Awasiwi Trail Walk Photos- SBFiN

    South Burlington Families in Nature                    Awasiwi Trail Walk Report & Photos

Saturday, April 9, 2016  

• Weather conditions: Temperature 32-34 degrees, mostly sunny. Winds 11-12 mph. I dressed in an undershirt, shirt, over-shirt, sweater, winter coat, long-johns.-yup it was cold. Yet the sunshine was uplifting. 
• Guests; Don Miller Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, VT State Colleges and consulting Field Biologist and Naturalist. Don was very gracious in offering us not only IDs of various plants, trees, and birds we observed but also some history and other information as we walked the trail.
• Other guests: Christian, Khushbu, and an eight-year-old young man and perhaps soon-to-be citizen scientist.  
• Birds: We observed a Downy woodpecker, Cardinal, Chickadees, Eastern Phoebe (thx to Don), and a Mallard. There were numerous signs of Pileated activity-cavities and wood chips. 
• Vernal pools along the way showed promise for birthing creatures soon. Don heard a small chorus of wood frogs north of one of the vernal pools. "I'm always amazed that that species is fully active in waters which [would] kill any human of hypothermia in probably 30 minutes or less. How do they do it? Answer - It's all in the enzymes! ..."
• Critter alert: The shy creature I spotted on my pre-walk scouting trip did not peep out of the pipe this time around.   
• Old car -The very old car on the side of the trail appeared to have moved about a millimeter since last viewed. Perhaps its owner still walks this trail.
• The mystery (conjoined dual species of trees) is still somewhat of a mystery or oddity, or in our minds, a special sighting. See in photos below. Nice observation by our young man noting that they are not only joined at the hip but also are two different species. 
• Duration: 2 hours
• Awasiwi trail offered us much to observe, discuss, and appreciate. We also enjoyed each other's company. 

New Outdoor/Nature convert: Our young guest admitted at the beginning of the walk, that he had more or less been coerced into coming on the walk. By the end of the walk, he offered up that he had changed his mind. I asked what he now thought of the walk and he replied, "It was fun!".  

Pileated Woodpecker's
kitchen cupboard.

 Mallard

I hope you are leaving bread crumbs along the trail
so we can find our way back.

Remember to look up. 

Troll bridge

Our Mystery TreeS. 

I conquered Yellow Hill!

Click on SBFiN tab at the top of this website to see program details, family nature resources, park photos, maps, and information on future walks (held every 2 weeks).

SBFiN Mission

 Connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent walking along SB natural area trails, learning, and volunteering outdoors. ~Bernie, Executive Director of SBFiN

SBFiN Program description 
South Burlington Families in Nature offers Community Outreach walks 2x per month from spring through fall.  The goal of our Community Outreach Program is to introduce families to SB natural areas through guided walks, and nature observations

---------------------------------------------------------------
PRE-WALK POSTING: Below are some observations from my scouting trip to the Awasiwi trail; photos of what we might see and perhaps what we might discuss. 

She came out to see what she could see.
Won't you come outside, on the Awasiwi trail with us,
to see what you can see?

Some critter was HUNGRY.

Is 

it

spring yet?

Streaky tan - The critter should apply sunscreen more carefully! ~Maeve

About a third of the way, the trail crosses Hinesburg Rd. The trail begins again about 100 feet up the road. 

Liked the trail so much, never came back for his car.

I love doing the boardwalk, boardwalk.

Some leaves are procrastinators.

Wonder who lives in here.

 Notice anything peculiar about these trees?

These folks walk s l o w l y.
 They hadn't gotten very far when I returned.

What did you observe on your walk?

Click on SBFiN tab at the top of this website to see program details, family nature resources, park photos, maps, and information on future walks (held every 2 weeks).

SBFiN Mission

 Connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent walking along SB natural area trails, observing and learning,  outdoors. ~Bernie, Executive Director of SBFiN

SBFiN Program description 
South Burlington Families in Nature offers Community Outreach walks 2x per month from spring through fall.  The goal of our Community Outreach Program is to introduce families to SB natural areas through guided walks, and nature observations.