Here we have a clear sign of animal activity in the forest. The urine’s proximity to a tree leads me to believe that a deomestic dog was the culprit of this. This is further supported by the human footprints nearby and the animal footprints resembling that of a domestic dog. The toepads facing different directions is a key indicator towards this theory.

Able to identify — American Beach, Eastern Hemlocke, Sugar Maple

Phenological changes at my spot have not been significant. Rather, changes I noticed last time at my spot have only increased in severity. The water sources nearby have froze to a point where they will likely not defrost for many months. However, the new emerging buds are a noticble change to the foliage. Leaves still remain on Hemlockes and coniferous trees. There is lots of evidence of local critters attempting to forage for food. Scraps of nuts litter the ground in some areas from squirrels searching for nutrients.