Today I visited my site and observed many winter changes. There was one tree with lingering foliage which was an alder buckthorn. There were also many black raspberry plants with remaining leaves. Although the only green plants remaining at my site were different kinds of ground cover including grasses, white avens, and woodferns. The ground was full of water. I felt like I was walking over a sponge. There was a layer of decomposing leaves on the soil as well.
I noticed raccoon footprints along the mud banks of the creek. With the lack of foliage I could see many nests in the trees, squirrel nests and a couple big birds nests, maybe robins nests. Although these nests seemed to be abandoned. There were very few birds in the trees, only a few chickadees and goldfinches, who had lost their bright color for the winter.
