So first, I couldn’t participate in the Nature Challenge through iNaturalist because my camera wasn’t working through the app. Instead, I did the challenge with Will since he could use the iNaturalist app.
We went around campus (Central and Davis) identifying trees with the app. It was pretty easy, we took a picture of a tree, either its bark or buds, and then it identified it for us. However, the app gave us the same species every time, which was inaccurate.
Paper Birch behind Davis with buds.
Sugar maples in the early stages of releasing pollen, found near the library.
Eastern white pines were found behind Davis, and some still had pine cones.
Looking at other cities that participated in the challenge this weekend, it is interesting to see which phenophase they are in. For example, beavers are active in DC right now, one post showed a tree that had fallen do to beaver activity at the base.