12:00 pm, 53 degrees Fahrenheit

As discussed before, it is important to know the spot I chose is divvied by a wooden dock trail. What I mean is, the trail people take to get through my spot is made of wooden planks. When one enters my spot from Catamount Drive, they will see that the brook flows by on the right, while the left is taken up by low growing plants and some trees scattered throughout. A rough sketch of the place can be found here:

Part 1: Vegetation

On the left

One major change recently in terms of vegetation is that all but one of the Sugar Maples on this side have lost all their leaves, which are shriveling slowly on the ground. Most of the trees which take up this area are sugar maples (Acer saccharum). I could tell the one tree with leaves left was close to losing them. Another tree in the area is called Guelder-rose (Viburnum opulus), which also still had some leaves left.

There’s a chest-high plant with fuzz on top which takes up most of the spot, called Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), is taking it’s time to change color. Like last time, a lot of the plants of this type are still green. Yet quite a few of them are changing to yellow, or completely shriveled and dead. There’s more of a spectrum from green to dead than there was last time, but a surprising amount is still green.

Another low growing plant which is also taking it’s time changing color is a plant with wide leaves in clusters, called Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis). The Canada goldenrod seems to be out-competing it; there’s only a few growths.

On the right

From upstream to downstream as you come into my spot, you come across a tree with red berries, which may be Chinese crab apple (Malus spectabilis). Past it is another sugar maple, and then a couple more Canada goldenrods. Across the brook is a triangular peninsula, which the brook goes around. On top of the peninsula is another sugar maple, and some grass called Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), which appears mostly yellowed and almost dead.

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Part 2: Other notes

In the brook are little brook minnows (C. inconstans). They tend to hang out in corners of the brook where flow is minimal.

Most of the miscellaneous notes I took addressed the right side, closer to the brook. Between the sugar maple and the fuzzy plants, there’s a gap with human footprints and shiny liquid, which could be gasoline. This is a disturbing observation I have made since first coming to the spot. As far as other observations about the soil, it looks exactly the same; smooth throughout except where the brook flows, which is mostly small stones. The topography hasn’t changed despite the rain.