Final Phenological Changes in Trinity Woods – December 8th, 2024
Returning to the woods for my final observations posed a but of a challenge. Over the past two days, it had snowed a lot! I had to bundle up and put my winter boots on to be able to walk to my spot. Upon my first look, I had noticed that all of the deciduous trees no longer had leaves. The Red Maples, American Beeches, and few Paper Birches were all bare. The only trees that had any green on them were the very few coniferous trees, AKA Eastern White Pines. Underneath the snow, there are a lot of signs of decomposition happening. All of the leaves on all the trees have collected on the ground and were decomposing under the blanket of snow. The only sign of decomposers I found were a few Birch Polypores growing on a Birch. I observed many animal tracks in the snow! I noticed many Eastern Cottontail Tracks along with Eastern Grey Squirrel tracks all along the path of my spot. While in the woods, I heard a few birds. I heard Black Capped Chickadees and a Tufted Titmouse, two birds that are often still active during wintertime. I also heard a couple of crows high in the trees. My last visit to my spot was definitely interesting and full of new things!
What Aspect of my Phenology Spot do I Enjoy the Most?
The part of my phenology spot that I enjoy the most is that it is a mini ‘urban wild’. Living in an urban area, especially having a dorm isolated from main campus and off of a main road, there is not much woody areas that I am used to having back at home. This small patch of woods might not be comparable, but it does provide a large habitat for animals and plants that they may not find in many places around Burlington. In times that the urbanization might seem like too much, I have easy access to this own little ecosystem near where I live. When I got to my place, I seem to forget that I am in a city and am able to enjoy the silence of a natural forest. I have enjoyed tracking the changes throughout the seasons here, as well as observing all the different plant and animals that people may not have known lived here. It is like a little hidden gem that I have been able to appreciate and observe over the past few months. Taking time for myself here makes me think about how I took being surrounded around this all my life. I am so used to exploring the woods, having multitude of bird species right in my backyard, and constantly being surrounded by new plant species all the time. Coming to Burlington from a rural area has greatened my appreciation for nature and desire to seek it out in urban places. I love having a little forest in my backyard that I will definitely continue to visit!