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Archive for October, 2018

Event Map and Update

30 Oct

Looking at my Phenology spot through an event map shows a more personal element between me and this location and shows readers what experiences they might have. Over the course of looking at my phenology spot from September till now I have an array of experiences I have put into this map and my photo gallery. Overall my experiences with my location belong within a marsh landscape and center around organismal interactions within the phragmites stands.

 

For the latest wildlife action at my phenology spot was an actively foraging pileated woodpecker. When hiking to my phenology spot along Centennial Brook I heard it drumming into a snag. With my phenology spot and the nearby area being wetlands it has drowned standing trees, which are now snags. These snags provided the pileated woodpecker a refuge for its favor meal carpenter ants. Pileated woodpeckers are not the only species that benefit from snags and I’m sure to see other wildlife use them throughout the year.

Pileated woodpecker drumming into snag on Centennial Brook

Other woodpecker species such as hairy, downey, and flickers drum into trees. These holes in this fallen tree were most likely done by hairy woodpeckers.

 

In terms of recent developments it is fall and the leaves are officially gone. Sumac and other deciduous trees are in the process of losing there leaves and fruiting bodies such as the seed pods in Sumacs. The only trees I do see that still hold onto their leaves is a lone white oak sapling, yet its leaves are losing their pigment fast. For the rest of the trees that are losing their leaves and receding their fruiting bodies bird species such as warblers and vireos are starting to migrate south for new food resources. Until then these trees provide food and shelter to many species such as grey and red squirrels and remaining bird species.

As it is getting colder Sumacs and other deciduous trees are starting to lose their leaves.

 
 

Bird’s Eye View Map and Update

11 Oct

Looking at my phenology spot it is a complex mix of staghorn sumacs, the phragmites of Centennial Brook, the different variety of different herbaceous and woody plants, and all being surrounded by pine stands. One notable difference I have seen in my location is the changing of the seasons. As it approaches further into fall the leaves of sumac and other deciduous trees are loosing their chlorophyll in their leaves exposing their other pigments. Normally we think of plants only having green pigment, yet fall reminds us of the many other pigments these trees have such as red, yellow, and orange. The sumacs still have the majority of their leaves unlike the the other deciduous trees in my location which have lost most of their leaves already most likely due to their young age.

 

One notable wildlife experience was seeing black-capped chickadees in the phragmites. With one little pishing call one by one they emerged from reeds to say hello. As active hunters I have seen them foraging in the sumacs, maples, and now the phragmites. Balancing themselves on the reeds they held still enough to be photographed. Up in the canopy I always ignored them, yet now I have a new appreciation of Vermont and my home state’s state bird. Coming up to them with their variety of calls only puts a smile on my face now and I can’t wait to see more of them in the winter and learn more about their natural history.

Black-Capped Chickadee 1 © Chris Liazos

Black-Capped Chickadee 2 © Chris Liazos

Black-Capped Chickadee 3 © Chris Liazos

Black-Capped Chickadee 4 © Chris Liazos

Black-Capped Chickadee 5 © Chris Liazos

 
 

My Phenology Spot

04 Oct

My Phenology Spot

Date of Observation 10/3/18

My phenology spot is a disrupted area by powerline companies. Clearing the once covered pine stands it is now filled predominately with staghorn sumac trees. Along this clearing Centennial Brook runs through providing key nutrients that help develop the rich variety of organisms. Along with sumacs other present woody vegetation are white oak, alder buckthorn, red maple, beaked hazelnut, northern red oak, a lone eastern white pine, phragmites, trembling aspen, American Elm, and Black Locust. Most of the hardwoods are not mature and stand roughly between ten and fifteen feet. The sumacs are the predominant species with a large amount of herbaceous plants on the ground level such as flattop white aster, sensitive fern, common bonset, Morrow’s honeysuckle, American hog peanut, and wild sasparilla. The main reason I choose this place was its incredible amount of biodiversity. Let alone the variety of vegetation it is home to a host of bird species including: catbirds, goldfinches, song sparrows, black-capped chickadees, Carolina wrens, yellowthroats, downy and hairy woodpeckers, wood ducks, American black ducks, ruby-throated hummingbirds, white-throated sparrow, cardinals, magnolia warblers, and more. I cannot wait to see what else is in this clearing.

Downy Woodpecker on Sumac © Chris Liazos

Directions

Proceed to I-89, Burlington, VT 05401. At the entrance, you should see a green sign welcoming you to the area. Walk down the trail until you hit your first junction. You will be in a pine stand and should continue to bear left onto a boardwalk. Soon you will hit another junction that is wide covered with fallen pine needles. Here walk straight onto the boardwalk crossing centennial brook. After crossing the brook continue straight to a three-point junction. Proceed to the route right of the brook on the base of the hill avoid the uphill trail. As walking on this trail, you will encounter the base of the hill and walk adjacent to the right side of the brook. You will continue this path until the white pines stop. You will see the phragmites and power lines on your left. Continue straight until you see the sumac thicket on your right. At this point you are at my phenology spot that oversees this hill next to centennial brook.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&mid=1jtFiQcDq_AoVgSXdfIWdhHn1iMNP0EwI&ll=44.47996712831363%2C-73.18469430000005&z=18

(Top Image) location facing centennial brook and the power lines.

(Bottom Image) location at the top of the hill facing the stag horn sumacs.

 
 
 
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