Happy Spring Semester, Fellow Catamounts! As a lovely re-introduction to the schoolwork grind, students in NR002 were tasked with returning to our phenology spots, and told specifically to look at any animal tracks or phenological changes that had occurred over the break. I’m very pleased to report that my specific site was plentiful in both of these regards.
In terms of changes over break, its work mentioning that there is finally a thick layer of snow covering the entire floor of my site! This is quite the shocking transformation, especially given that the lack of snow (combined with the extensive foliage in my site) left lots to be desired in terms of snowfall. Additionally, whatever leaves the trees in the area had are now gone, but there are a few berries left on some shrubs, pictured below. The lack of green left in the area really changes the vibe of the area, and it’s been shocking to see the extent of the changes that have taken place so rapidly over about a month.
In terms of animal tracking, there are definitely some animals present in the area, but fresher snowfall and the sparse coverage of snow means that it is a little harder to identify which. My best guess is that the holes in the snow pictured below were created by squirrels or other small woodland creatures. The holes are rather small, but they are consistent with the sizing of a small mammal, and while it’s harder to see in the photos, there are some small consistencies with squirrel prints still present in the snow.
I was really hoping to find like a bird or a rabbit or something, but the only other notable tracks I’ve found have come in the form of what i believe could be possible prints of a small-medium sized dog, pictured at the bottom of the picture below. I really wish I was able to see more animal activity, but due to the more urban location, other signs of animals were a bit harder. Nevertheless, I really appreciated the chance to get out and explore a bit more of my phenology spot, and I look forward to when I can make it back out there next!
