FJ Camel's Hump

Date: 27 May 2021
Time: 7:25 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Camel’s Hump State Park at the Burrows Trail
Weather: cloudy to mostly cloudy, mild wind, ~50ºF Alpine zone: cloudy, strong wind, ~40ºF
Habitat: LOWER: This area consisted of a mixed forests with the majority of the trees being deciduous. The species were Hemlock (which were usually smaller both by girth and height), Green Ash, a variety of maple trees, North American Birch, American Beech trees. These trees appeared to be 70 years old or younger. There was plentiful undergrowth that consisted of saplings of all the previously listed species as well as many variations of ferns. Woody shrubs were present at waist height as well as different grasses and leaves which were about ankle to mid shin height. There were some flowering plants with small white flowers. The ground was moist from the recent rains. The canopy was almost completely full, but with only one or two layers of leaves and holes throughout. The wind did now penetrate much here.
UPPER: This area is a designated subalpine and alpine zone. There were mountain birch and hemlock and pine at the beginning of the subalpine zone. The canopy was mostly covered except for the path because all of the trees were very concentrated here. There was also a lot of downed trees, most likely from the constant winds and the recent rain loosening up the soils. Bright green moss was covering almost every tree trunk. This area was also very foggy and moist because it was the beginning of being in the clouds at a thicker level. Lichen also grew all over these trees which continued into the alpine zone. In this area the boulders and exposed bedrock were much more prevalent. At the very top in the true alpine zone there was very short spruce trees, which are evolved to be short, so they don’t suffer so much from the wind. The summit was just exposed bedrock with lichen and crustose lichen (which is more yellow/green and softer). The wind was at least 20 mph in this area, so birds were not able to fly around safely causing the few that existed up there to stay in the trees.

Coniferous: Winter Wren
Deciduous: Red-eyed vireo, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Least Flycatcher, Ovenbird
Generalist Forest: Black-throated Green Warbler, Veery

Posted on 27 May, 2021 20:12 by catherinegullo22