A RSNER blog Legare's Salmon Hole Phenology Project

Friday May 2 10:30 a.m

What has changed?

The scene of white and brown has been traded for a bright spring green. The water of the Winooski once again flows by, no longer stalled under a sheet of ice. Cinnamon ferns are springing up and unfurling under the spring sky, and the crabapples’ leaves are opening up. I hear a chorus of birds as I get to my site: Northern Cardinal, Singing Sparrow, American goldfinch, Downy Woodpeckers, and the loud ring-billed gull. I see the marker for the trailhead and I know I’m getting close. I turn the corner at the start of the trail, and I see my site’s defining feature, the large slanted rock. No longer covered in snow, moss, and other herbaceous plants have begun sprouting from the cracks. The backdrop of woods is starting to show hints of green and life. From my site, looking out onto the lake, I can see Canadian Geese on the island in the water. They mate for life.

How do I fit in here?

Salmon Hole gets its iconic name from the rich indigenous and colonial history of fishing at this site. While extensive restoration efforts are trying to help the dwindling population of Atlantic Salmon, the site reminds us of the dependence people have on their environment. Now that we have depleted the resources, it also reminds us that how the Earth gave to us we should give back to them. I feel a deep appreciation for this place and the life that it does hold. The people and dog prints I constantly see make me hope that others feel the same as I do. I hope others want to preserve this little trail and give it the respect it has showed us. While it has been a while since I had been back, I felt like I was still a part of this little trail. The blooming Lesser Celandine filled the gaps in resprouting vegetation and just reminds me that life will be ok.

15 minute sit sketch of my site

Sunday April 27, 9:30 a.m.

Waterfront Park

A song sparrow’s song!

In total, I recorded a total number of 10 species on my walk that morning, but I probably walked by 100s. Some were too far to properly identify, and many were disregarded in my unsuccessful hunt for that white-throated sparrow. This is just a gentle reminder that even in the city, nature is bursting at the seams around us. If we take a moment, we can all see it.

On a Global Scale

As I type this out, the San Antonio Metro Area is in the lead with over 88,000 observations and over 4,000 species recorded. That is just absolutely astounding and remarkable in my opinion. While Burlington isn’t at the bottom, I don’t think we will be able to catch up to that level of observations in the day we have left. I will say that the patriotic side of me is happy an American city is going to win this year, but a lot can happen in a day, so I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed.

Wednesday April 9th

I started my phenology walk at the Aiken Center and approached Williams Hall. I found most of the trees to be in the same phenophase. There were no expanding leaves on any of the trees, and almost all of the buds remained closed and dormant. All but the last Norway Maple, which did have its buds beginning to break, and I could see the stamen branching out of the soon-to-be flowers. The White Oak was still holding on to its leaves from the fall, but only around 10-20% remained. The air still has a chill to it, the days are only starting to get longer, and the precipitation is more often snow than rain, so it makes sense that not much change is to be noted. However, I won’t try to conceal my disappointment. Spring is my favorite season. By this time, I’m used to seeing green everywhere, and pollen is so abundant that there is a yellow coating across the lake in my backyard. I really wanted to be able to start seeing some cnagr and life in these trees, but I’m hoping I can begin to note it on my own time in the next few weeks.

Springing Forward?

From this article, I learned that in recent years, scientists have been marking the start of spring and comparing it to previous years to see the trend of spring and how it has been impacted by climate change. This article, however, argues that the metrics for this, leaf and flower bloom, can be misleading, and that just because one part of spring starts early doesn’t mean everything that follows will happen earlier. This article talks about how a team of scientists used the data from Nature’s Notebook to develop models for specific species and could group them based on how they were personally impacted by climate change. It was so unique due to the use of this app to help further our knowledge of climate impacts. Even though my work felt lackluster, the data I did collect could help out another team like this one to help better understand the world around us.

Where?

For this new adventure, I thought I would make the journey to Centennial Woods. It had been a while since I had visited, and I was really excited to see the woods with a fresh blanket of snow. I also thought the woods would provide me with a wider variety of animals that I would not normally find at salmon hole.

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What?

I came across a smaller amount of animals than I was expecting. The snow was littered with imprints from falling snow from trees, so it made it more difficult to discern what was an animal print.

One of the first signs of animal life me and my friends saw were holes in the trees from wood peckers. I was able to figure out they were wood peckers from the lecture in class. The small holes and then the oval shaped ones were just like from the slides, and I know these birds are in the area so I am pretty confident in my id.

Next, I spotted a galloper off the trail. I could tell immediately that it was a land galloper and not a tree dweller because of the uneven front feet. The biggest question on our minds was whether it was a hare or a rabbit. Based on the size of the prints, we concluded that it was too small to be a snowshoe hare, so it was most likely the tracks of a cottontail rabbit.

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Next, another observation I made were these trees to the left. Now, I am not entirely sure that what I am looking at is anything, but I remember from lecture that porcupines would climb trees to eat the bark. However, it is hard to be sure cause these trees are dead, so it could also be a result of decay. However, I would like ti think that maybe when the tree was still alive the porcupines made this a tasty snack.

Finally, another unconclusive track I found was the two below here. As we were walking along the trail I noted them and forced everyone around me to stop! I originally wanted to chock it up to being a domesticated dog based on the print on the far right that is visible, however it was the faint track on the left that caught my eye. The print itself is very small and the pads are very oval and uniform. This leads me to think that it is more likely a fox. Between a red and gray fox, I am more partial to say it is more likely a red fox due to the larger middle pad and the size of the print in general. However, I am not confident in my identification.

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iNaturalist?

My personal experience with iNaturalist was unimpressive. I found it not very helpful when it came to identifying tracks and other signs of animal life. I have had very positive experience with iNaturalist in the past, and when the species is actually present it does a very good job providing me with possible matches, however when the species is not present I feel it struggles. However animal tracking is not an exact science, and I think it will be a while before AI technology is advanced enough to determine who has left these markings behind, especially when the photos are not clear or there are other markings in the photo.

What Has Changed?

A month of frigid temperatures and snow has left it’s mark on my phenology site since I last saw it. While I was enjoying the more than comfortable temperatures back home in the South, I cannot say the same for salmon hole. The most notable difference is that the river is frozen over, filling the area with an empty silence aside from the crunching of my boots through the snow. Most trees have completely dropped their leaves, no match to the winds, however I am almost proud to say that my Northern Red Oak still has a good amount. Additionally, amidst the scene of white and brown, I was happy to see the bright red berry of the Bittersweet Oriental still hanging on as well. It was nice to know that not everything had left for the winter.

Aside from the lingering leaves and berries, there were plenty of other reminders that this area still brimmed with life. For example: tracks!! My phenology site is right along a popular trail, so human and their canine-companion tracks littered the trail around my site. But that was not all that I saw. I saw small tracks left behind by mice, woodchucks making their way along the river, and the footprint of a squirrel. While tracks, and even some scat was found all around my phenology site, they were muddled due to fresh snow piling on top of some, and wind blowing away the perfect prints that had originally been left behind. Regardless, it is evident that despite not seeing it, life still brims around Salmon Hole.

What Remains

12/7/24, 9:30 a.m., 26ºC, Snowing

Trudging through the snow I made my way to my phenology site with my friends. We jumped, slipped, and ran as we made our way there. It being my first real snow in 7 years, I was absolutely thrilled to see real snow falling around me.

My area was undisturbed when I got there. The snow was fresh and void of any tracks or signs of life, covering up the layer of leaf litter halting any decomposition that may have been occurring. Looming above my site, I saw the Northern Red Oak still clung to a majority of its leaves which was a stark contrast to all of the barren trees in the overstory with it. The only other plant that had the same sentiments for its leaves was the small gray alder near the river, however it was less successful then the Oak and it was quickly losing leaves even as I sat to observe the site.

While most of the leaves were gone, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was still surrounded by fruit. The Riverbank Grape, Bittersweet Orientals, Common Buckthorn, and even Siberian Crabapple still had a few fruit persisting deeper into December. The bright red berries of the Oriental are always a pleasant site, but the darker Buckthorn and Grape fruits would have snuck by if I hadn’t been looking closely.

While the chipmunks I loved to spot hiding in the underbrush are all tucked away for the winter, I still could hear some lovely birds singing in the quiet. While I was at my site, a gentle knocking brought my attention up to a White-Breasted Nuthatch foraging for food in the furrows of a large tree. White-breasted Nuthatches are not migratory birds, so I can count on seeing more of him throughout the winter.

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Why Do I Love This Place?

I have really grown to love my phenology spot because it really forces me to get outside and go on a little hike. At times, I find myself dreading the walk, but by the time it is over I feel so rejuvenated and productive. Especially on a snowing day like today, I just found so much fun and beauty traversing through the woods and neighborhood to get to my little spot. Even after I finish my observations, I like to take the long way home and hike the rest of the little trail. It’s peaceful and beautiful. The little spot along the river also feels very unique to me, and I have discovered a fun batch of new species I didn’t know before I came to Salmon Hole.

Location

This spot is just off station 42 on one of my local beaches the Isle of Palms (IOP).

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Significance

The spot I chose for my home phenology site holds deep significance to me. This spot is where I would go to escape and just allow myself to calm down and think. I typically frequented the spot late at night, when only the moon illuminated the path littered with cabbage palmetto, southern wax myrtle, white beggarticks, camphorweed, and common reeds until all that remains is some salt grass and a plethora of sand. Aside from the camphorweed and the white beggarticks blooming and dying with the seasons, the plants in this area are evergreen in South Carolina. The plants in this area are reliable and constant, providing me with support when I felt my life was just the opposite. I think thats why I felt so drawn to Salmon Hole, the rushing of water was the closest I could get to the steady waves I would always know was on my shore just a drive away.

However, despite being a reliable place for me, the beach itself is anything but stagnant. The waves that provide me with my feeling of tranquillity are slowly eroding away our beaches. The tide and storms, such as Hurricanes, heavily contribute to this erosion, and beach restoration projects have been in progress since as early as 2007. These restored beaches provide spaces for people like me to enjoy the environment, and also provide areas to absorb storm surge and prevent flooding in the low country.

Comparison

Now, its pretty obvious these areas are very different. While I have seen the foliage change quite drastically in the two months I have spent at Salmon Hole in Burlington, I can always count on the trees and shrubs to be lively all year long in Charleston. Since this spot is directly on the shore line, few plants can properly establish themselves, leaving a majority of the space empty and sandy. However, my phenology site in Burlington is rich in woody shrubs and trees despite the large rock in its center. Despite being very different, I find joy and peace in each spot, and taking the time to explore the foliage I have taken for granted all my life has let me feel a closer bond to the place at home that has helped me so much.

Human and Dog Tracks in Sand

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The Waves and Thunderous Wind that Clears my Mind

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My Gift

After reading the Honorable Harvest, I considered what gift I could leave this place. That is when I saw a hole leftover from a family whose child must have spent a day building a sandcastle. Despite being in jeans and old shoes that would only fill up more with sand, I bent down to gently scrape the sand back where it was dug up. We have many sea turtles on our beaches, and these holes and can be detrimental to baby turtles trying to make their way to the ocean. As residents, it is our duty to leave no trace and let them live undisturbed. I find the best gift is to leave the beach how I found it. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have taken my fair share of shells, but I also take the time to take any trash and litter I find left behind. Beach Sweeps are a must, and I’m happy to say that I was an active member of the IOP beach sweep crew in high school, and hopefully I can continue when I come back over winter. This place

15 Minutes Among Nature

11/3/24, 8:30 a.m., 38ºC, Sunny

The walk to Salmon Hole is normally filled with music blasting in my ears while I chat with my friends as we go to the site. However, this morning my walk was solitary. Arriving to my spot, I could already tell things had changed. The forest was less warm, as the bright yellow and orange leaves had fallen off of most of the trees. Slightly more bundled up than I have been previously, I sat down on the cold stone at the center of my phenology site. I turned off my headphones, I put away any distractions, and I just sat. After a stressful couple of weeks full of midterms, tests, and essays, I did not realize how badly I needed this moment of calm.

The wind gently blew past me as I looked around at was once a luscious site. A majority of the trees and shrubs were now barren. However, that didn’t stop the big Northern Red Oaks from hanging on dearly to their evenly browned leaves. Slightly closer to the ground, the buckthorn shrubs maintained a few leaves of their own, but even as I sat there for those 15 minutes I noticed the wind winning the battle and plucking off the few the little buckthorn had left. Closer to the water, the Red Osier Dogwood, with its bright red leaves, and a windswept patch of Gray Alder have stayed decorated and lush. I looked at all the Basswood leaves littered along the rock, and I followed their trail to the large, looming tree which had never been more naked. Even at my first visit, the tree was struggling to hold onto its leaves, and now was left unclothed for the upcoming winter.

As I sat there and began to mourn the loss of the lush Bittersweet Orientals and Riverbank Grape shrubs, I noticed they still held their fruit. A nice treat for the few crows I saw fluttering about. If anything, the orientals had opened up their yellow-orange shells to reveal the bright red berry that had been hidden just weeks prior. It felt like one last gift of summer coming to fruition. The months of rain and sun accumulating, so that deep into fall we can have one last pop of color before they drop their seeds and rest for the winter.

I ended my borderline meditation to sketch the area, and found a deeper appreciation for this little spot along the trail. The river seemed to flow stronger than it had before, and at a time where the weather is only proving that this new place is very different from my old home, the sound of rushing water is a nice reminder that in the end were all connected. I can imagine myself dissolving away to join the stream, resting in Lake Champlain until one day I’m evaporated up high above the Green Mountains, and when it rains I’ll come back to the stream and start all over again.

Why?

When it came to picking a spot for my phenology project, I knew I wanted it to be walkable but somewhere I hadn’t gotten a chance to explore yet. When my friend told me of her own lab that took her to Salmon Hole along the Winooski river, I knew I wanted that to be my spot. I have grown up on the water my whole life, I was a 15 minute drive away from a gorgeous beach and had a small but lively lake in my backyard. Once I got to the trail and began walking, the sound of the water brought back similar sentiments of home and familiarity. I knew I wanted to spend time here and watch as it changed.

Where?

In terms of getting there, once you get to the head of the trail on Riverside Ave, you go down the stairs and take the second left along the path before the bench. Taking another left and walking down towards the water you’ll see a sign for the Salmon Hole trail. Just around the bend, you see a nice, large flat stone covered in moss and lichen and that where you will find my phenology spot.

What?

My spot had a lot of unique woody species, many of which I had never seen before. The most common trees around the area were Basswoods, Northern Red Oaks, Buckthorns, and Bittersweet Orientals. Surrounding the large stone, a lot of Dogwoods, Staghorn Sumacs, and Aster were present. There is also, towards the back, a very large Riverbank Grape plant that takes up a lot of space in the background. Most of the plants and vegetation lays in the background of my spot, as it sits along the water. As noted before, a large stone covers a majority of the spot and is covered in spots of thick, dark green moss and spattered with patches of lichen. Grass pops up from the cracks and covers the area in and around my spot. The closer you get towards the small forest behind the spot, the denser the vegetation becomes.

Link to my iNaturalist Observations!