Study in the meadow

For the past few posts I've alluded to new one year studies I've been working on, while if you look closely enough you can find subtle changes through winter it's all pretty much the same from a wide photographic standpoint. But here we are in April, what a month April is, the bringer of changes, and flipping through the photos it becomes apparent just how abrupt those changes are. The last two photos in the first slideshow are just under a week apart! Both series are taken from the same spot, just facing different directions, the names are for the trail that they're facing. 
Taken at Barnes Preserve from the Pollinator Sign Post. Enjoy!

Pollinator Post Short Loop

Just to the right of the image is the ecotone - the transitional area between the woods and the meadow. This area is more active with wildlife and is more protected from the elements of the open meadow. 

Pollinator Post Long Loop

This area shows the vast open meadow that is undergoing natural succession - where trees and shrubs move into an open area by way of wind, animals, and humans transferring seeds. The open-ness of the area allows new plants to take hold due to lack of competition.