Phenology Blog

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Green Brook is a small brook that runs in the woods behind a local park that is around the corner from my house. You get to it by walking past the second baseball diamond and entering down a dirt path where the brook is in view. An Eagle Scout project gave this brook a bridge, which connects to an Oak/Hickory forest (if one can call it a forest.)

Here are some photos:

Here is a picture of the brook from 2013. Since this time, the site has been disturbed by teenagers, hunters, and animals.

As the cold air settled in, the plants that once blossomed are now decaying. The trees are beginning to grow fungi, the wildflowers that once bloomed are now turning brown. The leaves have left all of the trees, littering the floor of the forest with an array of red, yellow, and orange leaves. In the distance, the evergreens painted the backdrop of the brook with green, but the only thing left green around the area is grass. The mud is creeping onto the bank as well. While I was unable to see any animal prints in the mud this trip, I will be looking out for tracks in the future.

While visiting, I noticed that the storms this past week caused the stream to rise a couple feet and was flowing rapidly whereas in the previous visit it was almost still. I found it interesting that an increase in the amount of water greatly impacted the flow. While the water looked alive, the only life I saw was a squirrel in the distance and I heard the call of the pileated woodpecker once again. Despite small traces of animal presence, the fall foliage was on display. Someone had laid out Norway maple leaves across the bridge, which showcased the beautiful yellow color of the leaves in the fall. As for the iron-oxidizing bacteria I viewed last week, it is still there. I am interested to see if it will still be there next week.

Here is my event map:

When I was asked who I trusted,
words could not explain,
for my heart was attached
to the current that flows like
blood flows in my veins.

The swirls of the brook sing
the tidings of the day,
and the trees around it hum along 
while they sway.

The music of the world,
the dance of life,
and the balance of nature
is what gives me advice.

When I was asked who I trusted,
words could not explain,
for the secret of the stream
was best left in my brain.

Emily Johnston

As wind blows,
and birds fly away,
the clear water flows,
never moving astray.

Ruler of the woods,
giver of life,
when surrounded by hardwoods,
you are not afraid to run rife.

The courage of this brook,
that runs rampant with glee,
is a guidebook
for you and me.

For the water flows forever,
carrying memories long forgotten.
So, I sit wherever,
listening to how the world turned rotten.

With each morrow unknown,
uncertainties are abound,
the one comfort known,
is that this brook will be around.

Emily Johnston

If a bird flew over my phenology site, what would they see?

 

After the first cold settled in to Burlington, I knew that going to my phenology site would be like entering a new world. Sure enough, the trees lost leaves, decaying material littered the floor, and the once lively brook now seldom had life. Despite the change in the vegetation, life still existed. In the distance I could hear the peck of the Pileated Woodpecker. Each peck melodic as I examined the brook, which now had leaves on each side and at the bottom. Notably, there was some iron-oxidizing bacteria on one section of the brook. The next time I go I will see if it remains

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From the first time I entered the woods, I knew that this place would be something I came back to time and time again. I leave my dorm (McAuley Hall) and head straight on East Ave until I turn onto Carrigan Drive. The opening is within site once at this point, so I enter and walk until I reach the first bridge that crosses over the stream. From here I walk a few steps in to reach my spot. I chose this area because of its proximity to water, and also because there are several woody shrubs and trees. It also is far enough into the woods that noise disturbances from the street are minimal.

The vegetation in this area is different than that in the hardwoods surrounding it. There are no large trees, mainly shrubs and smaller trees. There are lots of grasses and wildflowers (flat-top white aster is common.) The most common woody plants here are: boxelder, green ash, striped maple, beaked hazelnut, buckthorn, and honeysuckle.