Tyler Sullivan Phenology Assignment

            As the seasons begin to change, so do the biotic components of nature. Birds fly south, squirrels make nests, and deciduous trees shed their leaves. In my spot I observed squirrels, wasps, chipmunks, eastern white pine, red oak, sugar maple, white oak, and wild berries. All the actions being taken by these species, except for the eastern white pine, tell the story of what the ecosystem is doing, preparing for winter. The red oak, sugar maple, white oak, and wild berries are losing their leaves and releasing the last of their seeds to endure the winter in a safer less vulnerable state. The squirrels and chipmunks are building fat for the winter to endure in their nests gathering whatever they can. Lastly the wasp, that was roaming the log I was sitting on, will most likely die with the rest of the hive, those that survive make their way into homes and buildings to bare the winter.

            The biggest change that I can notice in the surrounding vegetation is the thinning and more visibility that I am gaining every week. The low-lying bushes and thickets are withering and losing their leaves that reveal more of a barren underbrush, still laden with plants but not their appendages. There are also piles of branches and leaves in a certain corner of my spot, I suppose this is from UVM landscaping or the golf course maintenance nearby.

            In the recent weeks the soil of the spot has been turned into a muddy mess. The slight slope of the baby hill that the spot resides on causes all the water to flow westward and into the retention pond that runs along the entirety of the plot. There is also a little divot next to the path that channels some of the water allowing for easier flow and less erosion and disturbance.

            After creating my map, then adding further detail, many things became clear in the area that I hadn’t thought of before. The ponds are fed from the water that runs off the hill, the golf course is right next to the campus, and the natural clearings in my area are caused by the seepage and poor drainage of water in the area.

3 right hand turns are all it takes to get to my spot out of the main door of where I live in WDW. A right out the door, a walk down the bike path, across the street, down a foot path, another right, a brief walk through some woods, then a right into an open field of trees and small plants. Sitting on my observation log from a downed tree, every week I look out and see something new. The only things that remain the same are the standing trees and the high confidence course as the tree leaves change and the undergrowth withers. The wind rustles the fallen leaves that are now almost half gone with the pines standing tall all year round. Not too far from campus, but close enough to have an easy walk and still see Redstone campus in the distance, a perfect spot if you ask me. The fresh air, quiet aura, and bustling wildlife is more than anyone could ask for. Chipmunks are stocking up their dens for winter, wasps doing their last minute errands, and birds gathering all they can to make a warm nest, all seen from my log. The best part about my little spot is how when I close my eyes all I here is the sound of nothing. The occasional bus, rustling leaves, and chirping birds. Other than that, its my own little world and my own spot within it. Serene, peaceful, earthy. Its everything I want it to be. Now that the brief Autumn is slowly fading the cold grasp of winter approaches leaving in its wake the changing trees. The intense storm from last weekend has made many branches and trees fall along with many of their leaves. The normal way that I get to my spot was blocked off by huge downed branches that were bare of their leaves. The way that my spot was structured the trees caught all the branches and caused them to create a circle around half of my spot making it hard for me to get there. Once there though, it felt more secluded then ever. This time around there was something odd though, a ladder was erected in one of my main viewing areas, making little sense with no one around to take ownership for it. My spot to observe the seasons, all mine and no one else’s… unless, I bring a friend along.

This blog is to track the process of my nice little spot and the changing of the seasons. Throughout the seasons of fall and winter, and maybe even spring, I will track what I see and record then post my observations to here! I hope you enjoy