As semester two rolled around and NR 002 began classes, I found myself back at the stream to continue on this phenology blog! Winter is now fully here and the scene has most definitely changed since I started coming in the fall.
Figure 1. Bridge to Site 
Figure 2. Above Site
There was snow on the ground during my last visit but today the Earth was completely covered in densely packed snow that was fully saturated with water. The stream was flowing the strongest I had ever seen it which is probably due to the melting snow and ice that is all around. All the plants are completely dead and barren now which is different than before because before you could still see the leaves that had fallen from the trees but now they are gone and buried under the snow.
Although the cold winter took away the fall foliage, life still seemed very present in the woods. Human tracks packed down all the snow on the bridge and erased any signs of wildlife in the area. The only nonhuman tracks right on my sight were domesticated dog tracks.
Figure 3. Dog Track 
Figure 4. Dog Track 
Figure 5. Stream Bank
Levine, L. (ca. 2014). Mammal Tracks and Scat. Heartwood Press.
However, on the way to my sight, I found signs of life across the icy path to the footbridge. The first set of tracks I came across I believe are deer tracks and they were on the side of the trail in the beginning half of the trail when entering the woods by the police station. I am almost certain that this image comes from a deer because the area I grew up in had many deer and I was just taught that these were what deer tracks look like and when you cross-reference the image on the Internet the pictures look similar.
Figure 6. Deer Track 
Figure 7. Deer Tracks from Afar
Levine, L. (ca. 2014). Mammal Tracks and Scat. Heartwood Press.
After the deer tracks, the next set of tracks I came across I believe are from a rabbit. I say this because in the lecture we learned about different types of gaits and this I believe was from a galloper. The picture shown is what I believe to be the two back paws from a rabbit.
Levine, L. (ca. 2014). Mammal Tracks and Scat. Heartwood Press.
TWIGS
Figure 9. Red Maple 
Figure 10. Beech 
Figure 11. Twig Sketch
