This week I wandered back to my phenology spot after a 3-week long trip home. I knew it was going to be a very different site than what I left. Because of the rain recently, the reservoir created by the beaver was swollen and flooded. This had forced more walking paths to be placed down on the way to the red-railed bridge. Now that the leaves were changing color, I could quickly identify a White Oak on the far outskirts of my spot, as well as various eastern hemlock and white pine mixed hardwoods.
I also was able to really identify the grasses. Most of what I saw was simply common reed, but there were some goldenrod and grasses I couldn’t quite recall mixed in. The goldenrod no longer had really any color to it but was mostly dead near the trail. I was also sad to see that I couldn’t notice much progress with the dam, but it was still held incredibly firmly, and I hope the beavers are still active.
