For the spring semester, I decided to switch my phenology spot to the Salmon Hole on the Winooski River. I changed from Centennial Woods to Salmon Hole so I could have the opportunity to explore more of the natural areas Burlington has to offer.
I found Salmon Hole to be incredibly beautiful, especially with all the snow we have been receiving lately! The trees species at Salmon Hole, although mostly bare, include Buckthorn, Northern Red Oak, Paper Birch and American Beech among a number of maples. The trail leads out to a rocky shore that overlooks the fast-flowing river. I was amazed at how full and fast the river was, it felt similar to being at a beach! Salmon Hole, although dominated by nature, overlooks a factory in Winooski which creates quite a unique contrast in scenery. There is also a trail in the woods that follows alongside the river. Overall, I was in awe of the spot and so happy I chose to switch.
Because of all of the snow at Salmon Hole, I was able to see many animal tracks! We were able to identify a couple, as pictured below.
I was very excited to see traces of wildlife since I did not ever see much evidence of wildlife at my spot in Centennial Woods. I also saw some scat, but was unable to identify it due to how frozen it was.