Syndicate Road Woods – October 9, 2009 – 9:00 A.M.

As soon as I step out of Mission it begins to rain.  The sky is overcast, the air is damp, and the temperature is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so I realize why it was not Mountain Day today.  Walking to the site, I already notice some changes from the previous week.  The leaves are now a much deeper yellow than before, and many of them form a colorful, crunchy blanket over the sidewalk.  I also notice that the New York aster on the east side of Syndicate Road that caught my attention last week with its brilliant light-blue coloring now appears duller and its blooms have shriveled.  I hear the rain pounding faster against the leaves, but under the canopy of trees I am now safe and dry.  I identify the leaves that have fallen to the ground as maple, beech and elm, and begin to search for their mother trees.  At first I was surprised not to see any oak trees or leaves, but then I notice a tall oak at the northeast corner of the wood which still retains many of its leaves.  I also observe more coniferous trees in the wood, whose green needles are now more apparent against the autumn colored backdrop.  Many of the shrubs that are very populous in the Syndicate Road Woods are still green.  This makes me wonder if they are exotic plants, which would account for their quantity and their green leaves.  Many of the small trees, which I believe to be elms, also retain their green color.

Heading closer to the stream, I can hear the results of the recent rain as the water flows noisily out from under Syndicate Road through the culvert.  I see that some orange foam has again gathered near the culvert, and I wonder its cause.  What then immediately catches my attention is a small tree with bright pink leaves.  The leaves are growing in an opposite growth pattern but droop towards the ground in a floppy manner.  This tree may be a sumac.  Near to the stream, I see something I hadn’t noticed before.  Halfway up the trunk of a tall trembling aspen is a growth of large green leaves that look a bit like maples.  They seem to be connected to vines growing from the ground which then twist around the trunk of the aspen as well.  I wonder if this plant is killing the tree, or if the two are living in harmony. 

Although I do not see any animals besides an ant scurrying down a log, I do notice the absence of the mosquitoes that pestered me during the beginning of September.  I do, however, spot holes at the bases of many trees that appear to be chipmunk homes.  Birds chirp all around me, but I can only pick out a few specific calls.  First, a bird makes a shrill chirp in an even rhythm about once every three seconds.  Another joins in with a deeper, more frequent chirp about two times per second.  And of course, I hear the caws of many crows hidden among the tree branches.

This time I decide to explore a new exit from the woods, and I head east towards the Poker Flats field.  I come across a small trench emerging southeast from the stream which contains no water.  The trench also comes to a stop about twenty feet from the stream.  I wonder if this trench was formed by humans or as a result of natural causes.  Exploring further, I find that the eastern side of the wood is much different than the western side.  There are fewer shrubs and small trees on the east side, which makes the atmosphere much more open.  The small trees that are present have been stripped of their leaves, which could be a result of seasonal changes but is probably due to the presence of deer who like to eat the leaves close to the ground.  This side of the wood also has a higher ratio of conifers to deciduous plants, and their dead needles and pine cones cover the ground.  I find a new type of tree with large heart-shaped leaves which I cannot seem to identify.  I then come across a circular indent of land that is a bit deeper than the surrounding terrain.  It runs about 15 feet North/South and 10 feet East/West.  Although it is dry, I believe that it was once filled with water, and I wish to explore its purpose further.  Perhaps it is even a vernal pool.