This week, I went back to Potash Brook for winter tree identification and more practice using iNaturalist. I had some trouble uploading my picture to iNaturalist this time around using it because I could not figure out how to use the phenology feature or where it was, and I also was not sure if I needed to add my post to a particular project on the app. However, after uploading my image, I was more confident in my identification skills because the suggested species from the app was what I had identified the tree as, which was American Beech.
I identified this tree species as an American Beech mostly by the twigs. After I guessed that it was American Beech from its twigs, I noticed that it had a few leaves on the other side of the sapling and I was able to confirm that it was, in fact, an American Beech tree. I also know that Beech trees tend to be the trees that hold on to their leaves the longest in the winter, so it made sense why some pale yellow leaves were still clinging on. These leaves were pretty damaged from the cold weather, though, so it took me a little bit longer to identify the tree. I look forward to returning to Potash Brook and observing the tree in the next coming weeks.
