Today, I ventured out to my phenology spot to assess the changes that have taken place over the past few months. I found about what I was expecting, baren trees, snow-covered ground, and a silent air about everything. I was surprised to see a noticeably large number of downed trees, much more than were there a few months prior. I was sad to not find any bugs or birds or other animals. Beneath the blanket of snow, there was an intact organic layer, with un-decomposed leaves and White Pine needles. I found a few plants that still had leaves, a fern next to a tree, that was surprisingly sporing, a small sapling with only two or three leaves, and a few coniferous trees.
My favorite aspect of my phenology place is the calm atmosphere it has. I can sit at the base of the two trees and listen to the stream, or look for bugs in the bark and dirt while the sun sets, knowing that I am close enough to the trail to find my way back at night.
