Some change that have occurred since my last visit include more leaf litter on the ground and less leaf canopy on the trees. On the maple trees, however, the leaves have not dropped at all. They have changed colors, with the entrance of my spot having one red maple with bright red leaves, another red maple with bright orange leaves, and a third red maple with bright green leaves (still!!). I noticed more animal species this visit, such as red squirrels and chipmunks. A garter snake was seen as well, moving from the gravel path into the taller grass. Gray squirrels were seen on the outskirts of the spot. A praying mantis and a downy woodpecker was seen on the road leading to my spot. I saw a second woodpecker, and I believe it is a female downy woodpecker, but I am not positive. I spotted new mushroom growth on the side of the trail as well, with mushrooms I have never seen before! I have attached some photos of the snake, the downy woodpecker, praying mantis, and more below.
The garter snake heading towards the grass on the edge of the gravel path. Levine, J. (October 11th, 2020). The three red maples, one with bright red leaves, one with bright orange leaves, and one with bright green leaves Levine, J. (October 22th, 2020). The praying mantis seen on the path leading towards my phenology spot Levine, J. (October 11th, 2020). The mushrooms! iNaturalist identified them as “inky caps”! Levine, J. (October 22th, 2020). The female woodpecker spotted. Levine, J. (October 22th, 2020). Another photo of the three red maples. I was absolutely fascinated by this, as they are all located in the same exact spot, with the same soils and the same weather patterns. But, different nutrients have remained in the trees. Levine, J. (October 22th, 2020). A photo of the landscape. As you can see, a good amount of dominant have retained their leaves, and the smaller trees have dropped all of their leaves. Levine, J. (October 22th, 2020). A final photo of these bright red, red maple trees! Levine, J. (October 22th, 2020).
