Although it may sound like spring has arrived in Centennial Woods due to the incredible amount of chirping birds, the chilly temps and icy forest floor tells a different story. Despite the somewhat warmer temps Burlington has been experiencing since spring break, the weather has done a total 180. As I’m walking through the woods, my snow boots crunch through the icy snow and sleet built up on the ground. Animals’ paths can be traced from their paw prints. An unidentified bird chirped loudly from a tree right above my head, and from the prints in the snow, it was clear a dog and his owner visited my spot. Broken wood litters the ground from the past storms. Unfortunately I saw no flowering or amphibians.
My phenology spot is not too far from where the edge, but I would say it is deep enough within centennial woods to be in the center. I’m not certain but I would think the edge effect would occur from around the police station to a little before where the water runs through Centennial. My spot is about a 5-6 minute walk past the stream and I would think houses forest interior species. American Beech for example is a very shade tolerant tree, and it is also found quite commonly in my phenology spot. Eastern Hemlock is another very shade tolerant tree. These trees suggest that this is an interior portion of the forest as there is much more sun on the edges of woods.
