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.
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.