aunt’s house, but I will be able to observe both plant and aquatic seasonal changes. While it may seem like a simple beach, it is overgrown with trees and vegetation, and especially at this point in the year when the water is so low, it has provided opportunity for plants to thrive in an unusual place. Shrubs grow wildly in the shallow sands where soil and sand meet. There are no coniferous trees, and the surrounding trees are dominantly oak trees. As the seasons go on, it will be interesting to see how this isolated beach changes both aquatically and botanically, and I am looking forward to studying this.

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