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Blog Post 1
The area I have selected for my field research project is an approximately 0.021204 km^2 stretch of land surrounding my house. Located in Springwater Ontario the area is flat and has a dense boreal forest that sustains a rich biodiversity of insects, small mammals, reptiles, and birds. The ganaraska trail runs through this area along with a few other man made hiking trails. There are very few houses nearby meaning that with the exception of the trails, there is little to no evidence of human activity.
There is a seasonal pond that is approximately 0.015 km^2 of still water which has now turned into a field of lady ferns. The area around the pond is flat which makes the ground damp and muddy. After thunderstorms, which are common during Ontario summers, the pond and surrounding area floods.
First Visit
- June 29th, 11:34, 28*C, sunny with some cloud coverage, humidity of 55%
- 44.51604 N, 79.746865 W
- Springwater Ontario
- Boreal forest
Wildlife:
- Garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
- American robin (Turdus migratorius)
- Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)
- Fowler’s Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri)
- Chipmunk (Tamis striatus)
- Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
- American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
- Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)
- Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus)
Vegetation:
- Alternate-Leaf Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
- Black Spruce (Picea mariana)
- Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
- Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana)
- Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
- Blue Beech (Carpinus caroliniana)
- Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)
- Orange Lily (Lilium bulbiferum)
- Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
Notes:
- The pond has optimal conditions for mosquitoes to breed
- There are 2 new fallen trees after the most recent thunderstorm
- The presence of the snakes has led to a noticeable decline in mice and toad populations around the house
- Robins nest with 3 eggs approximately 3ft off the ground in an Emerald Green tree
- 4 Garter snakes that live in our wood pile
- Eastern Wood-Pewee nest with 4 hatchlings on the back deck
- I lifted up a small log that was blocking the trail and underneath was a Spotted Salamander
- Many Fowler’s toads on walk to the pond
Questions:
- How does the weather affect the snakes behaviour?
- How long does it take for the baby birds to leave the nest?
- Is the soil more fertile at the pond than it is around the house?
