Nature Walk #1
Before the nature walk, I had no idea where or what I was doing. The nearest park I found on Google Maps was 30 minutes away, which kind of dreaded my mind. Immediately after chemistry class, my friend suggested I go to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, as there is plenty of fauna and flora there. When I got there, I was really surprised with how many bird species were there. The swans especially fascinated me since it was the first time I had ever seen one, and I didn't imagine they'd be so large. I took this nature walk the 1st of October, at around 1:30 pm, and the weather was very brisk and cloudy. I started at the entrance and walked a quarter of the way around the reservoir, methodically, taking note of any distinct plants or animals I could make observations on. I saw some male and female mallards with correspondingly distinct feather patterns. This is an example of sexual dimorphism, with the male mallard having flashy green heads and the female mallards being much more muted in color to blend in with the primarily brown environment. The swans occasionally flipped upside-down in the water with their feet in the air. I have learned that this is how they feed. In contrast to the mallard, which feeds on the surface of the water. This represents a niche that the swans occupy since they have very long necks. This is an example of natural selection over time since they have gained more efficient feeding through longer necks by means of selection and random mutations. I choose to identify these species due to their distinct morphological characteristics, as that would make them easier to identify.