At this point, when I visit centennial woods, it is entirely different from my last post, almost as if it is a different place entirely. The snow is all melted, however the water table is exposed due to the rapid snow melt- this means I got to get very muddy during my visit.
As I got deeper into the woods, I was able to identify multiple different tree buds, including Red Maple, White Pine, Beech, Ironwood, and Winterberry Holly. The Winterberry Holly really stood out because they added a pop of color to the scenery, you can spot the red buds from far away!
Winterberry Holly Buds
I also was able to see a wide variety of woodland friends including a blue jay that sat very politely as it let me sketch it in detail! I observed squirrels and chipmunks running through leaves, a chickadee, a few robins, and a beetle. Additionally, I was able to find what I believe to be fisher tracks in the mud. I was not able to capture a good photo of the tracks, but I made a little sketch.
Finally, as I finished up my adventure into centennial, I made a trophic pyramid and species interaction diagram based on the animals and plants I saw during my trip. It is interesting to delve deeper into the inter workings of an ecosystem and how they all depend on one another to remain healthy and prosperous. It is so easily overlooked how significant a small species like beetles or chipmunks are, but they are vital to the ecosystem.
