Phenology Blog

It has finally been warm out these past couple of weeks and as a result, spring is beginning to show visible signs at my phenology site where more and more things are starting to look green. The downed log that is right by the pool of water on my site was completely covered in moss. Also, my site was noticeably more damp and muddy than usual, due to all of the rain that Burlington has received over the past couple of weeks. This now makes my phenology spot a perfect habitat for amphibians and salamanders. I also noticed evidence of wildlife at my site from areas where the ground was dug out and there were half eaten pinecones left out on the log. Spring has finally sprung in Burlington. This seems to be about right considering the old saying “April showers bring May flowers.”

Nature and culture intertwine at my phenology site. My spot spot is located just off of the main trail, and it is right next to a wetland. I would say that the natural elements provide for both people passing through and the wildlife to interact with this unique ecosystem. Human culture in Vermont is around spending time outdoors and doing activities outside, and my phenology spot is a great place for people to come visit and hang out at when they venture off the main trail.

I would consider myself a part of my place now that it has reached the end of the school year. I would honestly say that I would not have said I feel a part of my place at the beginning of the year only because I did not yet know or understand aspects of the environment I chose to observe. It was a mystery to me, but that was okay, because I knew that I would have plenty of opportunities to get to know my place, the different elements it consists of, and the wildlife that live there over time.  I have visited my place since the very beginning of the year, and came and documented observations through the different seasons. I have grown over this past year, just as my phenology place has grown over the course of the year.

I also think a reason why I now consider myself a part of my phenology spot is because I often found myself wanting to go to Centennial Woods on a nice day. I would want to go for a run, go on the man trail, pause at my spot, sit on the fallen tree log that over looks the wetland, and just listen and take in the sights and the sounds of the woods. It was quite peaceful and therapeutic. The fact that I am wanting to go to my spot to seek therapeutic refuge is proof that I have integrated myself into the culture of my spot.

Today, everything at my site was covered in a slushy layer of snow, and there was a lot of water everywhere from the large amount of precipitation Burlington has received within the past couple of days. There were no wildlife tracks at my site, and there were little to no signs of spring because the trees on my site have not begun to flower yet, and there are also no signs of amphibians at my site either. I could hear the birds chirping, and some ferns were poking through the snow layer. My phenology spot is right on the edge of  small clearing, but the nearest edge on the other side of the clearing was about 50 yards away. I would say that my spot is absolutely habitat for interior forest species such as rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks. This is because it is on the edge of a clearing where animals would venture out to look for food or to get fresh water, and my spot would provide cover in the trees as the forest begins to get thicker, while still being close enough to the clearing so the wildlife doesn’t have to travel too far. The edge effect here is that my spot acts as a transition zone from the interior of the forest to the open clearing that is right next to it.                

My phenology site over Spring Break is the small area of woods next to my backyard. These trees have been here since my family moved into my house about 20 years ago. There has always been wildlife activity around this area from squirrels to rabbits to birds to skunks to neighborhood cats. This is very different from my site in Burlington because this site is suburban as opposed to the quiet and tranquil site in Centennial Woods. The wildlife action is similar I would say, but there are no deer in my neighborhood. Also, there was no snow on the ground at home which is very different from all the snow that is up here in Burlington. Also, my backyard is not near any type of wetland whereas my Burlington site is right next to a wetland. Sadly, there was no bird activity at this site when I went out there to take pictures. 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/16+Union+St,+Matawan,+NJ+07747/@40.4216885,-74.2418587,48m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c3cc96265685b5:0x2df2311aaaf5eae6!8m2!3d40.4214815!4d-74.2416156

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When I used the Biofinder program to analyze my phenology place, I discovered that my place was of pretty high priority and that it is in an area that covers rare species in the area, so it is very important that my place is maintained properly to conserve the wildlife that is there.

The phenological changes that occurred at my place since my last visit were that there is not much change since I was last at my spot.There is still snow covering the ground and there were animal tracks visible in the snow. The pool of water that is on my site was not frozen all the way since it has been above freezing the past few days. There were still deer tracks that came from the woods and ventured out across the body of water and through the cattails and across to the other side.

When referring to Wetland, Woodland, Wildland I would say that my phenology spot is classified somewhere between a wetland and a woodland. I would say my spot is somewhere in between these because it does get dark and cool and areas are mossy. It is right next to a wet area that contains a small body of water and cattails. However, my spot also contains certain aspects that would define it as a woodland area as well because it has hemlocks, beech, and even some maple trees. 

Some of the trees I was able to identify at my site were White Pines, Eastern Hemlock, and Sugar Maple. The twig I chose to capture was that of a Sugar Maple. This tree was located right next to the pool of water that is on my site. There were brown buds on the twig which is how I was able to identify the species.

There were many different sets of wildlife tracks found at my Phenology Site. Some of the tracks include white-tailed deer, squirrel, rabbit, a small bird, and dogs. I believe the set of deer tracks belongs to a male due to the evidence of how it was dragging its feet as it walked.

My phonology site was covered with a fresh coating of snow. I noticed that there were several older tracks that I could see prior to this snowfall, but there were also many fresh new tracks that were easy to identify in the fresh snow. I also noticed that the stagnant pool of water located on my site was frozen over and covered in snow as well, and there were numerous tracks on the little frozen pool. mostly all of the trees were bare, but the hemlocks on my site still had some of their leaflets.