Phenology of Redstone Quarries

Burlington Phenology

After walking around the Burlington waterfront, I had noticed some phenological changes since I left in November. The snow has started to melt, leaving mud and exposed grass along the sides of the roads, along with some dog and human footprints.

On the walk down Maple Street, I had noticed what looked like berries on this tree and I had used iNaturalist to later find out that it is possibly a Siberian Crabapple tree. I had also found some Coffeeberry bushes near the boardwalk that had a lot of green leaves starting to bloom.

The sunset on the waterfront was very beautiful without any clouds in the sky. While I was down there I did notice a very thick layer of ice along the shore that people were walking on. It seemed as if it had been broken up by the moving water, but due to the freezing temperatures recently it froze in its place. The ice looked like it was glowing from the sunset, and the mountains were extremely clear. It seemed like a lot of people were taking advantage of the sunny day since there was a lot of activity towards the water and along the street. The change in weather recently has encouraged me to go outside more and take in the stunning views of the Adirondacks.

February 7, 2021February 11, 2021

Blog Post #6: New Phenology Place and Wildlife Activity

By olsulliv

Wildlife Activity in Centennial Woods

Centennial Woods:

After returning to campus this semester, I have decided to explore the wildlife activity in Centennial Woods as opposed to Redstone Quarries. To get to Centennial Woods from the UVM campus, you can walk all the way down Carrigan Drive from the Davis Center. As you walk down the hill, you will cross East Street and pass by the police station until you see the big sign for Centennial Woods.

Differences Since Last Visit:

The last time I had visited Centennial Woods, the ground was covered in dead leaves and branches, with some small ferns and shrubs next to the trails that were still green. Now, the ground is completely covered in snow, the small brook remains unfrozen, but ice rimmed the sides of the water. The trails have been walked on a lot which makes it easier to determine where they are in the snow, but some of the footprints cover up the animal tracks.

Wildlife Activity:

During my visit to Centennial Woods, I discovered signs of wildlife activity including animal tracks and bird calls. Pictured to the left are tracks possibly left by a deer or a coyote, but it is hard to tell because there are no noticeable appendages or hoof prints. As I followed the prints down towards the brook, I noticed that there was something in the snow where the prints ended. When I got close enough i noticed it was a skeleton of some kind, maybe a deer. It was right by the bank of the brook and took me completely by surprise. I also saw a Red Tailed Hawk perched on a branch on the way to Centennial. While walking around, I did not see any animals on the trail, but when I had visited in the fall I would almost always see some type of bird or a chipmunk.

December 5, 2020

Blog Post #5: Human History of Redstone Quarry

By olsulliv

Human History of Redstone Quarry

The rock at Redstone Quarry is specifically named Monkton Quartzite, which is a mix of quartz, iron oxide and sedimentary rock. The quarry was functioning during the nineteenth century for over 100 years, where the stone was used to build the College Street Congregational Church in 1863 and some dorm buildings on the UVM campus. When the quarry was not in much use anymore, the University of Vermont bought it in 1958. It can now be used for students to explore during labs or to study the local vegetation and wildlife in Burlington.

December 5, 2020

Blog Post #4: Pond Meadow Park vs. Redstone Quarry

By olsulliv

Pond Meadow Park

New Phenology Location:

For my new location while I am home, I chose Pond Meadow Park in Braintree, Massachusetts since it is a short drive from where I live in Weymouth.

Vegetation and Wildlife at Pond Meadow:

While I visited my new location, I noticed a lot of similarities between my two locations. One of them being that the tree species were the same at Pond Meadow as the quarry. I saw an abundance of Eastern White Pine, Red and White Oak, Sugar Maple and Paper Birch. However Pond Meadow has a large pond in the middle of it that is home to a lot of wildlife including the North Atlantic Water Snake, Chipmunks, Squirrels, Rabbits, Bullfrogs, Canadian Geese and a variety of duck species. The wildlife here is very different compared to the Redstone Quarry because although it included a small body of water, I was not able to see any other wildlife besides Monarch Butterflies and some small birds. Pond Meadow also includes a wide range of walking/biking trails, unlike Redstone Quarry which only had one or two small paths.

In the spring, summer and fall months, Pond Meadow welcomes many visitors from around the neighboring towns that go there to have picnic, walk their dogs, exercise or just to enjoy the scenery. Pond Meadow is an especially popular place for people to go on small hikes during the warm weather. Most of the areas around where I live are pretty urbanized since I live close to Boston, which is very different from the abundance of natural areas in Burlington. However it is nice to be able to visit a natural area that is so close to me to reconnect with nature.

November 8, 2020

Blog Post #3: Event Map and Updates

By olsulliv

Event Map and Updates

Event Map:

Updates:

During this visit, I had noticed that a lot of the vegetation changed in the quarry. For example, the trees near the water had all lost their leaves and the grasses in the marshy area had all dried out and bent over. Another thing I noticed is that I could see a part of the water that was once hidden by trees and leaves, and there was significantly less algae in the water than my previous visit. There was also more evidence of activity due to the human and dog prints shown in the image to the left; I had never seen dog prints or other people here when I had visited in the past. The flowers and plants in the meadow had all died, and the overall area was much more exposed since the leaves have all fallen.

The images below compare the vegetation from early October and early November:

November 2, 2020

Blog Post #2: Vegetation Change

By olsulliv

Vegetation Change and Wildlife Observations

Observations of Vegetation Change:

Since I have last visited the quarry, the leaves on the trees have continued to change, and there are significantly more leaves on the ground than the last time I visited. The grass seemed to get less and less green as I walked farther along the path, and most of it was covered in fallen pine needles, oak leaves and maple leaves. The tall grasses in the marsh along the water were more droopy and looked less lively because of the colder weather we have had recently. I have also noticed that the wildflowers near the path also seemed to droop and were losing the vibrant colors the had earlier in the month.

Wildlife Observations:

As for the wildlife that occupies the quarry, I did not see any on my most recent visit, but I did notice a couple of monarch butterflies near the wildflowers in the past. Although I did not get any documentation of wildlife, I did notice some geese flying nearby and there was movement in the trees next to the water but I could not identify exactly what it was. I am hoping to see more birds or animals during my next visit, and to observe the species that inhabit this area during the colder months.

I have included this hand-drawn map of the quarry to highlight its most prominent features such as the remains of the quarry rock, the forest and the water towards the end. These are key features because they influence what kind of vegetation and wildlife inhabit this area, and they are a part of this unique location.

October 19, 2020October 19, 2020

Blog Post #1: Introduction and Vegetation

By olsulliv

Redstone Quarry

Why I Chose Redstone Quarry:

I chose Redstone Quarry as my location because it is a walkable location that I hadn’t known about before and that I can visit frequently throughout the rest of the semester. It has a plethora of different plant species, and even has a small marsh-like area that supports aquatic plant life. I enjoy going to this location because although it is close to campus and in a small neighborhood, it feels secluded and is a nice place to visit to destress.

Vegetation:

There are many the tree species that we have previously focused on that inhabit the quarry, such as: Paper Birches, Sugar Maple, Eastern White Pine, Red and White Oak, Eastern Hemlock and Spruce. Other plants that I have noticed while exploring the quarries are Willow trees, New England Aster and White Heath Aster. Next to the small water source shown in the image to the right is a small wooded area that contains a lot of young trees, specifically Hemlocks and Sugar Maples, and small shrubs. There are also trees that grow along the water and have some branches that touch the surface, also seen in the image to the right.

Sugar Maple (center); Eastern Hemlock (bottom right)

Most Common Woody Plants:

The most common woody plant species that I have come across at this location are Paper Birches, Eastern Hemlock, Sugar Maples and Red Oak. The Paper Birches and Red Oaks are especially abundant near the small water source and the Eastern Hemlock and Sugar Maple are more prevalent in the woods close to the edge of the quarry. While walking around the quarry, I noticed a lot of Red Oak leaves strewn near the water which helped me determine where they were located since it was hard to identify the trees by their leaves since they were so high up.