Corey Winooski River Phenology Blog

Post #1 (10/5/2024) Winooski River

Coming to Vermont from California, I have slowly been making my way around Burlington, exploring what it has to offer. One of the places I somehow hadn’t visited yet was the Winooski River. I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to check it out. Given that it’s only 1.5 miles away, I decided to walk there.

To get to the outlook over the river I walked through a few hundred yards of hardwood forest. The overstory forest composition was primarily American Beech, Northern Red Oak, and Norway Maple. The understory was comprised of large numbers of Fragrant Sumac and Common Buckthorn. Closer to the water’s edge, there were Riverbank Grapes lining the shore. After emerging from the forest, the ground changed to rock and I was met by a strong wind. I was glad it was a warm day. Out on the rocks, there were very few trees or woody plants except for a small American Beech somehow managing to survive in a small crack in the rock.

Looking out at the river, I saw Canada Geese loafing and enjoying the warm sun along the shore. Given that geese are beginning to migrate south during this time, it’s possible that this group was just stopping by for a rest before continuing their journey. There were also a half dozen or so fishermen in the river and hikers along the bank, showing the popularity of this location. Given it’s situated directly between Burlington and Winooski and its proximity to a road nearby, this wasn’t much of a surprise. As you can see in the picture above, the leaves on most of the deciduous trees were still green. Some maples here and there had some fall color, but the majority did not. The river was also fairly calm except for a small narrow region where there was some whitewater.

Below are some of the most common woody species I encountered.

• American Beech
• Norway Maple
• Green Ash
• Northern Red Oak
• Cottonwood
• Riverbank Grape
• Multiflora Rose
• Fragrant Sumac
• Common Buckthorn

Below are two of the non-native species I encountered. Common Buckthorn and Norway Maple.

When I first arrived, it appeared to me that this was a relatively healthy habitat. The forest looked happy, I saw animals, and the water looked clean. As I continued to walk around though, I began to notice various human impacts. There was trash along the river bank, bottles, cans, and tarps. I also realized that some of the species I had been seeing were non-native. Buckthorn, which made up a significant proportion of the understory is an invasive. Norway Maple, a major component of the overstory is also non-native. As the wind began to die down I could now hear the road and jets flying above me. These things reminded me of the many ways in which humans are constantly impacting natural systems.

Despite this, the area’s situation in the middle of two cities means it provides an important urban wild for local plants and animals and provides other services as well. As was evident by the Canada Geese, it serves as an important rest stop for migrating birds. This urban wild is critical for species as it continues to provide important habitat in the face of increasing urbanization. It is also important because it decreases runoff and reduces erosion.

For my next visit, I expect that the landscape will look quite different. The deciduous trees likely won’t have many leaves left, the Canada Geese will probably be gone, and I don’t expect the fishermen to be there. I am also guessing that it will be much colder!

Links to iNaturalist Observations:

Common Buckthorn: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/246387534

Norway Maple: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/245804195

Fragrant Sumac: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/245804201

Riverbank Grape: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/245804197

Multiflora Rose: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/245804199

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Post #2 (10/26/2024) Winooski River

When I arrived at the river for my second visit, there had been evident changes. I started by just sitting there, observing and taking in the surroundings. From my spot, I had a wonderful view of both the river and the hardwood forest surrounding me. Like last time there was a noticeable wind, however, the warm breeze from three weeks ago was now sharp and cold. The ground I was sitting on was cool and moist and there was a subtle but wonderful fall smell to the air. Behind me, I could hear the rustling of squirrels as they rushed to bury acorns in preparation for winter. The low fall sun created a beautiful scene as it illuminated the trees in their full fall colors. Unfortunately, thanks to my close proximity to the road, the honking of cars and blaring sirens of firetrucks disrupted the peace.

During my time there, it was apparent that things had changed significantly. Most notable was the color of the plants. For my first visit at the beginning of October, there was very little fall color and the trees were almost all green. This time though, the deciduous trees and shrubs were all shades of yellow, orange, or red. Some had even lost all of their leaves. This is evident in the image below. Of course, the evergreen White Pines maintained a tight grip on their needles. I also noticed how some of the understory bushes that were shaded by the trees above them had lost most if not all of their leaves.

Other changes had to do with the animals. Three weeks ago there were Canada Geese along the shore of the river and flying above. For this visit, there were none showing how they have likely continued their migration south to their wintering grounds. Also now evident were the squirrels. I hadn’t even noticed them before, but this time they were making a ruckus as they buried acorns and other nuts for later. They were now working full speed to ensure they would have enough to last them through the winter. There were also no fishermen in the river. This goes to show how even the fish are adapting as the seasons change. With the cooler temperatures, they are becoming less active and are now conserving their energy. There are also fewer insects now, meaning less food for the fish, so they have little reason to bite.

A squirrel’s paradise of oak trees and acorns.

Some differences in vegetation were also apparent. I noticed moss on the ground and rocks for the first time. This is likely because of the recent rains we have been having. Other low-growing plants like the Fragrant Sumac put on a wonderful display of color. I also noticed how the Multiflora Rose’s berries, once red, were now dark purple. Higher up, the Norway Maple that was green three weeks ago was now bright yellow and holding on to its leaves well. The Red Oaks and American Beech while still having some leaves, had lost most of them by this point. Interestingly, the Cottonwood had no leaves left and was looking bare. The Buckthorn as well as other understory deciduous shrubs had little foliage left. In the images below, the same Fragrant Sumac and Norway Maple from my first visit are pictured, illustrating the changes in vegetation that have occurred since then.

Overall, there were many changes from the first visit to this one. It was colder and wetter, and that certainly made it feel like winter was coming. The trees and their colors were the most noticeable visible changes. While the squirrels were ramping up their activity in preparation for the winter, the fish were slowing down instead. I look forward to my next visit here and hope there is snow!

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Post #3 (11/24/2024) Centennial Woods

Well, I’m stuck in Burlington for Thanksgiving break. While unfortunately, I am not able to go somewhere totally different, I thought this would be a good opportunity to head back down to Centennial Woods. I hadn’t been there since the first lab months ago and I thought it would be interesting to see how different it was from my typical phenology spot.

Upon arriving, the first thing I noticed was how different the vegetation was (as well as the wonderful smell). On all sides, I was surrounded by Eastern White Pines, Black Cherry, and Paper Birch. This was in stark contrast to my Winooski River place where there were very few evergreen trees and no Black Cherry or Paper Birch at all. Looking closer, I also noticed that there were ferns everywhere. So many, they even created a blanket over the ground in some areas. The Winooski River had no ferns that I ever saw. Also distinctly missing was the rustling of leaves from squirrels burying their nuts and seeds. That season has long passed this far into November. Another key difference was the human impact on the land. While there were many more people at the River than Centennial Woods on my visit, there were clear alterations to the land here not seen at the river. One of these was the wooden boards placed on the trail seen in the picture below.

Due to the prevalence of the Pines, Centennial Woods looked quite different from the river where the vast majority of the plant species were deciduous. The forest canopy looked relatively full here while at the river even a month ago, in some places it was bare. Still, Centennial Woods was not unaffected by the changing seasons. Almost all of the deciduous trees had lost their leaves, making identification of many of them very difficult. However, I did find some Sugar Maples just losing the last of their leaves. Another change was the landscape. Centennial Woods had quite a bit of elevation change where unsurprisingly at the river, it was pretty flat. Despite the differences, there were also some familiar faces. Both Northern Red Oak and mosses were everywhere, just like at the river.

What the differences between Centennial Woods and the river tell me are that Centennial Woods is likely a younger, more recently disturbed forest than the river. Black Cherry and Paper Birch, both seen here but less so at the river are shade intolerant as well as early successional species. This means they are found more readily after a disturbance. Eastern White Pine is also known to grow well in formerly cleared areas and was at Centennial but barely at all at the river. The river on the other hand had lots of American Beech which was notably absent here. Beech is a very shade-tolerant tree that is seen infrequently in newer and recently disturbed forests. As the forest continues to age, it’s possible that the Cherry and Birch will fade out and eventually be replaced with more shade-tolerant trees like Beech.

The first few photos in this post show why Centennial Woods truly is a special place. Throughout my time there, I was in awe at the sheer size of the White Pines towering over me. Their stability and the shelter they provided me from the freezing cold and howling wind instilled in me a feeling that this forest could stand forever. Especially in these darker months, the green provided by the pines, mosses, and ferns was a welcome sight.

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Post #4 (11/29/2024) Winooski River

In the month since my last visit here, things were almost unrecognizable. In October the fall color was at its maximum. This time, there almost wasn’t a leaf of any tree or plant. The exceptions being the few White Pines. In the photos below, you can really see the differences in vegetation between visits. The Norway Maple, once vibrant and yellow had no leaves. The canopy that was full of color was now devoid of anything and left with just empty branches. It also felt much different this time. While it was cold in October, the sun was out and it still felt like fall. This time though, clouds blanketed the sky and a few snowflakes fell here and there.

Another notable change was the flow of the river being much higher during this visit. While it was relatively calm back in October, there were some noticeable rapids this time around. The small island in the middle of the river was also almost covered by water and more of the rocks in the river were submerged as well. This makes sense because, over the last few days, it has been raining in the valley and snowing up in the mountains.

While almost all of the trees had lost their leaves, there were signs that things were still growing. Something completely new were the berries on the Multiflora Rose. While absent in both prior visits, their bright red color was unmissable on this cloudy day. During the fall and winter months, they provide an important food source for birds and other animals. I was lucky enough to see this in person as I watched a Cardinal eat the berries without a care in the world. While the Cardinal was new, the squirrels that were so apparent a month ago were nowhere to be seen or heard. By now they are laying low and staying warm in their nests.

One more change was the appearance of fungi. They were everywhere. Lichen on the trees, mushrooms on the ground, and mushroom shelves poking out of the sides of trees. None of these were here before but I was happy there were now. They have probably come up now because of the increased moisture. Comparatively, it was relatively dry in October versus this visit. The effects of the fungi were also apparent. The leaf litter in some areas had changed color from light brown and yellow to dark brown or black. While clearly hard at work, they still had lots of work to do as the leaf litter remained light brown in many areas.

Overall, I have really enjoyed my visits to the river. Although it’s hard to pick out one thing that I enjoyed the most about this place, I have to go with the plants and fungi. In early October most of the leaves were green and the forest blocked out most noises from the surrounding city. It was peaceful and calm. Just a few weeks later in October, the foliage had turned to magnificent shades of yellow, orange, and red. It was absolutely beautiful. Now, while the leaves are gone, the color is not. The rose berries give a pop of color against a gray sky and the many types of fungi give vibrance to the trees as their leaves no longer do. No matter what time of year, the vegetation has provided something to look at and enjoy.

Post #5 (1/18/2025) Winooski River

For the second semester, I decided to keep my same phenology place at the Winooski River. In the month and a half since I had last visited, things had changed considerably. Back in November, the river was flowing fast, likely from snow melt in the mountains. Despite this, there was no snow on the ground at the river and it was warm enough that none of the water had turned to ice. Now though, the cold had truly set in, and not only was there plenty of snow on the ground, but the majority of the river was also frozen over. In my hometown in California, we rarely saw puddles freeze so seeing an entire river almost frozen was really cool to see. Compared to last time, the snow was also quite impressive. It blanketed the ground and made it possible to make some pretty interesting findings.

Most of these had to do with animal sign. The first picture on the left above was of tracks that led from the river shore onto the ice. Given the fact that the ice was relatively thin and the tracks were small, I am guessing that they were from a relatively small animal. Their round shape makes me think that they are from a mammal rather than something like a bird. The second image above was of by far the most common animal sign I saw, dog prints. It was clear that many people had been taking their pets to the river to play in the snow. Finally, I also noticed disturbed areas in the ground below trees where it looked like digging had been taking place. Although I am not sure, I think that it may be digging by squirrels as they try to unearth the nuts they buried earlier in the year.

While I did not see very much wildlife, there was one animal that was everywhere, the Robin. This was certainly a newcomer since this was the first time I had seen any on my trips down to the river. They spent the majority of their time digging in the understory and flying from bush to bush. Unfortunately, they were quite skittish so getting a good picture of them was difficult.

In terms of plants, there were fewer changes that I was able to notice. Like last time the Multiflora Rose had its bright red berries. Same as last time as well, the trees looked as bare as ever before. One new thing I was able to notice though was Buckthorn berries. Unlike the Multiflora Rose, they were black instead of red and some of them looked shriveled rather than plump. Finally, I also noticed that the moss, where not covered by snow looked quite good and was still green. Overall, it was great to see everything covered in snow. This is one of the reasons why I came to Vermont!

Post #6 (2/15/2025) Wildlife Sign

To start, I decided to begin looking for animal sign in the place where I spend so much of my time now. UVM campus itself. While not where I was expecting to find the most sign, I thought it would be interesting to see what I could find and contrast it to what I saw in other places around Burlington. On the eastern side close to the medical building I found my first sign.

These tracks I guessed were from a Gray Squirrel for a couple of different reasons. First, the gait shows a pattern characteristic of a galloping animal in which the two front feet land and the larger rear feet land in front of them. Squirrels are gallopers so it makes sense that this is what they could be. Next, the track size was approximately that of a Gray Squirrel with a length of about 2.5 inches. Finally, its tracks led up to a large oak tree which makes sense if it was a squirrel.

After the squirrel, I continued walking east toward Centennial Forest. The next sign I came across, I heard before I saw the animal. The bird call was very familiar and I had heard it before but I wasn’t able to remember what it was. Using the Merlin app and recording its call, it identified it as an American Robin. A minute of walking later I would confirm its guess.

Upon reaching Centennial, I found some more interesting sign. At the bottom of an Eastern White Pine, I noticed that some bark had been removed from it. I wasn’t sure if this was animal sign or just weather at first so I kept walking. Just a few feet later I saw more of the same. These three trees shared sign that I now believed was from a Porcupine.

I believed this was a porcupine because they are known to strip tree bark and then eat the cambial tissue beneath it. While during the spring and summer, they have a more varied diet, during winter they rely significantly on bark. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any tracks around so it must have been older sign but it was still cool to see nonetheless.

Still in Centennial, I was able to find more sign in the trees. Instead of at the bottom of a tree though, these signs were found closer to the top. About halfway up a tree, the bark had been stripped revealing the work of some kind of insect. This pattern reminded me of the burrowing of Bark Beetles. The Bark Beetle adult lays eggs in the tree which then hatch into larva. These larva then eat under the bark of the tree causing the characteristic tunnels.

Near that tree was more sign, this time from a bird though. It was a hole in a tree about 8 feet up. While this could have been a nesting hole, I believed it was more likely a hole from a Woodpecker digging for food. It was simply too small to be able to house multiple birds inside of it. Furthermore, given the fact that there was Bark Beetle damage nearby, it would make sense for a Woodpecker to be around since they make holes in trees looking for burrowing insects.

The final sign I found while in Centennial was some very small tracks. I believed that these were from a mouse. They were extremely small, about a quarter to half an inch in size. The tracks are also all in line with each other which makes it seem like a galloping gait, something that mice have. There was also what appeared to be a very faint tail drag in the snow. Still, because the tracks were so old it was really difficult to tell so I am not sure what exactly they are.

Overall, using iNaturalist was quite easy and it was simple to upload my observations to the NR 1020 page. I hope that someone will be able to help me identify/confirm my observations especially the last one since I really have no idea!

Post #7 (3/27/2025) UVM

It seems that even though it’s the end of March (3/27), spring hasn’t quite arrived here in Vermont. Of all five trees that I visited, not a single one had any emerging leaves yet. Although there were no leaves yet, I was able to see that it wouldn’t be long until they did emerge. The buds were big and colorful and it was clear that the trees were almost ready to take advantage of the longer, warmer days we have had recently. Because of these factors, I would say that all of the trees were in the same phenophase. The branches are still bare but the buds are preparing for Spring.

One of the small exceptions to each of the bare trees was the White Oak located near Aiken. Unlike the others, it had a significant number of dead leaves still attached to it. It had new buds ready to open but still, there were dead leaves all over. One other thing I noticed was the color of the Red Maple buds. While each of them had some color, the Red Maple had vibrant red and particularly large buds.

While looking at the NPN website, I found an interesting article called The Status of Spring. It goes over how 2025’s Spring compares to the average in terms of first leaf date and first bloom day. What the map below shows is that across the country, the first leaf date compared to normal seems to vary considerably. Regions in blue saw later-than-average first lead date while regions in red show the opposite.

I was a bit surprised to see how much of the country has had later than average first lead dates. Given the extent of climate change, I was expecting to see almost the entire map in red but I was glad to see it wasn’t. Still, most of the North hasn’t leafed out yet so those might still be later. Because northern latitudes are warming more quickly than southern ones, it might be that the northern part of the map turns red as Spring continues. After our cold winter here in Vermont and the fact that none of the trees I saw had any leaves yet, I would not be too shocked if we have a later-than-average date. The spring bloom index shows significantly more red though, signifying that it is occurring earlier than normal over most of the country. Climate change seems to be having more of an effect on bloom time than leaf-out date right now. It will be interesting to see if, at UVM, plants bloom earlier than average this year.

Post #8 (4/26/2025) Burlington

For the BioBlitz I decided to do some exploring in Burlington’s downtown as well as around the Winooski River near where my phenology spot is. I started with downtown Burlington, walking down Main Street and then finding what I could around there.

Because it was around town, I wasn’t expecting to see very much wildlife. However, I was pleasantly surprised with what I found. In the area around my dorm, I found a Magnolia tree, one of my personal favorites. Just down Main Street I also came across a Northern White Cedar, reminding me of the ones we came across during our Rock Point lab last semester. Another familiar tree was a Norway Spruce.

While these were all nice to see, the more interesting species came further down. The majority of the flowers and birds I came across were near Lake Champlain. A pretty blue flower that I saw everywhere turned out to be something called a Siberian Squill. It was small and looked like it came from a bulb. Dozens of them together along the side of the road created a carpet. I also saw an Azalea and a Yew.

In terms of animals, it was all birds except for the numerous Gray Squirrels. American Robins were the most common but I also saw lots of European Starlings, Red Wing Blackbirds, and House Finches. My favorite of course was the Cardinal though. The bright red males were singing and flying around all over the place. Once at the lake, I came across some waterfowl. Cormorants flew low to the water, landed, and dove down into the water to fish. Seagulls were of course flying around everywhere and squawking. I also saw ducks like Mallards, Mergansers, and Bluebills. Overall, I documented 17 species using iNaturalist. I saw many more species, but lots were just street trees so I decided not to include them.

iNaturalist was really helpful for this project. It was easy to use and invaluable in helping me identify a lot of the species, especially the plants. I would have had no idea what a Siberian Squill or Yew looked like if not for the app. I also like that I now have a record of the kinds of species I have seen up here in Vermont. Many of them I have never seen before.

Finally, it was cool to see what other observations were coming in from around the world. Just behind the Dandelion, so far the second most common species has been a plant called Garlic Mustard. I have never heard of it before but apparently, it is a species native to Europe and Asia. I was also interested to see that the location with the most observations so far was the San Antonia Metro area. That is certainly not the place I was expecting to have the most observations.

Post #9 (5/1/2025) Winooski River

Since I started coming to the Winooski River in October, I feel like I have seen almost every phenological stage of this area. Back in early October, the majority of the trees were still green, it was pretty dry, and the sun was shining. By late October the leaves had turned to their vibrant fall colors and the weather made it feel like summer had come to an end. Throughout November, December, and January, the whole of the state was covered in a blanket of snow. The trees were leafless and at times the river itself was frozen. During the winter months animal activity was also at an all-time low. Other than the occasional Robin, I pretty much saw nothing during that time.

That brings me to the status of the site today. While it was cloudy again and sprinkled with rain, it felt like spring. It was warm and humid, and the animals and plants were finally showing themselves. The birds, particularly the Cardinals were loud and proud, singing for the whole world to hear. Many of the deciduous plants that have been covered under a layer of snow and leafless for the last few months were also beginning to emerge.

The river is probably to most obvious large landmark that I’ve become familiar with. As previously mentioned, it was pretty low in the fall when I first visited. Over time though I have seen it fluctuate quite a bit with a high point during the late fall after a large storm. Then winter came and it was frozen for months straight, not changing very much. When I visited this time though I was flowing as much as I had ever seen, likely from all of the snow that has melted in the mountains now. Having spent so much time at the river, I now feel like I could draw a pretty good picture of it even without seeing it.

A small landmark that I like to pay attention to, is a Norway Maple at the site. Since my first trip, I have been following it as the seasons have changed. From green to yellow to leafless and now finally with breaking buds, it has been interesting to follow its journey throughout the year.

Culture and nature certainly mix here at the River. The name of this area is the Salmon Hole so clearly it has been used as a fishing place. The Abenaki were the first to use it. For thousands of years, they fished here and hunted along the shores of the Winooski River. It was an important part of their culture and a critical resource that helped provide them with food for the long Vermont winters. Even today, this is a place that gets fished regularly. On most of my trips down to it, I have seen people in the river fishing so it continues to be an important part of Vermont Culture. Furthermore, the mills just a few hundred feet upstream tell an important part of Vermont’s story post-colonization. These mills demonstrate the different approaches to land use between the Abenaki and White settlers. It also demonstrates an important turning point in global manufacturing and Vermont’s shifting economy from agriculture to industry. Both the fishing and the mills are directly related to nature. Fishing is a clear example of this connection but the mills are also connected to nature. They used the flow of the river to power themselves and the products they made, things like textiles, were made from wool, an animal product. Furthermore, the mill likely had a negative impact on nature considering the pollution it released into the water. The mills and the fishing history on this part of the Winooski River contribute to two critical parts of Vermont’s culture.

I do now feel like I am a part of this place. Coming to Vermont from California, I had never spent a significant amount of time in the Northeast. Having this place as somewhere I could come, to not only relax but also explore the different kinds of nature has been nice. I have spent so much time here that I feel like I know my way around it quite well. I can now identify the majority of the plants and the animals I see as well. I like to think that they are beginning to get to know me as well. Although I feel quite close to the river, I would like to fish in it at some point. Seeing all those people in the river fishing has made me jealous. I also think that this could bring me even closer to this place.

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Winooski. It is a beautiful place and somewhere I feel totally comfortable in. While I don’t think I will be coming back here for any more phenology assignments in the future, it is definitely somewhere that I would enjoy returning to in the future simply for pleasure.