I returned to my phenology spot days after the vernal equinox hoping to find signs that spring is approaching, but instead I found myself trekking through inches upon inches of snow. The snow may have proved that winter conditions are still present, but new occurrences within my spot prove that spring is approaching. The most notable sign of spring was the bird song that played in the background of my entire visit. The birds were loud, and it sounded as if there were many of them around, more than any other visit I have made this year. I was not able to identify the bird calls or see any birds to observe them, but I was able to record an audio clip of the bird song.
The buds of trees around me have not noticeably begun to swell. Pictured to the right are the buds of an American Beech tree that look the same as they have in the previous months. Looking up at the large trees, I thought I saw small red buds swelling from the Northern Red Oak branches above me. I tried to take a picture of the budding, but it is difficult to make out these small red ends.
The fresh coat of snow did provide some opportunities for wildlife tracking, though. I was able to find a few separate tracks from what most likely was a squirrel. I guessed that they were running from tree to tree when they left the tracks that I was able to observe today.
