Walking through Burlington was very nice today, with the sun shining high in the sky and little wind, making it out to feel much warmer than usual. I felt that besides weather wise, the phenology was relatively similar to two weeks ago, the last time I went out actively observing and recording. Being so sunny and warm, most of the large ice formations and icicles on the sides of buildings have melted away. I went back to my phenology sight and was glad to be able to sit down in a nice peaceful area, but was disappointed to see crushed beer cans and cigarette butts littered on the ground. The snow was very compacted everywhere I went from human use so it was hard to find tracks, but going off trail I could see faint ones of squirrels and what was most likely a dog but possibly a coyote. I could see holes in trees from woodpeckers which I always love, but what was really hoping for was a red-winged blackbird. I was unlucky with that sadly, but hopefully as the warm weather returns they’ll be more abundant. I love the evergreens looming above supplying me with my needed dosage of greenery among all the barren trees. I can’t wait for in a couple of weeks or months and fresh grass is exposed and trees start budding for spring.
