Phenology friends hello! We have made it to the last blog post of 2024 and wow what a semester. I started this blog series not known “phenology” was a real word and now I could talk about it and my phenology spots for hours (I think).
Today, I revisited my phenology spot in Burlington to see how it has changed now that winter is upon us. The first thing I noticed when I walked into Centennial Woods was how different the understory was. When the leaves are green and on the trees, it is almost impossible to see through them. But today, the woods were white and empty. The woods were still and quiet and it was so peaceful to spend some time sitting in the stillness.
The lack of leaves and the presence of snow were not the only differences between my phenology spot this fall versus today. This fall, the woods were full of sounds – birds, rustling leaves, the sounds of the creek… Below I have put pictures taken from exactly the same spot, three months apart.
Today, the trees are bare and the ground was frozen. Three months ago, the woods were full of life and the ground was covered with soft leaves and moss. Today, there were very few signs of life – there were some dog tracks, and a few ferns sticking out of the snow. I wouldn’t say that the woods were lifeless, but the vibe was different today. It was just peaceful and quiet.
Well friends! We have made it to the end of our last post of the 2024 season! How exciting! But fear not because we will be back in the new year. So long and farewell!