The spot that I chose in Burlington to compare to my spot at Dutch Fork in Ohio is in Centennial Woods next to Centennial Brook. I thought that this spot would make for a good comparison because the brook provides an aquatic environment in the Woods ecosystem like the wetlands of Dutch Fork.
The picture above illustrates what I think is special about this spot and why I think it is comparable to my phenology spot. The brook is surrounded by small woody plants, particularly some Japanese knotweeds (which are invasive woody plants that frequently border streams in Vermont), similar to the invasive multiflora rose I’ve observed in Dutch Fork Wetlands. Additionally, there was a small area of grassland on the opposite side of the brook with many goldenrods, which then gave way to a taller cover of trees, predominantly Eastern White Pine in this case. This pattern of water habitat being surrounded by grassland and then forest exists in both Dutch Fork Wetlands and Centennial Woods. However, while Dutch Fork is a great place for birding, the only birds I saw on this snowy Centennial Woods evening were white-breasted nuthatches and crows. Perhaps the snow made other birds less active?