Phenological Changes
The first phenological difference I noticed during my January visit to Crescent Woods was of course…the snow! Despite the the lack of colorful foliage, the thick blanket of bright white snow covering the ground and resting heavily on bare tree branches brought a serene beauty to the woods. Pops of dark green appeared here and there from the tall and mighty pine trees and the stout hemlock tree. Besides these species, almost no trees held on to their leaves except for a few persistent Beeches and Norway Maples. The leaves remaining on these trees, however, have grown dry and golden brown. Very few shrubs poked through the layer of snow, but I did spy some thorny rose stems and a few Norway Maple saplings. Another difference I noticed was the creek being partially iced over. This resulted in a faster moving flow of water in some areas of the creek and a slow collection of water forming in others.
Signs of Wildlife
For the first time, I truly noticed the many signs of animal activity present in Crescent Woods. I listened carefully and I could here the chirping call of the Tufted Titmouse (I used the Merlin bird app …I can’t identify bird calls on my own yet!) I noticed countless animal tracks and a couple holes in the snow that could be burrows. I saw nests of leaves created by squirrels and saw clumps of snow falling off branches as these squirrels skittered through the treetops. Here are some pictures of the tracks and potential burrows I encountered:
