Today I visited Red Rocks Park for the second time to explore its phenology. I sat peacefully in the center of my spot for 15 minutes and took the time to observe my surroundings. There were a few distant birds as well as the rustling leaves of the trees. Most of the noise, though, was made by passing hikers and a group of children who seemed eager to get to the end of the trail. There was a persistent gust of wind that caused some leaves to fall around me. As I spent this time in my spot, I drew a birds-eye map of my surroundings. I recorded the trees I observed that surrounded me and where they are in relation to other species around them.
Since my previous visit I have noticed that many of the leaves have fallen off the trees surrounding my spot. The two Northern Red Oaks that I sat between had the most leaves left on them. The maple trees I observed at my last visit were now completely bare whereas some young American Beech trees near me still held onto many leaves that only had just begun turning color.