Four Season Virtual Tree Trail

At the Trailhead in the Winter

 

Winter is a time when many tree species are dormant.  Tree identification can be a little more challenging, and it is a time to look carefully at buds, twigs and bark.  Many features of the landscape stand out in sharp relief.  The air is crisp, and there's a quiet beauty to the winter woods.  Mosses and ferns add color, as do the many types of fungi that can be found along the trail.  But all is not still in the winter woods.  The voices of winter visitors like the White-throated Sparrow and the Red-breasted Nuthatch are sometimes heard along the trail.

 
The Trailhead in Winter


Our earliest breeding bird, the Great Horned Owl, is on the nest by the end of January, and in late winter and early spring you may hear the begging cries of the young owls. 

Winter Moss

Upland Chorus Frogs and Spring Peepers call on mild winter days.  Salamanders like the Streamside Salamander and the Tiger Salamander breed in January.  As you walk from the trailhead, note the many limestone outcroppings visible on  the left of the trail.  Many of the trees and shrubs along the trail thrive in limestone rich environments.   After walking up a gentle slope, you will find Station One on the left.

   
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