Returning for the final time in 2022 I watched as the very last of the leaves (mostly maples), looking already dead or dying, clung to the tips of branches, occasionally falling; the once roaring sound of leaves rustling in the wind was now only a trickle, despite the winds that prevailed, cutting through the fleece sweater my grandma had sent me, as well as the sweatshirt and shirt I had on underneath.
Following the path of the leaves to the ground underneath my feet, you can see a few changes. The most notable of which is a lack of color in the leaf litter. The last time I’d visited a few yellow fallen leaves prevailed in adding color to the woods all the way into November. But now, you will only find soft brown leaves and needles… with a few odd exceptions. As I scanned the trail I noticed a few leaves that looked white and almost translucent. I don’t know if they were like this before having fallen during the fall, but I assume that they were once green (and eventually yellow/brown as the temperature dropped) but lost their pigment while lying in the dirt. A google search only led me to guides on how to get rid of a powdery white mold from leaves, but that seems to be a reference to people trying to care for their indoor potted plants.
Another peculiarity I noticed was a few tiny spots of what appeared to be bright orange, slimy mold (fungus?) growing on the end of a fallen log. A second google search brought up photos of orange mushrooms, but those were too obviously mushroom-like. What I noticed could just as easily be some child’s spilled jello that stuck to this log.
The only other thing adding color to the otherwise brown forest are the intermediate wood ferns, the few red berries remaining on an otherwise bare shrub (Japanese barberry?), the various moss/lichens growing on fallen logs, as well as living trees, and, if you look up, the green needles of the conifers.
The only signs of animals in my spot were the calls of birds above me, out of sight. I believe I heard some crowns (ravens?) and chickadees, if I correctly matched what I heard to a clip on youtube.
One thing that I’ve noticed for a while now is how common it is to see what looks like small trees/branches curling around another tree/branch. I assume these trees are using the other as support as it grows (like beans with corn stalks), but I’m curious if there is another reason this is happening. It looks almost as if someone has cultivated them to look this way, given how beautiful and intricate the design is – as if it were about to be turned into a piece of furniture or decoration for an ornate tree house.
I think the thing I like most about my phenology site is just the fact that it has encouraged me to get out of my room/off campus and spend some time outside. Going back to the same spot every few weeks has become a ritual of sorts, where I get to walk to the woods with a friend and then separate for a while as our paths split, taking the time to notice my surroundings and listening to the sounds of birds and leaves in the wind.