My last visit at Ethan Allen Park in 2022
Wednesday December 7, 2022 3:06pm
50°F low visibility, slightly chilly, foggy, light rain, no sun
Foliage Changes:
- almost all of the deciduous trees have lost their leaves completely
- ground is much harder and the grass has gone completely dormant for the winter
- some leaves remain on the American Beech trees
- The foliage is significantly less dense due to the trees loosing their leaves, which allows me to see farther into the forest
- there is lots of moss on the ground
- the saplings present are much more apparent
- the forest floor has a blanket of leaves on it
- the red chokeberry has berries on it still
- I noticed more coniferous trees deeper in the forest due to the lack of leaves on the deciduous trees
Animal Activity:
- I noticed lots of acorn tops scattered on the ground from squirrels
- I did not see any squirrels, which is a noticeable change from my first visit
- I did not hear any bird calls, however, I did observe a hawk fly through the clearing
- I did not notice any insects
- Overall, there is less animal activity
Signs of Decomposers:
The forest floor was still covered in leaves, however, I could tell that the amount of fallen leaves were decreasing, which indicates that decomposers have been at work. Along the paths leading up to the clearing and pinnacle I observed many snags and down branches. The bark of many of these branches exhibited signs of decomposition.
Watching the natural world change concurrently with the seasons at Ethan Allen Park has deepened my understand of the natural processes at work all around me. I enjoy the short hike to my phenology spot from the trail head. It gives me time to think and take in my surroundings before visiting my site. The view from the clearing is one of my favorite parts about Ethan Allen Park, which allows me to see Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. My phenology spot does not have a lot of foot traffic, however, I enjoyed talking with the few community members that I did encounter as I was recording data.