As Spring has officially sprung, it has yet to truly rear its pretty head. As I perused the muddy downtrodden gallery that was my phenology spot, I noticed the majority of all the plants on the ground were still dead and rotting, most likely due to the frequent warming and freezing see-saw that has become the state of Vermont. But there is hope. Small patches of moss, and emerald green grass have slowly (but surely) started to poke through the muck.
Observing the banks and streams connecting to the edge of the Winooski River for amphibians proved to be a lost cause. My theories behind this are the fact that it is still too cold for them to properly come out, on top of the fact that the streams seem horribly polluted by both trash, and runoff.
One cool thing I found while searching was this tree with several woodpecker holes burrowed into it. Despite the absence of the amphibians, I noticed robins, squirrels, and these holes to show that even in the midst of a cold spring life is beginning to come back to the city of Burlington. The edges of Salmon Hole are both inherent and induced. The habitat edge between the river and the land is abrupt and noticeable, however in the wooded areas of Salmon Hole, as you go up it becomes induced as humans long ago cut through the forest to place roads, creating a boundary between woods and city.
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