Changes in my Surroundings
This week Salmon Hole is in peak foliage! With gorgeous yellows, oranges, and reds popping through the woods, I arrived at my phenology spot at the perfect time. First, the many Boxelders present are showing their bright yellow leaves off, with a little bit of the Red Maple’s scarlet leaves left to contrast them nicely. There are lots of leaves left in the trees as well as plenty of fallen leaves left on the ground, meaning fall isn’t over just yet!
Compared to my last visit to Salmon Hole, it is a lot more bright in the woods as the fallen leaves have allowed for more sunlight to come through. My previously dark phenology spot is now bright and full of autumn colors! This also means that it is a lot more windy in the woods because there is not as much plant cover to block the windy weather from on the water from hitting you while walking by. This wind coupled with the dropping temperatures outside makes for a chilly time of observation.
I also observed the wildlife nearby. Last time we heard many birds singing, saw a snake slither past us, and watched a gaggle of geese on a nearby island. This time, I spotted no geese and heard very few birds, but I observed many squirrels attempting to build up their winter food storage. Even though there were no acorns or nuts in the area near us, it didn’t stop the squirrels from searching for the entirety of my time there.
The Japanese Knotweed and Japanese Stiltgrass invasions are still holding strong and very prevalent along the walking path as seen on my last visit. It does not look like they have increased in their land coverage, though, which is good for the other native plants around them.
Sitting in Silence
I decided to sit in silence this time at my phenology spot, rather than running around identifying plants like my last time there. I picked a seat in the middle of my phenology spot, surrounded by large trees, and observed the area around me to the best of my ability. I first noticed how silent it was. This spot is far enough away from homes or roads that there is barely any societal noises present. Aside from the babbling river and a few squeaks of squirrels and chirps of birds, it was serene. Deep red and vibrant yellow leaves silently floated to the ground, landing atop of other leaves of their same kind. Some, mainly from a Boxelder perched right along the riverbed, would fall into the water and float away.
With nothing else to focus on aside from the nature around me, I began to think about all of the changes this plot of land has seen since it’s creation. People have carved a pathway through it, littered the shore with trash, metal, and tires, and discarded old cement and rocks into a massive pile, killing whatever plants were once under it. The human impacts on this land are not initially noticed, but through observation it is clear how little of this land is unaltered.
Additionally, there has been significant impact on the plants nearby due to invasive Japanese Knotweed and Japanese Stiltgrass. The Japanese Knotweed has taken over a large section of the land at my spot and prevented sunlight and nutrients from reaching the other plants nearby. I believe this is what caused a whole section of trees to die off. The Japanese Stiltgrass has also covered most of the understory and ground, meaning other plants don’t have a chance to grow and successfully reproduce in those areas.
While there are many different topics observed in my time sitting at my phenology spot, my main observation was how much humans have littered this area and altered the land in drastic ways. Hopefully one day this spot will restore itself back to its original healthy status so it can be enjoyed for years to come. See you later with another update on my Salmon Hole phenology spot!