Spring has sprung here at Centennial Woods and I am excited to recap my findings from my April visits. My later visit occurred after the rain and snowfall this past week, so the ground ended up being slightly more muddy than it probably would be this April. Luckily, green is starting to return and is pushing out the grey vibes of the dead of winter. Buds are starting to grow and sprout, and some are beginning to open. Ferns are also present and showing off their green leaves.
In regards to animal activity, there was quite a great amount of evidence as well as sightings. As snow has melted, tracks can only be visible in the mud. Unfortunately, the only clear prints I was able to find were left by dogs. During my trips to the woods I saw various birds and squirrels interacting with the trees and vegetation. I was able to see and hear a Pileated Woodpecker pecking on a large tree. For me a huge sign of spring is hearing bird activity, so I was glad to hear the chirping, whistling, and rustling of those animals. Much more peaceful than the honks and screeches I hear from the Seagulls and Geese that terrorize the parking lots and fields outside my dorm window.
This diagram can seem a bit unorganized, but this is the best I could do with the software I could find. It shows the Squirrel on trophic level 3 and how it is in slight competition with the woodpecker as they share some food sources but not all. The Squirrel benefits from the vegetation for food sources of nuts, seeds, and other edible parts of the flora. These plants are not benefited as these seeds are not spread and their resources are being exploited by the Squirrels and Birds. The plants are all in competition with each other due to their need for similar resources, like nutrients, water, sunlight, and space. The woodpecker benefits from the tree species due to their providing of shelter, some direct food sources, and indirect food sources like the insects who live on and inside them that the woodpeckers focus on as a main food source. These trees are mostly unharmed by the woodpeckers.