It’s another beautiful day in Ethan Allen Park! Again, it’s been about 2 weeks since our last visit, but not much has changed this time around. Last week we saw drastic changes in the foliage and tree cover. The only thing that has changed this week is a few more leaves have fallen. Most of the trees are completely bare now or only have two or three wrinkly leaves clinging on for dear life. The large Red Oak in my spot still has a good amount of its leaves, but it has dropped quite a few over the past couple weeks. The forest floor has become more of a monotone orangish-brown, as many of the fallen leaves are starting to decay into the soil. I can now see the soil on the trails, and that is most likely a combination of wind, rain, and natural decomposition.

Two very shocking things happened during my visit today (one is a little more concerning than the other…). I decided to explore the cliffs a little more today, and as I was walking along the edge, I found a beautiful new view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks, but the only problem was that it was mostly blocked by a large tree. However, I realized that I could get a clear shot of the view if I climbed up onto a rock that was sitting on the edge. I wasn’t really thinking everything through, as I was so excited by the prospect of a clear view of the lake, and I attempted to climb up onto the rock, with my camera occupying my right hand. I tried to grab onto a small tree that was growing out of a crack in the rock as I vaulted myself upwards, but it wasn’t as sturdy as it looked, and I slipped. Luckily, I managed to regain my footing before I toppled over the ledge, all while keeping my camera safe. I now realize that this was not the best decision, especially since I was alone. I don’t think I’m going to be too adventurous next week… The second dramatic thing that occurred this afternoon was that I almost stepped on Fred! I couldn’t see him because he has now turned a greyish-maroon color and he blended right in with the forest floor! I felt so awful and knelt down to check that he was OK, and I discovered that something has been nibbling on one of this leaves! I am now concerned for Fred’s safety, and will monitor his situation very closely over the coming weeks.

Surprisingly, I didn’t see any grey squirrels in my spot radius this week, but I did see a few run across the main trail. I did discover a brand new animal in the park, however. After I had left my spot and returned to the parking lot, I had a bit of car trouble. As I was on the phone with my car company, I noticed a beautiful male pileated woodpecker on the trunk of a tree just on the edge of the park. As soon as I figured out my car problems, I grabbed my camera and snuck over to the tree. I got as close as I could without spooking the bird, and I got a couple shots of it before it flew away. When I was up close to the tree, I also noticed two female pileated woodpeckers hopping amongst the upper branches.

All in all, this was a pretty good visit to Ethan Allen Park. I’m almost certain it was warmer today than it was two weeks ago, which made this walk through the woods even more enjoyable. The only thing I’m not happy with is Daylight Savings. It was 2:45 when I left my spot, and it felt like it should have been at least 6:00. The sun was already starting to set, and the construction workers had already left for the day. I guess I’m going to have to start visiting Ethan Allen Park in the mornings! Anyway, see you next week!

*Photography for this week*