ERS 346 - Outing #5
Date: Monday, December 2, 2019
Time: 16:30-17:00h
Duration: 30min
Location: Waterloo Park in Waterloo, ON
Weather: -1 degrees Celsius; overcast
Habitat/Vegetation Type: mixed deciduous forest; urban park
Waterloo park is an urban park in the heart of Waterloo. It is surrounded by urban development and contains many elements meant for human recreation such as soccer fields, playgrounds, and paved paths. Despite these urban features, there is an abundance of forested area where many types of wildlife can usually be found. Laurel Creek runs through the park and provides a ready source of water. The riparian zone, however, is poorly developed meaning the stream quality may be poor. With several mm of snow on the ground, vegetation was difficult to identify. Some stands of dead burdock and goldenrod were left standing. The understory was dense, which would not allow larger wildlife to navigate easily. All the leaves had fallen by this time, though some stands of sumac could still be identified.
The snow made wildlife tracks more visible, though it had to be distinguished from dog prints. Some prints appeared to have a hopping pattern, possibly a small rabbit or squirrel. More recognizable squirrel tracks were found later on leading into the forested area. No actual squirrels were observed. They have concentrated themselves at the University of Waterloo, where many can be seen dumpster diving for food.
Some crows could be heard in the distance, but none were observed. Two different groups of Canadian geese were spotted flying overhead in an easterly direction. Given that all the vegetation has gone dormant and the amount of snow on the ground, it is likely most wildlife have either migrated to areas with more favourable conditions or they are in a state of dormancy. Interestingly, many birds can still be seen around the University of Waterloo campus, whereas this semi-natural area appeared void of wildlife. They may be feeding on human sources of food.
Comentarios
Añade un comentario