Rebecca Summers – Phenology Blog

What areas of Greater Burlington did you explore during this four-day urban BioBlitz?

Although we were unable to participate during the actual four-day period of the challenge, my friend and I visited Centennial Woods this weekend to document wildlife to garner the same experience as the challenge would have provided. Centennial Woods was our location of choice within the Greater Burlington area not only because it offers higher levels of biodiversity, and a more intricate image of Burlington’s plant/animal populations, but because we have a valued connection to Centennial. It was my first “hike” here in Vermont, and has been one of my favorite natural escapes to visit ever since. I can still remember how excited I was to test out my new hiking boots the first time I went, so to round out my freshman year with another visit to Centennial Woods just seems fitting somehow. On our journey through Centennial, we decided to keep exploring the trails this time instead of simply turning back as we always have historically. By doing so, we somehow ended up in this development called Bayberry Commons just alongside the Winooski River. Naturally, we had to find our way to the river and continue the adventure! How could we resist?! The neighborhood had already set chairs up on the river bank, so we took a pause there for about half an hour to reflect on our first year here at UVM. I am so grateful to have had this BioBlitz assignment with which to justify our meandering endeavors.

How was your experience using iNaturalist?

Now that spring has sprung and plants are in bloom again, using iNaturalist has become a more manageable tool again. For a time, the identification process was made slightly more difficult by the lack of leaves, and surplus of snow/slush, but for the purposes of this BioBlitz, iNaturalist was immensely helpful. I also love getting feedback from others in the iNaturalist community who make identification suggestions, and look forward to seeing what they have to say about my current observations (specifically my “fiddlehead ferns,” which iNaturalist does not have listed as a species option, but seems the most similar to the plant I saw growing.)

How many species do you encounter?

Although there were countless species around us at every turn throughout Centennial, I documented only those that caught my eye for one reason or another. I documented seven different plant species, paper birches, wood ferns, hophornbeam, and potentially fiddlehead ferns among them!

What did you find interesting about reports coming in from other cities participating globally?

Although we could not make our observations during the designated four-day period, luckily we were able to hear about the results of other participating cities during the NR002 lecture. I found it interesting that, in Walt’s words, “[Cape Town] is like the Yankees. They seem to win a lot.” I wonder what inspires certain cities to be so much more engaged in the challenge than others. In fact, the number of people who participated in Cape Town is not drastically higher than its competitors, but rather the number of observations made.

How has your site changed over time? Phenologically, and also maybe larger human-caused or storm-caused changes.

From the colors of the leaves, to the rise in water level, we have seen Rock Point through a myriad of ebbs and flows. At our first introduction, I hadn’t even bought a hiking backpack yet, and the temperature was still somewhere around 70 degrees. Since then, I’ve learned to ski, bought spikes for my very own hiking boots, and the ice at Rock Point has frozen and then thawed again. We’ve both grown a lot over these last few months, my phenology site and I, and I can’t believe our monthly visits have come to an end.

What are the major and minor landmarks you’ve become familiar with?

There are certain landmarks I find myself checking in on each time I visit, certain spots I like to sit in…the Northern White Cedar that hangs over the waterfront, my “chair rock” and “sit spot,” and the lone green ash that stands tall at the water’s edge nearest to the climbing rock. Each of them has become a staple in my Rock Point experiences over the months in its own way, representing one memorable visit or another.

In what ways do nature and culture intertwine here? 

As a wildly popular destination itself, and neighbor to a well-known beach, Rock Point fosters the human-environmental exchange in a myriad of ways, facilitating the connection between the greater Burlington community and their environment. That is, with a sugar shack, solar garden, and a bike trail that runs right through it, Rock Point is a paragon of cultural and natural intermingling, allowing its human inhabitants to enjoy everything it has to offer.

Do you consider yourself a part of your place? Why or why not?

While I recognize that there are individuals who are inextricably linked to the Rock Point, some for generations, and that I am certainly no veteran, I would like to believe that I’ve forged my own connection to the land here, whether it is a significant to Rock Point or not, it has made its mark on me.

Although my workload this weekend was abnormally high, I was thankful to take a break from my studies to visit my paper birch tree at Rock Point on the sunniest of Saturdays. I was overjoyed to reduce the number of layers on my back, finally ridding myself of my months-long parka streak, and upgrading to my spring windbreaker. Reflective of these warmer temperatures, the layer of remaining snow had disappeared at last, revealing the leaf debris below, and the leaves beginning to sprout on the branches above. Leaving Rock Point’s waterfront, I realized I’m simultaneously looking forward to while also dreading our fast approaching final phenology assignment. I’ve become so fond of my trips to Rock Point with friends, and will miss them greatly. I hope that our visits continue long after the assignments apply to us, and that Rock Point continues to be a special place throughout my college career where we continue to have our monthly Sunday debriefs.

While at Rock Point for our most recent lab, my friend and I stayed behind afterwards to visit our phenology spots just a short walk away since we were essentially halfway there already. Since last visiting my phenology spot in early March, the most distinct changes are not necessarily those exhibited in the tree itself, but in its surroundings. That is, although there remains no evidence of flowering or flower budding as far as I can see, the birch’s habitat has undergone a dramatic shift since entering the spring season. As is evident in the photos included above, the majority of the snow covering the ground for my last visit has since receded, and a miniature waterfall of sorts has since replaced the slippery icy that once covered the rock steps leading down to the shoreline. In addition, the water level finally appears to have lowered back down to the level it used to rest at in our earlier phenology visits (see below).

Identification Process: Before heading out for the day, we climbed up the set of stairs tracing the higher ridge of the thrust fault to gain a new perspective on our usual waterfront landscape. Approaching these stairs, a lone paper birch tree caught my eye. I saw the distinctive curls and peels of its white bark, and knew it had to be. Recognizing that one of its lookalikes may have thrown me for a loop, I looked more closely at the gray birch, river birch, and yellow birch online to ensure I was not mistaken. In my investigation, the darker color of the yellow birch’s bark, the lack of peels in the gray birch, and texture change in the river birch confirmed my suspicions that the tree standing tall before me was, in fact, a paper birch.

Where did you go? What do you encounter? How was your experience recording observations using the iNaturalist app? (Include images). How did you narrow down your identification? If you were deciding between species with closely resembling scat or tracks, why did you choose one ID over the other?

Just yesterday my friends and I made our way to Centennial Woods to do some long-weekend tracking together, for some of us our first time back since the very first tree identification activity in August. Only having been there three times now, I often forget how much I love my Centennial visits, yet despite my relative unfamiliarity, I was determined to show my friends to my “favorite” section of the forest (pictured below).

During our excursion, we realized that the lack of snow might force us a bit outside of our tracking comfort zone as we would likely be working with mud instead. Off the beaten path, however, we found ourselves with even less to work with, as many of the “hydrological paths” we intended to follow were covered almost entirely by leaf debris, making “disturbances” harder to distinguish. Despite these limitations, we found the vast majority of our tracks in the areas still partially covered by the snow.

Bearing these conditions in mind, when tracks or disturbances were not the clearest, we would sometimes rely on the location of the prints to help narrow down potential candidates. Utilizing the tips we received at our tracking lab, for instance, if we were near a body of water, or behind a fallen tree, animals like the bobcat and fisher rose to the top of our list. Another issue we regularly came across was differentiating between domestic dogs and potential coyotes or foxes. In those scenarios, we focused our attention on the direction the nails and toes were pointing in, the appearance of nail marks, or whether or not there was a raised star pattern in the center of the track.

By January 30 (9 PM) – Document wildlife activity at your place by posting photographs of animal tracks and other signs. If you are returning to your place from last fall, describe the phenological changes that have occurred since your last visit. If you have chosen a new place, include a map of your new location, and provide a written description of how to get to your place.

Animal Tracks

Phenological Changes

Since I last visited Rock Point before winter break (the photo shown on the left is used to best demonstrate this drastic change), the phenological change that first caught my attention was the stark disappearance of much of the rocky shoreline. In some areas, the same bank of larger rocks that were once hardly touched by the water’s edge are now fully submerged underwater, removing nearly half of the beach.

This rise in lake levels has not only taken its toll on the width of the beach, but hindered my ability to reach my usual “sit spot” on the “chair rock” shown in the center of the photos above. My visit simply did not feel the same without my meditation time spent sprawled out on the rock’s flat surface, listening to the water crash below me while looking out over the mountain ridges on the horizon line.

As is also evident in these most recent photos, winter has finally arrived at Rock Point in the form of snow 🙂 Although this made for a beautiful walk to the water’s edge and easier identification of animal tracks, I now know we have to account for added hiking time as trudging through the snow slows us down!

The December foliage here is relatively similar to that described in my post from early November, with the Northern White Cedars along the thrust fault still acting as the most prominent source of green remaining, and the American Beech I’ve documented with each visit having lost all of its leaves. Beyond the “beach” of fragmented shale and heading towards the exit trail, traces of leaf litter increase, reminding us of the vibrant colors that once painted the trees for my mid-October post. In comparison to November, however, this “reminder” is beginning to fade, indicating that decomposition has started to make its mark on the landscape.

Animal Presence
As far as animals are concerned, their presence is greatly minimized within this “beachy” area compared to traces exhibited in the woody landscape that lines the trails leading to the shoreline. In all of my trips to Rock Point since early October, the most common “animal sightings” have been families bringing their dogs with them for a swim in the lake or an afternoon hike. I know that many of my classmates remark about the birdcalls they are able to listen for and identify at their phenology spots in Centennial Woods, for instance, but if there are birds to be heard here along the water, the crashing of the lake into the rocks silences them. Just yesterday, however, my friends and I heard a loud, prolonged howl come from the woods just past the old Military Academy clearing during our journey to our phenology spots. Luckily, hearing this howl never turned into a “sighting” experience.

What aspects of your phenology place do you enjoy the most?

Although I find my attachment to my “sit spot” at Rock Point growing with each time I visit the area, yesterday’s experience was arguably my favorite yet. When we arrived just before 4:00 PM and I saw the golden hues beaming back at us as we turned the corner of the trail, I knew I was in for something special. The sky was a brilliant gradient of blue to orange, and the sun hung just above the mountains, giving us enough time to take pictures for our blog posts, and then some for sipping hot chocolate from a thermos as we watched the sun gradually fall. There was something so surreal about seeing the last ray of sun disappear behind the ridgeline of the mountains right before my eyes…about taking the time to sit and just “be” while the sun said its goodbyes to daylight. The perfect, unobscured view of the lake and mountains from the shoreline’s tallest rocks had always been my favorite part of my phenology spot and what I most looked forward to during my walks to Rock Point along the bike path, but having experienced such a beautiful sunset from my own “sit spot” may have cemented this adoration even further if it’s possible. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect end to my first semester here at the University of Vermont.

The Sunset

What Makes this Place “Special?”

In the spring of my junior year, COVID was still running rampant, leaving my friends and I with limited options if we wanted to spend time together. That is, stores and restaurants were often closed, and our parents were adamant that we adhere to the social distancing guidelines so as not to get each other sick. With these stipulations in mind, I took it upon myself to find a local park for us to visit. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I never had the same connection to the outdoors in my hometown that I now have here in Vermont. I never used to dedicate enough time to exploring the natural areas around me, but when COVID hit, I found nature to be a cathartic escape from the isolation that my house seemed to foster. I distinctly remember convincing my friends to drive to this park one weekend, and neither of them wanted to leave the car because they said “There are bugs down there.” Determined as I was, I left them in the car and went to the shoreline by myself to explore. In early May, the trees and shrubs were full of life, and the sun rays beaming off of the creek tempted me to go for a swim. While my friends sat in the car, I took a seat by the water, and took the time to just be there, in the moment, with no distractions, and no real agenda. To me, this spot is special because it is one of few places in my hometown where I now feel connected to my surroundings. I had felt a connection to nature in other areas, and in my heart, but very rarely in my own community before.

Burlington vs. Harrisburg Ecology

While tree identification is made increasingly difficult as they lose their leaves during these colder months in both Burlington and Harrisburg alike, I can still recognize that while the American Beech is a staple at my Rock Point sit spot, here in Pennsylvania, White Oak takes its place. Because a greater population of trees traces the creek’s edge, the ground here is covered in leaf litter, whereas Rock Point’s shoreline is composed primarily of stones. Additionally, while the lake’s edge gradually meets the rocky beach, here at the creek, the drop off between land and water is sudden with a steeper edge, and marked by clear evidence of human interference as a boat ramp paves a path to the water. I haven’t decided yet if I prefer the quiet and steady flow of the creek to the crashing of waves from Lake Champlain, but I can say for certain that the Pennsylvania mountains pale in comparison to Vermont’s.