A Be-eee-A-you-T-full Day

What a day for phenology!  The sun was shining and the wind was barely blowing. Spring was here, the birds, kids, and all the other animals were all active this day. It was a Friday morning to be exact and I started with my sound tapestry. The last time we were out there the colors of the trees and ground were very dull and mundane. As I was listening to all the creatures I could hear each of them moving around looking for food and such. The beautiful spring colors are ripening and everything is coming back to life. Everything around me was more active. There were children playing at the park,dogs barking, and birds roaming the area. I noticed that fish were way more active, now that the water is warmer, I get to see them more often due to this change. My update on the muskrat is I was looking around his den and there were multiple tracks going to and from his home so I know that spring is bringing him out. It was a nice to lay down and listen to all the creature go about themselves. The color of my tree has changed just over a week with yellows and dark browns interlacing .I have leaves back on my tree again also. This is what phenology is all about, noticing all the changes around us and recognizing why that change occurred.

Chase's Post

I like going out and doing phenology a lot more now that its actually decent weather.. even though most of my notes look the same. When we went out last Friday (the 23rd i think) i collected some good quality data! All of the giant cottonwood trees around my area had little buds growing on the branches that had been bare the last time i saw them. The grass on the banks of the creek was fresh and green and you could see it staring to spread up higher around the hill. Also, it looked like someone had scooped out all the nasty leaves and smelly debris from the creek because it was about 6 inches deeper than before and way more clear too. The sun was brightly shining and there was a slight breeze. About half way into the time we were out there i was suprised by a mallard duck as it waddled over and poked around in the creek. It was fun to sit there and watch as it was duckin around in the water..

I just learned something new!

Geuss what? I just learned something new about nature. I was wondering why there were still leaves on the ground so I asked my question to the world wide web and was redirected. Apparently If you leave your leaves on the ground it will kill your grass. That only happens if you can't see the grass through the leaves and it makes like a mat on the ground. But if you clear your leaves you are stripping the ground of part of it's insulation force for winter. So apparently the right thing to do with your leaves before winter if to clear most of them and leave the rest for compost. After learning this my question was why haven't the leaves composted? I still see some lying around in my phenology site. I do remember Mrs. Lord talking about something to do with the leaves and how they won't compost because the grass is different then what was originally there. I don't know if I recited that correctly but I guess she was right the leaves are still here. I guess we should of raked the leaves in our sites and then Eft some in prodder to preserve nature. Ahh! Another thought maybe if our compost works out we could dump the end result in our phenology sites to renutrition nature. That actually sounds like a good idea! Please comment back and tell me what you think about that idea and wether or not it would even work out.

Don't point your finger at me quite yet!

I know I know it makes you people mad when people post things in the same day but I got to write this down before I forget. I have been noticing a change in bird activity lately during my visits to the realm of nature. Mostly the noise level has changed drastically from the winter months. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems now that the weather is getting warm again the noise level is rising. Maybe it's because the birds migrated, maybe the birds have been preserving energy in order to survive winter, maybe the birds are just happy it's warm, maybe it's because it's mating season? I don't really know. Now before you people start pointing your fingers at me and calling me crazy just hold on. I am now going to the Google search engine to ask my query. And the results of Google are the following titles in order. Boisterous Blue Jays Chickens Losing Feathers Where Do Birds Sleep at Night And my favorite How to keep you neighbor quiet So much for Google, oh well seems that I'm just going to have to take the maybes above and just assume that one of them is right. The Internet needs to get on board with science and help us people who don't understand everything about it. It could also be how I worded my question. So anyway please comment back and give me you opinion on why the birds are noisy again. :) this is a serious query, no joke.

A change of reflection

The last time we did phenology as a class was Friday, March 22. It was by far the best Phenology experience yet, the sun was out creating a summer-like atmosphere but with a small cool breeze creating the feeling of spring. This visit into the world of nature wasn't the best just because the weather, it was also because of the amount of time we had. I think using a normal class period was much more effective then doing Phenology in a shorter amount of time. I did all the normal requirements for this project while out in nature, I did the sound tapestry right off the bat and was glad I did after a noisy gym class strolled by. My problem was the fact that after completing the sound tapestry I was left in a mostly quiet piece of nature. That's great every once in a while but after spending the whole period out there I felt something lacking. So next time we go into the nature I'm going to bring along my iPod . You are probably going what are you crazy?! Nope I'm not crazy and my reasons for my madness lie in the fact that I I can fell more emotionally if I am aided with music. Music is an emotional tool, it shapes how we perceive things so next time I'm going to just go for it and see what happens. I theorize that my mind will be more focused and my thoughts will be more...in depth. Who knows maybe I'm completely losing my mind and should just stop this post now but I feel that it could make things more interesting so who knows? I hope you understand where I'm coming from if not then call me crazy!

First Video Post!

Legions

I have definitely fallen behind in my posts for this March and February but this is my post for March 23rd. I am trying a slightly different format for this post hoping that it will make it slightly easier to post all that I wish to.

Sunrise: 7:10am - Sunset: 7:31 - Air Temp.: 13c - H2O Temp.: 9c

Weather- Sunny with part cloud cover, and a slight breeze from the north, which I have noted usually indicates a cold front coming in from the Pacific and colder weather is about to hit.

General Observations- The creek seemed shockingly lower than usual today. The grass growth along the bank is becoming very prominent, a stark green to a dull muted gold of its surrounding banks. In a general estimation I would probably say that the color differentiation of the dead to the newly growing is 20%. I'm sure that with the warm weather we have been having will spike that growth.

Also in conjunction with this lovely weather has come the emergence of legions of bugs hatching and emerging from the stream. In the right light they appear almost to represent swarms of lightning bugs glittering over the stream. Thus far I am fairly confident that they are just Mayfly Nymphs hatching, no mesquites yet.

It is amazing how fast the buds on the trees are coming along this year, already the willows are turning color to support their growth and the elm and ash trees are growing little budd balls on their upper branches.

Sound Tapestry- As far as my sound tapestry is concerned the park was pretty normal. Just consisting of the normal children, cars, creek, and a new sound; birds. They must be beginning to form their nests because their songs can be heard through the entire park. A definite sign that Summer is right around the corner.

Winter Has Slipped Away!

Wow, this month is going by fast! It's hard to keep up with everything I have going on lately. Though, it was really nice to go out and record some notes for phenology last week. It was SO beautiful outside! I am just amazed by how nice the weather has been lately. It's only March, yet it already feels like summer is here. Sadly, summer is still months away, but thankfully, spring is among us.

The few times I recorded phenology in February it wasn't too warm outside. On February 8th the air felt crisp and there was a bitter cold breeze. I could barely write, because my fingers felt numb. Snow still rested on the ground and the only grass I could see was still brown. Just weeks later, on February 22nd, I really enjoyed recording phenology because (thanks to the rain) the air smelled so fresh. Most of the snow had melted away, but the grass still looked rather ugly. Considering I love the rain, I felt inspired to take my time drawing in my journal rather than writing that much.

Now, even though it's only a month later, I feel as if the entire environment of the park has changed! The first time I recorded phenology this month was on March 13th. As I walked over to my site, I was welcomed by a bunch of gnats! It was kind of shocking, but it made me realize that spring is arriving. The second time I recorded phenology this month was on March 23rd. It was absolutely gorgeous outside, and the feeling in the air was even more joyous than the time before. While I sat under my tree I could look up and see new budds growing on the tree branches, and as I looked down on the ground I could see new green grass growing all around me. How neat!

I really like the spring time because I feel like everyone is in such high spirits. While sitting in the park, I find myself watching all the happy families, the children, the morning runners and the love birds. I notice how the mood of the park has changed so much since last month (when the sky was still grey and the park was pretty much empty.) I look forward to being able to go out for phenology again soon! Next time I go out I want to focus more on the plant life around the stream, rather than just looking at the plant life close to my tree. I hope everyone else has been enjoying this nice weather as much as I have. Let's hope it stays!

Budding Leaves

Tuesday, March 13
SPRING FEVER! As spring approaches and the sun peeks out, the trees start budding. From these buds, leaves will eventually blossom. I went out for phenology today to find several buds on the branches of the peach leaved willow located in my site. From several of these I found parts of leaves already emerging. Buds lay beneath tissues being covered by protective scales until the sun is out and they are ready to grow. The buds were about a centimeter or two in size and had a white, fuzzy texture. Although i can abserve this happening, the trees still look naked at a glance.

The Warm Days of Early Spring

     Friday was such a fantastic day outside.  The sun was out and the morning birds were singing.   It was a little breezy outside but throughout the afternoon its been very warm.  The sunrise was at 7:10 am. and the sunset was at 7:31pm.  The water depth was about 9cm.   There I saw that there was a muskrat family by the pond on Friday morning.  There were a bunch of bugs flying around by the crick plus trash around.  Other than that I just layed on the grass listening to the birds and warming up by the sun.  It has been such a beautiful day and off corse warmer than last year.  We got only two days of mosture because it rained Sunday night and turned into snow on Monday.  I did not have tennis practice on Monday because of the precipatation and then Tuesday was a very windy and cold.  On Wedsday it warmed up and so far has been really nice.

Spring time :)

I went out on March 22  and observed my phenology site by Pioneer Creek.  The water level has continued to drop.  It could be because of the liter in the creek or because we have not had a lot of rain fall yet this year. The grass is getting a lot greener and the bugs and other animals are starting to come out.  The trees in my site are doing really well.  There leaves have not started to grow back yet but I'm sure they will soon.  The weather was about 70 degrees and it was sunny with a slight breeze.  It is definitely starting to feel like spring. :)

Tennis Playing Squirrel

         On March 13 of 2012 we went out for phenology and these are notes over it. I started taking notes at 10:31 A.M. The air temperature was was ten degrees Celsius and the water temperature was five degrees Celsius out. The sunrise that day was 7:29 A.M. and the sunset was 7:18 P.M. It was a bit cloudy out that day and the creek depth was eight centimeters, the same depth as on the 22nd of February. I saw a squirrel running towards the tennis court, I think it was an American red squirrel, because it had a lot of orange fur and a bit of grey in it. I am kind of curious as to what it was going after near the tennis court. Maybe it wanted to play a game of tennis, but probably not.
        There also was a cottonwood tree about 12 meters from my spot that had already budded, which was a big difference compared to the willow tree that is next to my spot. The willow tree next to my spot barely had butted at all. I think the cottonwood will get all of its leaves before the willow at my spot. The grass also is a bit greener than it was before, and it was especially green near the creek. I also saw some buttercup growing at the edge of the creek.
         Three mallard ducks were also flying around. I think they were chasing each other, but I'm not quite sure. I only saw female mallard ducks, no males.

Phenology: A Fad that's Catching On!!!

Check out this email I recently received from Ms. Banks!

This is my Environmental science report for today, Mrs. Lord.  I saw a muskrat in the park stream about 25 yards upstream from the culvert diversion. It dove in the water and and disappeared under the west bank. Time, approximately 10:35 a.m., Friday, March 16, 2012.

It is exciting to see the level of activity we are receiving on the blog... keep up the great work! 

Muskrat Naming!

Since we have seen this mysterious furry friend twice, I believe he (or she) should be given a name! Any suggestions?

The Familiar Mallard Duck

My last phenology trip was simply pleasant. Spring felt very close, hints of green were among the dry grass, and I even celebrated by removing my shoes! But, I noted nothing particularly interesting.

I did, however, notice a happy couple of mallard ducks fly overhead. I have enjoyed these common park residents since childhood, but know little about them! Here are some facts about the friendly and familiar mallard duck!

Mallards are thought to be the most abundant duck on Earth. Although shallow, calm freshwater areas are the habitats they prefer, mallards are also found in some brackish and saltwater habitats. Males, known as drakes, sport a range of colors, a green head, chestnut body, white neckband, and bright yellow beak , to attract female attention and show strength. Females have a more unattractive appearance, drab mottled brown feathers with just a small touch of purple on the wing. Mallard ducks must have a deep appreciation for inner beauty.  They range in size from 50 to 65 cm (20-26 in), and weigh anywhere between 1 and 1.4 kg (2-3 lbs).  Nests are built on the ground, usually in a secluded area. Up to a dozen eggs are laid at a time. While they often dip their heads underwater, mallards rarely dive completely in the water. Using this method, their diet consists of fish, aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, and a range of plants. They also consume other plants and grains while on land.  The familiar “quack” sound is more often produced by females to alert of food or danger. Mallards are typically monogamous, meaning they keep the same mating partner throughout life.

The furry suprise

Tuesday, March 14, 2012

It was a very calm winter day. There was no bird activity nor human activity.Everything looked very dull. Just as I was about to go inside this FURRY MUSKRAT crawled right out of the water.It looked up at me a couple times with curiosity. He came up on the hill where he was previously digging at the grass and was looking around slowly. I assume that he was looking for food but saw me and went back into the water. It was the coolest thing. I then found where he resides -- his den! He was a light brown color and had a long tail that took up  half of his body.Muskrats can swim underwater for 12-17 minutes straight. I will be looking for him again and hopefully will be able to update any changes around his den or area.

Sorry -- can't quite turn the pic!

 Pioneer Park is a perfect place for this animal. They reside in wetland areas and are omnivores so they can eat both plants and animals. This has put everything we have been doing in this class worth while. When you start to notice that there are animals around you and live around you it becomes very rewarding to watch.

WEEPING TREE IN THE SPRING

TOP

This is the weeping tree! When I posted last I explained how it "weeps" water, and how I thought it was pulling the water from the creek. These are the first pictures I have taken since spring hit.

As you can see there is clearly water running down the side of the tree in that distinct area. Over the winter that exact area would frost over, or completely dry out. This fall I discovered that sometimes the tree would weep so much that the ground would even get wet. I cant explain the reason it weeps more some days than other days. This tree remains a huge mystery to me, and I intend to figure out the reason it weeps befor the school year ends!

MIDDLE AND BOTTOM

The New Beginning

   It is the second week of March and Daylight Savings Time just began. So it is now lighter out in the evening and darker the morning. It was around ten am. at Pioneer Park,  as I hear the morning birds singing the breezy warm temperature  I can see spring. It has been nice outside as there were clouds covering the sun. There were bugs flying around by the crick. I spotted some crows flying and sitting in the trees. Yesterday at tennis practice in the afternoon I spotted a hornet crawling around on the tennis court. That was bizarre because I don’t see them around until July. So I really wonder about that.  We barely got snow fall this year and I hope that we get some rain so we can have a nice spring.   I hope we get some rain and moisture so that we can have a nice summer.    I also hope that the weather stays nice for the spring tennis season.

Is It Spring Yet?

Days are beginning to consist of more and more light, and the temperature is starting to feel mild. So what does this mean for us phenologists? This transition from winter to spring is a perfect opportunity for us to put our observations to use! 

Roughly mid-March we marched out to the park to get business started. I start the small hike to my site and I was welcomed by a swarm of bugs! I was freaked out. It really took me off guard. The last time I checked up on my site it was basically freezing outside, and now bugs?! It really goes to show how oblivious I am to my surroundings. 

My observations differed this phenology day compared to the previous few. The most obvious change was a hint of budding on the site's tree! How exciting, am I right? They were simply making themselves known with tiny bumps on the twigs of the tree. I am unsure if it is just me getting too eager, or if green grass is peeping through the brown lawn of the park. I could have sworn it is slowly but surly getting its green shade. Interesting enough, I know for a fact that the grass framing the creek remained green basically all winter.

Notice in the picture how it literally forms perfectly around the creek. My other observations include the moss on the tree's main branches is getting a darker shade of green, and there is no under water vegetation.... yet. 

Sounds That Overcome Water

When I sit at my site all I normally hear at first is the water! Water water water! Won't it ever shut up?
Well no I suppose it won't so that's why I block out the sound of the water and opens my ears to other sounds, sadly, that sometimes doesn't work when people are still walking to their site stepping on leaves and talking to one another. The cars I hear don't help much either but if I can't hear much of anything else I still write it down on my sound tapestry.

The sounds of birds I can hear sound a lot like any common bird, I am not sure of which bird though I haven't been able to see one. Although there are times when I can actually see the birds I just can't make out which type of bird it is. I hope I'll be able to get a good view of one someday!

Other animals I love to see and hear are squirrels chasing one another through and around the trees! They're cute and it's kind of funny how they chase each other. It's fun to watch and listen to them.

Phenology in Febuary

In my last journey to my phenology site I was able to tell that it was still winter, but spring was almost here! The ducks were back, I could here birds chirping, and there was still snow on the ground are about the only major differences in the site. There was a slight breeze coming from the southwest making the winter/spring weather colder and more enjoyable. I didn't see anything to different from what is happening on the average day at the park.