The ground was the first thing I noticed when I visited my phenology spot for assignment #4, and looking at it for this assignment I noticed that there was less yellow leaf litter, and all the leaves seemed a bit more brown and wet. They weren’t decomposing necessarily, but they looked more absorbed into the ground, likely from the snow and rain.
Looking at the trees, the two Eastern Hemlocks on one side of my spot seemed to have lost even more needles compared to last time. The Hemlock on the other side seems to be thriving though. There are a lot of Eastern Hemlocks in my spot, and I think this is because it’s a shady area and Eastern Hemlock have a very high shade tolerance.
The American Beech has lost all its shriveling brown leaves, and there are also no leaves left on the Sugar Maple and Barberry. The Barberry has also lost its fruit. There are some very small yellowing and shriveling leaves persisting on the Norway Maple though.
After reading Naturally Curious, I looked for some signage and vegetation in my spot that Mary Holland discussed in her book. First, I noticed that the Intermediate Woody Ferns in my spot were still persisting. Holland explained how these ferns are evergreen, so their front remain green the entire year. I also noticed a very small tunnel in the ground hidden amongst the leaves. I couldn’t tell exactly what kind of animal it’s for, but it was very tiny hole so the animal must be small. I’ve never noticed a tunnel in my spot before, and I’m thinking there’s an increase in animal activity right now as species are getting ready for winter by burrowing or storing food and fat. The birds also seemed to be chirping in unison together and louder, as it was more noticeable then me than usual.
Finally, I saw something white out of the corner of my eye and noticed there were a bunch of light yellow mushrooms stacked at the base of a tree. I used Seek to identify them, but it could only identify the genus as Oyster.
I am really grateful for my phenology spot, it’s provided a great place for me to escape the stress of school and assignments for a little bit and connect with the greater Burlington area, a place I really didn’t know all that much about only 4 months ago. I love how a small natural area right across the street from my dorm has the power to make me a happier person and feel a sense of connection to my new home. My sense of place and place attachment has been really cultivated through my spot. I have a connection to my phenology spot in Centennial Woods and really feel like I’ve gotten to know a lot about it. It has made me feel happy to be at UVM and in the amazing city of Burlington. I also love the log at my spot and how it’s a clearing area. The log is a great place for me to sit and really take in my spot, and the clearing makes it easy to view everything like the Eastern Hemlock, one of my favorite focal tree species which I’m happy is in abundance at my spot.
