Observations

**__Ali and Gabby's Observations__**

Hello and welcome to our observation page! Here you will find the things that we observed during our visits to Flat Rock Brook throughout the year.


 * __Fall Observations__**

During the fall, we didn't get to see any fish. The water had not frozen over at the time we went, but there were a lot of leaves in the water. The fish could have been underneath some of them, or perhaps in a different part of Flat Rock.


 * __Winter Observations__**

During the winter, the water in Flat Rock had frozen over, and so it was very hard to see where the fish were. However, with the help of Mr. McNeil, we were able to find the places the fish (once the water would thaw and we would be able to see) would most likely be. Some of the places were: Location 1, 2, 3, and 4. (Look at the map and table below) **__Spring Observations __**

|| Location ( from GPS) || Description || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)">40°56.765 N 073355.135 W || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)"><span style="DISPLAY: block; COLOR: rgb(255,0,253); TEXT-ALIGN: left">The part of the brook by Jones Road and the playground. Towards the end, right by the bridge, the water is deep enough for the fish to have a lot of room to swim. || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)">40°N 75°W || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)"><span style="DISPLAY: block; COLOR: rgb(255,0,226); TEXT-ALIGN: left">Along the stream as you follow the brook (from Jones Road) further into Flat Rock Brook || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)">40°52.718 N 073°57.824 W || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)"><span style="DISPLAY: block; COLOR: rgb(255,0,236); TEXT-ALIGN: left">McFaddon's Pond, by the Mystery Bridge || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)"> || <span style="COLOR: rgb(242,69,204)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)"><span style="DISPLAY: block; COLOR: rgb(234,72,226); TEXT-ALIGN: left">Quarry Pond, which is by the Nature Center Building and Main Entrance || <span style="DISPLAY: block; COLOR: rgb(0,10,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)"> || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">Fish || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">Temperature || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">pH || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">Oxygenated || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">thirty (±10)<span style="DISPLAY: block; COLOR: rgb(0,10,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="DISPLAY: block; COLOR: rgb(0,10,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left"> <span style="DISPLAY: block; COLOR: rgb(0,10,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left"> || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">15.0°C || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">7.3 || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">89.9 || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">No Fish || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">13.7°C || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">7.92 || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">94.2 || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">No Fish || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">13.8°C || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">8.0 || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">88.5 || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">Look at below chart for May 23rd data Main Part of Pond (facing parking lot)
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)">Location
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)">1
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)">2
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)">3
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,90,221)">4
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">Location
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">1
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">2
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">3
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">4

Part of Pond by deck || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">

23.0°C

17.5°C || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">6.3 7.15 || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)">Machine was unavailable Machine was unavailable || <span style="COLOR: rgb(237,74,234)"> We were able to go to Flat Rock on May 21 and finally got to see fish! We only found them in Location #1 (see above in Winter Observations) We saw about thirty fish (__+__ 10) in that spot. They varied in size from about one inch (the really small ones) to three inches long. They were grey and had black and white stripes (one of each) across the sides of their bodies. <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">We looked in the other locations except in #4, but were unable to find more fish. We think that (based on observation alone) that this is because in the other places (except for McFaddon's Pond and Location #1), the water was too shallow for the fish to swim in. The water in some places along the brook, in addition to being shallow, moved very quickly. In addtion, there were many rocks in the water. In McFaddon's Pond, the water was not very fast, and altough it was deep in some places, we did not see any fish. We think (again, on observation alone) that we did not see fish from our view from the bridge and large rock next to the pond because the water was a little shallow in that part and it was dirty. There were some shiny parts of the water (it looked like an oil-ish substance; look at the picture below) and there was a layer of, what we think comes from the plants that covers the pond. It did not look as clear as the part of the brook where we saw the fish in. In Location #1, the water was deep, clear, and slow moving, which we think the fish like and that's why they live there.

__May 23rd__

On the 23rd, we were able to go to McFaddon's Pond and check the pH and get some more obsevations on the fish. We saw the mosquito fish (described more in depthly below) as well as some sun fish. There were a lot more mosquito fish, and they usually gathered very close to the shore and were found in large numbers (again, similar to the data below; the groups ranged from 15-35 fish per group). The sun fish however, were usually alone. They cleared out parts of the water (in circular shapes), moving the leaves and other plants from their territory. They would then stay in their own "spots". Some of the sun fish would be in larger groups, usually around 10-15 per group, and would simply stay in one spot of the water, about ten feet from the shore. They wouldn't move very much.

__May 25th__

On the 29th, a Thursday, we were able to go as a group with Mr. McNeil to the same location to gather more data. The environment was different here, because it was isolated from the other waterways. There was also a lot more animal life present. There was a long stretch of the pond on its edge so Gabby started, from the beginning of the most left region, and slowly walked a set of five steps while I, Ali, recorded the number and type of fish. In total, the pond had 10 sets, equalling a total of 50 steps. Gabby wears a size eight so one can do the math as to how long the stretch was. || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">Number of fish || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">40 ± 5 There were small fish. || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">25 ± 5 There were at most 5 big fish. The rest were small fish. || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">40 ± 5 There were at most 4 or 5 big fish. The rest were small fish. || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">45 ± 5 There were at most 4 fish. The rest were small fish. || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">0 + 5 There were at most 5 big fish. || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">0 + 5 There were some small fish. || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">0 + 5 There were at most 5 big fish. || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">20 ± 5 There were at most 2 fish. The rest were small fish. || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">none || || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">none There was one big fish however. This was a sunfish. || <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)"> //Description of Fish//
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">Set of 5 steps
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">1
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">2
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">3
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">4
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">5
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">6
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">7
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">8
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">9
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(236,50,222)">10

Gabby was able to wear the swimming suit to go into the pond and catch the fish for research. I brought the trusty bucket. After speaking to a ranger who works at Flat Rock Brook, she told us that there were only a few types of fish in the pond. There were only mosquito/gambusia fishes (small fish) and sunfishes. Here is a picture of the fishes. We noticed that the mosquito/gambusia fish did not have tails and were metallic. They also had a dot on their belly. See the fish page for more gambusia/sunfish information. <span style="COLOR: rgb(231,46,234)"> //Analysis//

Why were there no fish in set 5 - 7? Gabby and I noted that in these areas, there was no sunlight compared to the other areas that had a lot of sunlight. Therefore, fish must tend to live in areas where there is more sunlight. Possibly, the sunlight may cause for more photosynthesis to occur and therefore there would be more plants for the fish to either eat or hide in to avoid predators. Here is a picture of areas 5 - 7 with the shade.



<span style="COLOR: rgb(240,66,237)">In addition, in set 10, there was a sunfish and we realized that these fishes made clearings to live in. Here is a picture of this clearing. We did not find the fish in any other areas besides the clearing, unless something/someone intervened and disturbed it. With the help of Ranger Jill, we found out that sun fish do this to mark their territory. She also told us that they are very territorial fish and will fight other animals (the large snapping turtle included) to defend their area. The males clear the area, and then the females inspect it, and if they find it satisfactory, the females will mate with the males.



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