Centennial Brook Valerie & Abby
Oct 8, 2019 Whether Conditions: 61 degrees, sunny, no wind Soil Conditions: Moist/wet
Observations:
Defining features: foot bridge, brook, and the Green Ash trees on the edge of the water
Character/Atmosphere of place: It’s a very calming and peaceful area that receives direct sunlight. Listening to the water and birds while laying in the sun is a great way to destress and focus on the surrounding area.
How to get there: begin at entrance of centennial woods and then follow the path on the main trail until you reach a brook with a foot bridge
What its like there: Open clearing, can hear the trickling of water and birds, quiet despite being so close to a busy road
Compared to last visit, the leaves have noticeably started to change colors. In this specific area, yellow is the predominant fall leaf color. Although, much of the vegetation is still green in areas. This is due to the variety of tall grasses, weeds, and Buckthorn that surround the brook.
Due to heavy rain the previous day, the brook was cloudy from the churning of sediments. The water level had also noticeably risen along with the velocity of the brook. In addition, the muddy bottom could no longer be seen and the rock bridge that usually protrudes from the water was nearly covered.
While sitting in the sun and observing the surrounding area, a Blue jay call could be heard and water striders darted back and forth across the water. If you closely looked into the water, small dark shadows of minnows could be seen beneath the surface. At one point, a chipmunk ran past with cheeks stuffed to maximum capacity with food.
