May 3rd, 2022 (57°)
During this year’s BioBlitz in the Greater Burlington Area, I spent my time in our well-known, local Centennial Woods. Centennial is a great natural area near the UVM campus that a wide variety of plant, animal, and fungal species call home. When I was exploring Centennial on this sunny afternoon I encountered many species of plants and animals. I could identify some, and iNaturalist helped with the rest. iNaturalist is a great tool that helps people identify species, along with connecting with others who enjoy nature. During my trip, I spotted plant species such as Barberry, Ostrich Fern, Sensitive Fern, and Honeysuckle.
As far as animal wildlife goes, I had a little less luck. I spotted a few birds such as Yellow Finch, Bluejay, and Chickadee gathering around a bird feeder. I tried to get close enough to take a picture but every time I got within camera’s distance, they would become skittish and fly away. I also spotted some small fish in the Centennial Brook. I couldn’t quite identify them and neither could iNaturalist because they were too small to photograph. I had a fun time feeding these fish with small worms and insects I found on the ground and under rocks. I was able to identify one of the insects I found: a Bombardier Beetle. This beetle did not like its disturbance and sprayed liquid out of its rear. I’m glad it did not end up on my skin because when I researched the beetle when I got home, I found out that was its defense mechanism (spraying hot acid – YIKES!)
Overall I had a great time going outside and enjoying the nice day in Burlington. The BioBlitz is a fun sight to see and I am eager to continue observing the Burlington area as the weather slowly becomes warmer.