Much to my delight, it snowed last Wednesday night which I thought made the perfect opportunity to head out early Thursday to my spot in Centennial. There was fresh snow covering the ground and some still falling as I was walking which was a pleasant surprise. I was excited to get into the woods now that fall has passed and winter is setting in, but I was mostly amped to try to find some tracks! There was some ice on the path on the way there and a gorgeous winter-brook scene as I made my way to Hummingbird Point, and much to my surprise, my site was untouched when I got there… well, by humans anyways. On top of that, there were some pretty clear signs that winter has set in at Centennial.
What hit me first and foremost is that the place had no footprints anywhere to be seen. I foolishly forgot to take a picture before going down the path myself, but it was kinda majestic; it was nice seeing something not touched by human activity. What hit me immediately after were two sets of tracks of comparable size and shape with one going down towards the Point and one seemingly coming from it. Upon going closer towards the end of the Hummingbird Point, I’m able to guess that these tracks were produced by different individuals although likely of the same species. With the fresh dusting, the tracks weren’t particularly visible, so I can’t say exactly what species this was, but my best bet based on the size and roughly-canine features of it are that it was a fox or coyote. The second track pictured below is that of a gray squirrel. Rabbit tracks are fairly unique because of the foot size difference and shape as well as their distinct hopping pattern where all four feet come together. The primary distinction between their tracks and those of squirrels are that for rabbits, you tend not to have much definition on their paws; you can’t really see individual digits like we can here. And since the tracks were of a larger size, I think it was a gray squirrel opposed to a red squirrel.
What was very clear is that many species in the area had lost their leaves. The mass of thorny branches pictured below is our Japanese Barberry bush. A vibrant member of this site during the fall with its gorgeous leaves and bright red berries, our little friend is bare right now.
The next picture sums up the major phenological changes incredibly well. The conifers in the area, with Northern White Cedar pictured here on the left, are essentially the only green left on the landscape. The former marsh made up of mostly grasses and dogwood surrounding the brook has dried up, turning various shades of yellow and brown. All the deciduous trees in the area have lost their leaves and allow a different, more vulnerable angle of the forest show. We can now see farther through the treeline than before, and it feels more personal being there during the winter after a snow. Everything is cold and bare, and I don’t know how else to describe it; it felt special.
I really enjoyed getting to see Centennial in it’s December glory even though I know the heavy snow and biting cold are still yet to come. My only regret on the day is that I didn’t see any signs of deer on my site. I know they’re all throughout Centennial, and I spent a good 15 minutes after leaving my site scouring around the area for deer tracks, but I couldn’t find them and had to get back to campus for a class. Maybe next time, I suppose.
I’m gonna close this post up with this photo above and a little reminder. Our presence is everywhere; I heard two F-35 fighter jets fly overhead, taking my eardrums with them while I was there. It’s important to try to leave no trace when you’re out in nature but really wherever you go. When the snow melted this weekend, I’m sure it took my footprint along with it, but seeing it there in the snowy mud, so clear and deep in the soil really reminded me of how everywhere we are. I just encourage you to be careful outdoors for what you take and leave behind because it should be as close to nothing as possible; bring your enthusiasm, take some pictures, and leave the place untouched.
Peace and love 🤙🏽