This video shows my entire phenology spot and the overall look of the immediate changes… the snow!
SNOW!
The biggest change in the foliage is the addition of the snow from the past few days. Compared to the last time I visited Salmon Hole, the trees have now lost all of their leaves, minus a few oak leaves still hanging on. However, the eastern white pines that are present still have their green needles which are noticeable in the over-story of the forest. The leaf litter is covered by the abundance of snow during this visit, so no decomposition of what made up the ground coverage could be observed. One woody species that has also survived the cold is the buckthorn. The leaves are a yellowish-green and mostly being weighed down by the snowfall, which can be seen in the third picture below.
Since there is a large amount of snow on the trails, it makes it easier to observe any animal tracks made in the area. However, Salmon Hole is a well traveled path by the community, so the only noticeable tracks were shoe prints of those walking the trail. Animal activity also remains low besides the occasional squirrels in the trees.
What did I enjoy?
Salmon Hole was a different spot to observe phonology than I thought it would be. I liked the area I chose and how I found changes in the stream running through my spot as well as the changes in foliage. Being able to get out of the general Burlington area and go to Winooski was a nice change in scenery and the stairs right above my spot were photo-worthy. Walking down to the river each time I visited my spot was enjoyable too!
