Wildlife Tracking Phenology Blog- Tucker Diveley
Animal Tracks
White-Tailed Deer (below)
Cottontail Rabbit
Mouse (below)
Shrew (below)
Grey Squirrel (below)
Grey Squirrel (below)
Winter Deciduous Trees
Shagbark Hickory Red Maple (below)
Northern White Cedar (left)
Eastern White Pine (below)
Black Maple Group twig
Phenological Changes:
It has been over a month since my last visit and during that time I was down in Virginia on a winter landscape much different than Vermont. Once back at my plot at Oakledge the abundance of snow was the first difference. It covered everything from the paths in the woods to some of the trees themselves. The snow is a blanket since all the trees have lost their leaves, the maple and oak are but mere skeletons of their former selves, and only few leaves remain on some lucky Beeches. The Conifers are going strong and still abundant with needles, but the pine cones litter the ground. Since the recent snow the animal tracks are abundant and easy to follow (see above). I am up on my usual outcrop of Monkton Quartzite and the lake is easily visible through the leafless trees. No much ice coverage but there are chunks floating around the bay that I can see. There is also shelter for many critters in this outcrop. Some of the smaller rodent tracks lead into the many of the holes made by the rock. I might be standing on someone’s home right now! I look around the woods and see another home for 3 birds in a snag to my right, hopefully they are staying warm this winter.
Recent Comments