Last weekend, in the midst of project deadlines, approaching exams, and visiting friends, I did my best to make time to observe and document species in and around Burlington. I identified several birds downtown, but in an effort to avoid identifying street trees I focused my efforts on two natural areas: Winooski Railroad Bridge #2 and Rock Point. These two sites are some of my favorite places in Burlington, and I was excited to show them to two friends who were visiting from Massachusetts. We visited the railroad bridge on Sunday, and documented several species of trees at the bridge and on the islands nearby.
Left: red pine (identifiable by its red bark and pairs of needles)
Right: member of the birch family
We walked to Rock Point that afternoon, and after an unnecessarily long loop around the property following a wrong turn we arrived at the waterfront, where the NR1 geology lab took place in the fall. Vegetation was sparse, thanks to the shoreline’s thin, rocky soil, but I documented a plant that I was unable to identify.
Interesting bud on an unidentified tree at Rock Point
I didn’t plan to make any observations on Monday, but at the protest a friend and I climbed a tree on Waterman Green and encountered a raccoon! It was somewhat nervous and stayed in its hole, leading me to believe it didn’t have rabies and it would be a safe to take a picture before descending.
I think his name is Waldon
I enjoyed participating in the City Nature Challenge more than I expected to. I found its structured nature made me more attentive to species I saw, and the competitive aspect encouraged me to take pictures whenever I saw a new species of plant or animal.