Tyler Starr: 11/01 pm, Botanical Gardens

Tyler Starr

1 November 2008 from 1700-1715

Location: The Martha Springer Botanical Gardens

Weather: 60 ̊ F, slight breeze, cloudy, wet ground from earlier rains

General: The ground of the gardens is covered in leaves soaked in water, squishing as I walk around. Many small birds are very active right now. There is a pack of about 15 small birds that flies from tree to tree, chirping and jumping from branch to branch. I identified a couple of chickadees in the group, but the others were difficult to identify. One bird had a grey body with black head and neck (see picture) , but I couldn’t find a similar bird in the Field Guide. I also got a good view of a very small, plump bird with gray colorings (see picture). As I was about to leave, I saw a gray hummingbird that was sucking nectar from a flower (the one I took a picture of a bee in a couple of weeks ago). It darted very quickly from flower to flower. I saw it go to two flowers on the one plant, then fly toward Sparks and hover over another flower for a moment, and then it flew away to the west. It moved very sporadically, hovering in midair for a brief second, before darting off in another direction.

Tyler Starr: 11/01 am, Mill Stream by Jackson Plaza

Tyler Starr

1 November 2008 from 1215-1230

Location: The steps on Jackson Plaza over the Mill Race

Weather: 60 ̊ F, no wind, cloudy

General: The Mill Stream is extremely low. Far more rocks are visible than usual on the banks and in the middle of the stream. The water is probably about 6 inches deep in the middle, and just an inch or 2 near where I sat. The weeds that usually sway with the current are exposed to the air in many places. Leaves that have fallen from the trees aren’t drifting down the stream and instead gather in large clumps. Yesterday I saw ducks walking around in the Mill Race while feeding, rather than swimming, which was a pretty amusing sight. I think the water is slightly higher today than yesterday, but it is still very low. I wonder if the level is actually controlled by people as I have heard, and I wonder why the water is so low right now. There are two pumpkins that appeared in the stream overnight. A crow is perched on top of Smith, cawing. The sky is covered in gray clouds, which is how it will probably remain for some time now that fall is here and winter is coming.

Mill Stream sunk to a new low

Observer: Estella Yee
Date: 10-31
Location: Bridge from Jackson Plaza across Mill Stream
Time:1535 to 1558
Weather: 59˚F, overcast, grey skies, was raining this morning

What happened to the Mill Stream? The usual 3 to 4 foot deep stream that snaked through campus was now barely ½ foot in the deepest areas. Today, it was a mass of smooth pebbles and mud. I resisted the urge to jump into the empty stream. I wondered if there were some type of obstruction upstream. I wandered as far as the botanical gardens but found the same scene there as well. Could some machinery have affected the flow? The water was depressingly low despite the moderate rainfall today. The ducks were nowhere to be seen, until upon closer observation, I found some near the bridge at Jackson Plaza. They had cleverly sought out the deeper areas of the stream and were feeding. They plodded through mud and joined a larger group of barely 10 wild mallards. They shoveled their yellow beaks through the water and scoured the green sea plants. Vitals must have been hard to come by due to the reduced flow. A drake I noticed was doing small waves with his entire body, splashing water onto his back. After a substantial amount accumulated over his body, he stood, flapping his wings. Following thus, he settled back down into the water with a quick flicker of his black tail. I had seen this behavior before when the water was high. It’s interesting how despite the change in conditions that the mallards still maintain their routines without pause. I also noticed that two drakes were competing over the food, as one would continuously drive the other away.

31 October 2008: Pitter-patter of the Rain

Rose Dickson

31 October 2008

0812 – 0832 hours

Outside Matthews Dormitory on Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA

51 degrees, rain

             I must admit if you have to wake up in the early morning, there is no better way than the refreshing sound of raindrops outside your window.  As I look out onto Willamette’s cloudy, motionless campus I let the pitter-patter of the rain enliven my sleepy eyes and revive my tiered mind. Directly outside my window lies a rooftop where rain collects and piles. The sprinkling of raindrops creates ripples intertwining and disappearing throughout the whole. The quicker the rain falls the smaller the ripples become, this smallness creates a sparkling feeling and gives constant action to the eye. The smell of an autumn rain is unlike any other. There is a cool, natural aroma diffused through the air when the heavy rain hits the fallen leaves. The sound, the smell and the sight of rain are pleasant sensations to wake up to on an October morning, however, the touch of rain when walking to class becomes a dreaded misfortune.

 

30 October 2008: mmm Rotten Pumpkins

Rose Dickson

30 October 2008

1205 – 1230 hours

Matthews Dormitory on Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA

50 degrees, overcast

            Walking into my room after a wonderful lunch, I suddenly get the feeling of vomit in the back of my throat as I inhale a rotting smell. Last week my friends and I carved pumpkins in the hope that they would last us right up until Halloween. This smell now entering my nose informs me that our hopes have been diminished. As I check on my pumpkin that I cleverly carved to resemble my cat Otis, I notice dilapidation of his face. The entire outline of my carving has turned a festering brown color and it looks like this is only a hint to what I will find inside. I open the lid and cover my nose as I am confronted by a blunt smell and sight.  The inside of my pumpkin has now completely turned to a moldy mess, dripping in soggy condensation. Well, in accordance with Halloween, it is defiantly a much scarier sight than before, however, this is one scary sight I do not want in my room any longer. I confess that it is time to take out my rotten pumpkin and am reminded to have patience next year, so that maybe my pumpkin will actually last all the way through to Halloween. 

29 October 2008: Pumpkin Tree

Rose Dickson

29 October 2008

1832 – 1904 hours

19745 Wildwood Dr. West Linn, OR, USA

50 degrees, clear

             Pulling into my driveway in West Linn, OR, I immediately notice an extreme difference from the last time I visited. The tree outside my house has turned completely pumpkin orange. It seems that the timing could not have been better, with the anticipation for Halloween in the air, but the quickness of the change really startled me. The last time I visited home was Sunday the 26^th, it is only three days later and this tree has completely transformed. Most tree’s on Willamette University campus have become a beautiful mix of yellow, orange, red and small hints of green, the oddity about this tree, here in West Linn, is that each leaf is exactly the same solid orange. I wonder if I had been home all along whether I would have realized the change so drastically? Am I incorrect in assuming this hasn’t happened at Willamette? It seems that immediate changes upon return to a specific place seem more substantial, in the mind’s eye, than an observed gradual change overtime in one place. This small display of that understanding also can represent itself on a broader spectrum, if we were to bring back someone dead for hundreds of years, how would they respond to the condition of our earth now? Would they react stronger about climate change than we do?

 

27 October 2008: Rabid Squirrel?

Rose Dickson

27 October 2008

1337 – 1350 hours

Walking past Willamette University’s College of Law on Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA

63 degrees, clear

            Finishing my colloquium class’s observation of the mill stream in relationship to the larger city of Salem, I walk back to campus and look forward to another days Goudy lunch. As I walk, Tory and I engage in casual conversation of Halloween ideas and out of nowhere a squirrel with a shocking stance thrusts itself at our feet. This encounter was unlike any other I have ever had with a squirrel. Even when I came so close to that baby squirrel, it was a mutual shyness and understanding between us. This time the squirrel seemed to be crazy and rabid. Unfortunately, because the animal shocked Tory and I so bad, we both ran from the situation screaming and did not get to observe farther. However, even with no scientific evidence to support my theory, I would, with reasonable confidence, claim that that squirrel possessed some sort of disease along the lines of rabies and was trying to bite us!

Photo courtesy: http://i.pbase.com/v3/64/603664/2/50930762.squirreltreeeating01b.jpg

Bats!!

H.Waller
Date: 30 october, 2008
Time: 1830
Weather: overcast, 53 degrees, dark
Location: Kaneko

Today as I was walking back from dinner with a friend and we had just crossed over the skybridge and onto the sidewalk leading to the front doors of Kaneko. We were in the midst of chatting about Halloween when, coincidentally, we heard a loud, high pitched screech, and looked up to see a lone black bat swooping back in forth. It appeared to be pacing in the air. I could make out the loopy pattern of the edges of his wings against the moonlit sky behind. The bat was about 6 or 7 inches long, wings included. I wished I could see it more closely because have never really seen a bat's face up close. What a perfect Halloween eve observation!

Birds in the trees

Observer: Estella Yee
Date: 10-30
Location: South of Olin’s entrance
Time: 1603-1615
Weather: 54˚F, clear skies

Cedar waxwings have been the predominant birds soaring over campus today. They filled the air with high chirps and melodious songs in celebration of autumn . . . or maybe to attract mates. I found a different sort of birds this afternoon that offered a pleasant view of variety from the waxwings. These small birds appeared like little puffballs of feathers with dark caps on their head, yet they glided effortlessly from the trees to the south of Olin’s entrance. Indeed, they were black-capped chickadees. As they landed, they nibbled on the underside of the leaves, pecking at the minute insects hidden on the veins of the leaves. A 3-inch bird that landed on a branch barely 2 feet from me was decorated in tan splotches and markings and a white underbelly. The body was more rotund than elliptical, and its beak was a short cone. Perhaps this one was a juvenile chickadee, or a different species all together. Despite their light landings and leniency at feeding, the yellowed leaves fell in abundance as they spritely hopped over the branches. I followed their path as they headed from the “dead tree,” to a sapling, and finally into the oak tree in front of Lausanne Hall’s entrance. Most the trees on the front lawn were shades of burgundy, vermillion, and orange. The maple tree I observed earlier in the year was fully crimson leafed with maroon seeds still hanging downward from the branches.

A silly duck

H.Waller
Date: 27 October, 2008
Time: 1300
Weather: sunny, warmer, 66 degrees
Location: Pringle Park

Today on a walk with our colloquium class we came to a little grassy area that I think is called Pringle Park. I stopped to sit on the edge of a part of the Mill Race where seven ducks were floating in front of me. One of the ducks nearest to me has his bill folded under his wing and is curled up in a very warm looking position. This duck has proven very comical to watch because he keeps opening and closing his eye on the side of his body from which he peers at me and then quickly shuts it again. He has floated to the edge and is now only a foot and a half from the bank. His bright orange feet are hanging straight down motionless into the water. This duck looks like he might be an older one, as the side of his head is a faded grayish brown where the brillant green has declined. Another comical behavior this cozy ball of a duck just allowed me to observe was he abruptly pulled his head out of his feathers, looked straight ahead ans swan a few paces before emitting a cloud of brown waste into the water that slowly dispersed and sank.

Burnt sugar . . . somewhere

Observer: Estella Yee
Date: 10-29
Location: North of entrance of Roger’s Music Center
Time: 1144-1159
Weather: Overcast, 49˚F

Two walkways met at right angles leading to a set of glass doors at the rear (or side) entrance of the music building. A triangle of shrubs decorated the empty area between the concrete paths. Here, I observed a blue-grey needled Noble Blue fir tree, looking quite frosty in the chill of the autumn air. The interior leaves nearer the trunk were a familiar evergreen green. The needles contrasted the pale brown branches. The 30=foot tree seemed to naturally grow in a conical form. The underlying shrubberies were of particular interest to me as when I passed by, a sickly saccharine scent of burnt sugar caught in the air. Several 4-foot shrubs were decorated with green leaves arranged radially about a small pale red bud. Almost most of them had the similar parallel venation, except for one in a rusty color of decay. The ovate leaves had pinnate venation and were edged in white. Most apparent was the rusty orange color that painted the plant. The bitten leaves curled inward and appeared dried. The bark was yellowed with some brown curls barely attached. From the damage on the leaves, I would think that some parasite or insect was attacking the shrub, but due to the bronzed coloration, I am equally inclined to designate the damage as the result of a disease. Either way, this plant is most likely not going to make it past winter.

Squirrel Attack!

Observer: Estella Yee
Date: 10-28
Location: NW entrance to School of Education
Time: 1129-1153
Weather: Fog still lifting, 54˚F

A subtle, sweet fragrance wafted in front of me as I stood under a maroon colored stairwell. More of its kind grew in abundance near a bicycle rack. A 20-foot tall shrub, its yellow-fringed lime green leaves were compelling to view. Each 1½-inch leaf was edged by pointed serrations, similar to a holly leaf. Instead of the vibrant scarlet berries though, its fruit was small clusters of white blossoms, each ¼ inch long at the most. The trumpet-shaped blossoms grew in clusters around the tips of the branches, coating the brown-white speckled twigs in a mass of sugar crystals. As I stood in front of the bushes for a moment longer to appreciate the perfume, a squirrel rustled in the bush behind me. I ignored it, naively thinking my movements would scare it away. Amazingly, it leaped out and sniffed the ground barely ½ feet in front of me. I snapped a few photos before it walked next to my leg. Appraising me up and down, it flew onto my leg and rapidly headed up. It jumped past my lunchbox, onto my backpack, and at this point, I started fearing that it would bite me, so I furiously shouted pathetically “Get off!” and managed to fling it onto the ground. It landed nimbly onto all fours and turned around to look at me again. I snarled, and it just stared at me. Finally, it jumped onto one of the two bicycles chained to the rack and sat there contemplating. I wondered whether it had been domesticated to some extent or perhaps fed often by people. It didn’t seem aggressive after I had watched it a little longer and its body was fairly hefty, so most likely, it was well fed. I was just happy my lunch was intact and I myself was free from possible infected bites.

Walking down the Mill Race

Observer: Estella Yee
Date: 10-27
Location: 44°56'16.02"N, 123° 2'23.66"W, entrance of Creekside Fly Fishing store
Time: 1305-1320
Weather: Sunny, clear skies, 60˚F

As a class, we followed the Mill Race (Pringle Creek) downstream through downtown. We ended up at an enclosed concrete square area where water effused out in a clamor of several waterfalls. Golden leaves fell into the ditch, a thin layer floating on top of the water. Along with the dead leaves were a couple of beer bottles and an empty soda cup, complete with lid and straw. As the water flowed out of the area toward the Willamette River, I saw an accumulation of grey sludge, perhaps oil, near the grids that were designed to slightly filter the water. Well, at least the design was formulated with the environment in mind. Several benches were set up along the walls of the concrete, permitting people to rest and dispose their litter into the trashcan in front of them. Just outside of a fishing store, there were two wild mallards flexing their wings under a crimson broadleaf tree. Both had brown/mahogany chests, vivid orange feet, emerald heads, and a thin collar of white. The third duck was the incongruity, with grey undersides, a hybrid of a wild mallard with a domesticated one. Twice it attempted to fly up the concrete wall and reach the other two. Twice it failed. Ultimately, it cleverly walked up a wooden ramp attached to the inner side of the concrete. As a group, the three drakes walked south, away from the river, and crossed the pavement with little regard to people passing by. When we turned to walk back, two men heavily clouded an evergreen shrub with ashy wasp repellent.

Tyler Starr: 10/27, Mill Stream downstream from Campus

Tyler Starr

27 October 2008 from 1300-1320

Location: Along the Mill Stream downstream from campus, near the Salem Cinema

Weather: 59 ̊ F, clear skies, strong sun, very slight breeze occasionally

General: I am sitting in the warm sun, my feet resting on the rocks on the edge of a small offshoot of the Mill Stream. I can see the sandy bottom of the offshoot, about 1 ½ feet deep or so. Trees in a range of colors surround the pond-like body. Some trees are still green, while vibrant yellows, deep reds, and brilliant oranges capture the eye. Nine mallards are sitting in front of me, mostly sleeping in the sun. One of the male mallards has slightly different plumage from the others, most likely because it is a hybrid of domesticated and wild mallard species. The back of its neck has brown patches, and it is not as brilliant of a green color, but rather more black. Its entire back is more of a deep brown and black than the other’s, and its wings have more brown while the other males have more shades of white and off-white. Behind me is another interesting type of duck. It has been domesticated, bred to be especially big and meaty. It is unable to fly, and so will be spending the entire winter here. It is black and brown all over, except for a small white tuft on its chest.

Barred Owl

A professor friend shared the following Barred Owl photo from her backyard at
592 Stagecoach Way, Salem OR. She also commented ....

"The owl was perched in a tree between our house and the pond (before swooping down on the squirrel on our patio, and then perching briefly on the rail of our deck). Fortunately, it was a weekend afternoon, so all of us (including a few extra teenage boys who were here that afternoon) got a good look."

This owl is notable because it is a close relative of the highly endangered Spotted Owl. Spotted Owls are further endangered by the invasion of Barred Owls from eastern North America which is unfortunate to feel a mixed sense of interest and dread with this sighting. This is the first account I have of a Barred Owl in a Salem backyard, but there may be other records.

David Craig

Temple University 10-25-08

Time: 1703-1721

Date: 25 October 2008

Climate: Raining, cold, wet, dark, gloomy

Location: Temple University, North Philadelphia, PA

I am in North Philadelphia, PA.  This is one of the roughest, scariest areas but it is also a college area.  Temple University is located here and while it is in a rough neighborhood, once on campus you can completely escape the dangers of this area.  I am on Diamond and Broad Street looking at a gas station and i see a few dying small trees and thats it.  There are very few birds and a few squirrels on the opposing side of the street to me.  The people here look very different from the people at Willamette.  The styles are very different and the attitudes are very different.  Here, people are rough and while they may be very nice once you get to know them, they are used to the street gangs imposing themselves on your everyday life.  This is not somewhere that one would want to be alone or out at night.  I just saw about 5 police cars go by, but only 3 with their sirens on.  There is almost no nature around here.  On the campus however, there is a yard and there are things to allow the students to not have to go out onto the streets at all.  There is a big grassy area that reminds me of the quad and a fountain.  Things that one would never know existed unless they walked onto the tightly secured campus.  

Gwyn Meadows Farm 10-25-08

Time:0800-1200

Date: 25 October 2008

Climate:50-60 degrees, windy, slight rain

Location: Gwyn Meadows Farm, Lansdale PA

Today i went to see my horse who i haven't seen since I came to school.  I rode her in the morning and spent the rest of the time taking care of her and helping the workers.  While waiting for people the finish up what they were doing, i decided to do an observation.  But before i start with the exact spot i was looking at, i will mention a few other things.  I was walking into the washing stalls and i noticed a rat, it looked as though it had eaten rat poison and was dying.  This was very disturbing and something made me want to just put it out of its misery and kill it but the other part of me couldn't do it, so I didn't.  Both seem a bit inhuman to me though.  So, as i sit at the picnic tables facing where Shearer and Schultz road intersect i notice at least 2 abandoned birds nests in a tree across from me over the wood chip pile.  The ground is dirt and rocks.  There are some dead leaves but it is mostly all just dusty dirt and some rocks from the driveway.  There are 3 piles of horse manure that their owners have neglected to clean up.  People are walking around in everything from tank tops to under armor and winter coats.  The sky is becoming increasingly darker and more overcast as the rain is starting.  People have left their saddles on the benches and they have hundreds of little water drops on them which is not good for the leather.  The trees are all changing colors so looking out into the fields it is beautiful.  The vibrant colors would give anyone a warm feeling when looking at them no matter if its raining or not.  It is very peaceful here.  This is my favorite place to go in the world.  This place has been my second home since i was 6 and it always will be.  I could sit here for hours.  

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KLOM/2008/10/24/DailyHistory.html?req_city=Gwynedd+Valley&req_state=PA&req_statename=Pennsylvania

Deer in yard- 10-24-08

Time:1821-1900

Date: 24 October 2008

Climate: about 46 degrees, clear skies

Location: My house in Gwynedd Valley, PA

I am sitting, looking outside watching the trees swaying in the breeze and the swings on the swing set go back and forth.  After a few minutes of spacing out while looking out the window, i notice that a few deer have entered the scene.  There are 4.  Two are significantly bigger than the others and one has huge antlers.  They are eating off of the ground.  Three of them are rather close together, within about 8 feet, but one of off by itself.  The one with antlers is off by itself.  He seems as though he doesn't need to be as protected as the others.  I can all of a sudden hear my dogs in the front of the yard.  All of the deers heads shot strait up and were all looking around.  Alarmed they replanted their feet.  Their heads were moving quickly to get a better sense of where the noise was coming from.  After about 1 minute i see my 3 dogs come tearing around the side of the house scaring the deer away so fast.  Barking ferociously my biggest dog was acting as a protector, even though he would never hurt anything.  There are a few squirrels that were visible to me a few minutes ago, but now they have all raced up a tree.  They had been rather close to the deer, digging in the grass and under the fallen dead leaves.  

Rose Garden Portland 10-21-08

Time: 1117-1200

Date: 21 October 2008

Climate:about 45 degrees, chilly, overcast

Location: Portland, Oregon- Rose Garden

This Morning i went to the Rose Garden in Portland.  It was beautiful.  There were hundreds of roses all different colors.  I smelled so many and they all varied in smell.  The lighter colored yellow and light pinks and purples did not seem to have much of a smell but the deep red roses had a smell that i didn't even have to get close to notice.  It was so strong and beautiful.  After looking at hundreds of different roses and many many different colors, i found two roses in particular that i found to be my favorites.  They almost looked as though someone had taken a white rose and colored it.  They were white, light pink, dark pink, and many shades of red all in different splotches and shapes.  They looked fake.  They were so pretty and like nothing i had ever seen growing, only things i would see in a grocery store.  I did not know they could make roses look like that.  When you walk a little ways you will see a circular arboretum with a stage and long ledges for people to sit.  It was so nice to sit there and look out onto the city of Portland.  At one spot you can see the whole city and Mount Hood and it is beautiful.  It is one of my favorite views that i've seen here.  

http://www.travelportland.com/visitors/garden_images/rose_garden.jpg

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSLE/2008/10/21/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

http://patandbarbara.com/Mt-Hood.GIF

25 October 2008

800-1400

Portland on the Willamette River

Today was my last crew regatta of the fall season. We went to the Charlie brown regatta in Portland, which was also on the Willamette River. It was nice to see another part of a river that I have been spending a portion of most my days upon. It was really nice to see anther part of the river but it did make me a bit sad because all along this part of the river there were houses and docks. So I must say that I really appreciate our more natural portion of the river.

 

24 October 2008

1300-1730

Through out downtown Salem, Bush pasture park, Willamette university and beyond!

This has been a most glorious day. Since it is our semester break I have gone on an all day bake ride through various areas of Salem. We started by going to downtown and what was nice about that was we got into a nice leave fight outside the bank with all the glorious fallen leaves. Then we proceed to ride our bikes into Bush Park. There, it was so glorious my friends and I all went into the grove with all the oak trees I believe. There we played on the old children’s playground. We all just had a great time appreciating the fall and the nature we are in. the lighting in the grove was the most beautiful thing I have seen in a while. We also took time to see Pringle creek and we went to the higher part of bush park which is somewhere I do not go that often. Over all this my have been the best day of my Willamette experience thus far.

 

22 October 2008

1345-1400

In and all around the botanical garden of Willamette University.

This is my first observation in the Botanical garden. It is really amazing I need to come here more often it is like a hidden paradise. I also love that all the plants have been identified so I can really know what I am looking at. The planted herb and other bedded plants are not as interesting to me as the more wild unkempt part of the garden, I also think that the water elements like the mini falls are quite a nice touch. One three that I have found that I like a lot is the lauschneria Californica that apparently is a hybrid of the California fuchsia. It was quite odd because I was really attracted to this plant and it turns out that it is from California, so I must have seen it before and was brought back to it again. But it really is a nice plant to look at it is stemy and has green small pin like leaves sticking out from its straight limbs. Bit then near the top it has these small horn like bright orange red flowers, which is my favorite color. Any way these flowers sort of have rimed this plant with a fiery red that give it this illuminated look. So I love this plant.

 

 

21 October 2008

1840-1855

On the grass by the millstream in front of the UC

Today is my ‘day’ to observe the millstream. As usual it is relatively the same. However today the water flow is incredibly love. You can see all the small not as insignificant rocks that are not meant to be the seen as decoration. And the decorative ones seem monstrous. It is a tad bit windy and since the stream is so low the current is not that strong. Any way so with the wind it gives the appearance the current is going the opposite way. It seems odder than it sounds if you were to see it yourself. There is a pair of ducks near the bridge by Goudy. It is too bad that all the ducks are going south for the winter I will miss seeing them they add a ‘fun; touch to the millrun. Even with the one that is gone now it seems like there is so much less life around the stream. Another thing that is a huge showing of the change of seasons is one of the trees on the opposite side of the mill run has lost almost all of its leaves which are all completely yellow by now. And it’s brother tree on the other side of the bank in practically the same situation. I will be quite sad when the leaves are completely gone from the trees but it will defiantly show the change in the time that I have been here at this college!

26 October 2008

1532

The Willamette University Quad facing Smith auditorium

Right now I am sitting in the quad of Willamette University.  First of all the weather is absolutely rediclous1 it is incredibly hot! I am sitting in shorts and a t-shirt and dying of being this hot. It is almost November what is going on? But at least the weather is absolutely beautiful, there are absloulty no clouds in the sky and sun is brilliant. In the quad there are several group of people enjoying the weather like my self. A few clusters of Adirondack chairs with students studying and chatting with one another. There are also a few people whit had the bright idea of getting a tan in before the rain takes over. A family is throwing the ball for their German Shepard though the quad. Their baby cries out in the background from time to time. In the quad the grass is still deep green but the trees around me are still changing colors and all have the yellow brown tinted leaves beginning to take them over. The fallen leaves are also scattered through out the quad and litter the green with there has been brown. Along with the fallen leaves there are also chestnuts on the Eaton Waller side of the quad that have dropped from the great trees. Over all this is an abslouly gorgeous day to be outside, and I pity anyone who does not take advantage of this.

 

Portland Japanese Garden: 10-20-08

Time:1513-1621

Date: 20 October 2008

Climate: about 60 degrees, overcast

Location: Japanese Garden Portland, OR

Today i went to the Japanese Garden in Portland Oregon and spent a while looking around.  The first think i noticed were the Japanese Maples.  We have one at my house and it is rather large but doesn't vary  much in color.  It is usually a darker purple but always very pretty.  The Japanese Maples here are all different colors.  My favorites were the bright orange colored ones.  They are so cool and i didn't know that they could come in that color.  All of the colors are so vibrant right now at the garden because all the leaves are changing colors.  As we kept walking we walked over what is called a moon bridge.  This went over a pond that has tortoise and crane stones that are symbols of longevity.  I liked standing on the bridge because i could see so many different things.  Another really cool thing at the garden was the Heavenly Falls.  This is a waterfall and in front of it are 7 stones that represent the big dipper.  The last thing i walked through took the longest and that was the natural garden.  It has a long, narrow, curvy path that goes down and up a hill.  There were little ponds and waterfalls along the way.  At one point you get to a gazebo with a tile roof that people use as a place for reflection which is really cool. I really liked the Japanese Garden, it has so many different spots to stop and look around.  There were a lot of people who were all enjoying themselves and taking mass amounts of pictures.  

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/DANPOD/US38_AJE0008_M~Japanese-Garden-Portland-Oregon-USA-Posters.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_-Wd87lSLtdA/SItlIrPd0yI/AAAAAAAAB2A/6hXQg0hwXGk/color_01.jpg

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSLE/2008/10/20/DailyHistory.html?req_city=Salem&req_state=OR&req_statename=Oregon

Pretty fall trees

H.Waller
Date: 26 October, 2008
Time: 1420
Weather: Beautiful, warm, sunny, 70 degrees.
Location: Viewing during the walk from Kaneko to Sparks.

At home in Bozeman, MT fall is marked largely by the changing of the leaves. They put on a splendid show of all kinds of fall like shades, but this show starts about 3 weeks earlier than here in Salem. Today I was noticing all of the beautiful colors of fall and I also noticed that the way in which the leaves change here is different than at home as well. Here, the leaves change progressively on many trees. The transformation begins in the leaves on the ends of the branches first, and then travels slowly toward the center of the tree until the whole thing has newly fall-colored leaves. It is a beautiful sight to see a green tree with bright red ends that fade in towards the middle. At home I had never seen this before. The leaves all change at the same time on each tree. Another difference is that the changing lasts longer, and the trees don't empty themselves completely of their leaves as fast as the Bozeman trees do.
Photos courtesy of Google Images.

26 October 2008: dead deer

Rose Dickson

26 October 2008

1507 – 1534 hours

Driving from West Linn to Willamette University Salem, OR, USA

75 degrees, clear

            Driving home today from West Linn I was shocked by a sight that I never wanted to see. A dead deer was strewn about the middle of the highway. After yesterday’s journal entry this experience really hit me hard.  I wanted so badly to get out of my car and at least make an effort to move the deer to the side of the road, but I couldn’t help but tell myself that I lacked the physical ability to do that. In my company, I’m sure everyone driving could find at least 1 reason to not help get out of their car and move the deer. I no longer want to be one of the people, standing aside and not doing anything. I want to help animals live peacefully among humans. The way the majority of humanity has created a relationship with animals is not ok. 

Observer: Eloise Bacher
Date: 25 October, 2008
Time: 2100-2120
Location: The back porch of my house.
Weather: Windy, cold.

The temperature has dropped a lot since it became dark, and everything became both louder and more still. The only sound I hear is the wind, but everything else seems to be holding their breath, like they’re all listening to it. The main noises to indicate it’s windy are the rustling of leaves, but there’s also the occasional click of branches together that always reminds me of bones or deer antlers (although those are also bones…). The sky out to the west is a bluish purple, but that’s fading fast into black. The lights in the valley are becoming more evident as the sky gets darker, and it’s disheartening to see how far they’ve spread, from being individual clumps of light to massing together to spread across the whole valley. It doesn’t quite compete with the Portland lights, which we can’t see from our house, but it’s close in terms of how it lights up clouds at night. There aren’t any right now, but if there were they would be pink or orange, and stay like that all night long. I can see a bat skitter quickly across the sky, and disappear momentarily into the forest.

Observer: Eloise Bacher
Date: 26 October, 2008
Time: 1615-1630
Location: Outside TIUA, on the curb.
Weather: Warm, some breeze.

The wind is just barely moving the leaves of the trees that are so brightly colored that it doesn’t seem possible they exist in nature. Or at least, shouldn’t exist in nature in Oregon, where everything seems brown or green. The setting sun is shining through them, making them glow until it hurts to look at them. The traffic sounds seem exceptionally loud right now; rush hour traffic? I haven’t heard the train since getting back, but it should be around at some point, shattering everything with its noise. The sky is clear except for a few small puffy white clouds and the sun.

Observer: Eloise Bacher
Date: 26 October, 2008
Time: 1047-1105
Location: Woods to the south of my house.
Weather: Sunny.
It’s funny how the wind makes the light flicker all over the place. This is definitely not a still day…overnight the wind has shifted to be coming more from the east. The trees look like they are fighting to stay upright. It’s only a matter of time before one of them cracks and falls. It happens to a couple of the maples every year, and the fir that partially fell a few years ago will probably fall a little more, but still get nowhere near touching the ground. The maple leaves are mostly a yellowy-brown right now, but a few are red, and some of the leaves closer to the trunks are still green. Only the highest branches are bare of leaves, and soon the rest of the tree is going to follow suit.

Observer: Eloise Bacher
Date: 23 October, 2008
Time: 0720-0730
Location: Kaneko, skybridge.
Weather: Mostly cloudy, lots of wind.
Leaves are blowing everywhere in the wind coming from the southwest. I’m kind of appreciating the fact that it hasn’t rained yet, because it means all the fallen leaves are still crunchy and haven’t been pounded into brown mush on the pavement yet. And most of the leaves are still on the trees and turning brilliant bright colors. I don’t remember the colors sticking around this much in years past. It’s too bad that there are leaf blowers clearing all the paths; it would be cool to see all the leaves piled up together.

Observer: Eloise Bacher
Date: 25 October, 2008
Time: 1149-1235
Location: The back porch of my house.
Weather: Windy, sunny, about 50 degrees F.
One of the hawks is out, to the west, soaring and playing in the wind. It’s always easy to tell when there’s something coming in off the coast because the hawks will be pulling all sorts of crazy stunts over the valley. They even hover in one place, and we can never figure out how they do it. Presumably by moving their wings or feathers just right, or being in the right place in the air. There are clouds massing beyond the coast range, but it’s unclear whether it will come our way or go north. Now it seems to have had enough of playing; it’s landed in a cedar tree just to the west of our house and is staring down at the ground, maybe looking for food. Lots of gophers and mice run around there; s/he might get lucky.

20-26 October 2008

Observer Name: Kaitlyn Rice
Date: 22 October 2008
Time: 1400 Hours
Location: North bound on I-5
Weather: Beautiful day, sunny, few clouds
The Naturalist’s Most Hated Nature Observation
I am sorry to say that I am in my car for this nature observation. It is an absolutely gorgeous day October day and I just have no time today to make any observations. I decided to make one in motion and today is the perfect day for it. The fall foliage is brilliant. The orange and green leaves of the trees contrast each other and blur together as I pass by. On my left, the blackberry bushes that grow in the median are turning brown as the days get shorter. The inspiration for making the passing scenery into a nature observation though lies in the northeastern corner of my eye. It is the majestic Mount Hood, a beautiful peak that can be seen from all directions on the clearest of days. As my car cruises along, I look to my right over at the mountain. It stands tall behind the farmer’s fields. The next thing I know, my view is blocked by the fall foliage and I look back in front of me, straight ahead. At the next clearing, I look again and take in more details about Mount Hood. With so much atmospheric particles in the air between the mountain and I, it has a bluish tint to it where there would otherwise be green trees. In every area where there is no blue, there is white, where snow lies. I sit back and wonder what sorts of animals might be at home on the mountain, and then make my exit off of the interstate.

Date: 24 October 2008
Time: 1500 Hours
Location: Bench on south side of the fountain in Wilson Park
Weather: Sunny, great temperature close to 50
Squirrely Behavior
Once again, it is a gorgeous day outside and so I have decided to spend my time on Friday afternoon on a walk around a few blocks. I had no destination in mind: I decided to just see where I ended up. In crossing the street to the block that the capitol building is on, I figured that I should take some time in Wilson Park and jot down some notes on my iPod for a nature observation. As I walk up the sidewalk, there are kids playing in the gazebo, which is where I would have liked to have sat. Instead though, I find a bench that is in the shade and on the south side of the fountain that spews water in the middle of the park. To my right, the ring of flags circles a patch of grass and on this round lawn, a squirrel moves about. Something about seeing the squirrels around town just puts me in a good mood. I am pretty sure that it is in the way that they run. It is not really running, but more of a leaping. This squirrel, I shall call him Mervin, is looking for a nut buried somewhere in the lawn. I first spot him sitting still. He then begins to dig hurriedly into the grass and, unsatisfied, leaves this spot for a different one. Mervin chooses a spot only a few feet away. His body arcs as he leaps across the lawn, his bushy tail following uniformly. A repeat of what happened at the previous spot occurs here too. He is unsuccessful and continues on. Looking away, I wonder if there are any nuts in that lawn, and if there really are any, how long it will take Mervin to locate one.

Date: 24 October 2008
Time: 2030 Hours
Location: Monmouth, Oregon, Western Oregon University campus
Weather: extremely cold, clear skies with stars overhead in the night sky
A Stroll down an Unfamiliar Street
I have just had one of the most fun days of my time here in Oregon so far, and now I am freezing. Why did I decide to leave my jacket in my closet in my room? Oh well. It is too late for that now and I am relying on my scarf for warmth. The person that I am walking with is named Patrick and he is a freshman at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, a town that I am not sure would have much more to offer during the day than it does at night. It reminds me a lot of home actually, driving through with the small, old-fashioned storefronts. Anyway, we are walking along a road now that is lined with trees and different halls from the schools. In the night, street lamps illuminate the path and the light emitted from each lamp bathes the trees with a golden glow. As we walk along, fallen leaves crunch underneath our feet. Patrick stops me and points to a huge tree and notes that it is the “famous campus tree”. I recognize it as a Giant Sequoia, the same kind as the Star Trees are. He also says that for Christmas, this particular tree is lit up and can be seen from Salem. I will have to keep it in mind and look for it! There are not many other people out, but a group of people does pass by us, laughing loudly and disturbing the otherwise quiet stroll. After they had passed, we cross the street and continue northbound, on our way back to the warmth of a dorm room.

Date: 25 October 2008
Time: 1140 Hours
Location: McMinnville, Oregon, sidewalk on Linfield College campus
Weather: Have I said other days this week were perfect? THIS is the perfect day ☺ Blue skies, close to 50 degrees?
Perfect Weather for Football


It is also the perfect weather for nature observations. I am here in McMinnville to support our Willamette Bearcats at their rivalry football game against the Linfield Wildcats. From what I have heard, it is supposed to be a heated rivalry, but the people that we are tailgating with are wearing Linfield sweatshirts and so I suppose that it is not too intense. Anyway, I am sitting here on the sidewalk, just trying to take in my surroundings. The campus of Linfield really is very pretty. Driving into the stadium, there are sprawling lawns, much like a park. The trees on campus are showering their leaves and the gold is both in the branches as well as on the ground at the base of the tree trunks. Back to my closer surroundings though, I get the feeling that this campus is much more, I don’t know, manufactured than Willamette. At Willamette, plants seem much more natural. As I am circling around in my spot to get a different point of view, my eyes shift to the ground beneath me, onto the sidewalk. Right in front of me is a caterpillar! How great is this? It is rather large too, probably 2 inches in length and about a centimeter wide. It looks as though it is in a bit of a hurry as it crawls directly across the sidewalk in search of a cover. Its body has two colors that are in three different sections. At the front (or the part in front of the direction that it is moving, I cannot tell if it is its head), it is black. This black is followed by a burnt orange color, which is then followed again by black. Its body looks furry and wiggles slightly from side to side as it moves along the cement. In researching this caterpillar to figure out what breed it is, I came to find that it is a Woolly Bear Caterpillar and I found out some interesting history on it. I even read something that I think explains why it was crossing the sidewalk and that is that it was in search of a place to spend the cold winter—in a cavity of a rock or some tree bark. It is apparently found all across the country because the site that I read about it on tells the story of a man in New York who collected several each year. He would count the number of brown bands and average the lengths of each band. Depending on this average, he would declare what he thought the intensity of the winter would be. Though he later figured out that it would not really work, he still used that as an excuse to escape into the fall atmosphere around him.

Date: 26 October 2008
Time: 1650 Hours
Location: Kaneko Community Garden
Weather: Slight breeze, sunny, nice weather
Garden Update



One of my first ever observations was made at the Kaneko Community Garden and so I have decided to make my way back down here for my final nature observation of the week. I could not count how many times I walk past this garden each week on my way to and from classes, dinner, and various other events, but I never really make much note of how the garden is doing. Upon coming down here, the first thing I notice is how much everything has grown since it was first planted. The volunteers keeping this garden alive have done a great job because the leaves on most of the larger underground plants have grown to, I would say, the size of my face. The lettuce must have been successful because it has already been harvested. I wonder what it was used for? Did I eat it in Goudy for my salad one night? Interesting thought. Anyway, the beet plant’s stems are more blood red than ever as well and I wonder how you are supposed to tell when those plants are ready to be harvested.

Collin's Observations Week 7

C.Jones
20 October 2008
Outside Shepard
1527
The air has a fresh smell after a rainy day. The wind is beginning to pick up and toss the leaves around. I can hear a bird chirping in the nearby trees. I think I see its shadow. Ants are scurrying along the concrete street, probably gathering something. Some of the leaves look as if they've retained some of the rain as the sun reflects off of them. Some of the leaves on the plants are red and worn looking. The black soil beneath them looks extra fresh from the rain. I can see the birds now, they are small and there are lots of them in a broad green leaved tree to my left. They continue to chirp. The sun is casting long shadows on the sidewalk.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1077/598995779_6c54a925a2.jpg

C.Jones
21 October 2008
Outside Eaton Hall
1423

It is very cold and windy outside. Brown leaves cover the ground and are revealed in patches of sunlight. Sticks are scattered over the grass as the wind has blown them so. There is a huge yellow leaf in front of me that must have been blown off from the tree above me. It looks cool in the sunlight. The twigs here look like mounds of dirt piled piled beneath the trees, a strange sensation. The bark on the tree behind me is all speckled and has an interesting shape on its bark that looks like Texas. The wind is not effecting the twigs on the ground. The trees remain calm despite the wind.

http://free-textures.got3d.com/natural/free-grass-textures/images/free-grass-texture-024.jpg

C.Jones
22 October 2008
The Quad
1539

There is a light breeze outside and the Quad is filled with sunlight. Unlike under the trees, there are only a few scattered leaves here. I just heard a bird call somewhere off to my far right, maybe coming from one of the distant pine trees. The trees are casting long shadows on the grass. The grass seems fairly trampled as it lies there in the sunlight. There are a lot of bushes besides the trees as I look around. A patch of dirt looks like a ravine next to me compared to the tall grass around it. There are more of them around me in the sunlight.

C.Jones
23 October 2008
Millstream
1423

It is a cloudy and cool day with little wind. The Millstream flows by me at a brisk pace and is void of ducks today in this part of the stream. Leaves of brown and yellow lay under the trees by the hundreds, forming large clumps. I notice a wasp hovering in the beaten grass, there are actually four of them. They seem to be searching for something. The small red curled leaves and the nutshells on the ground give it a festive sort of feel. The trees are changing colors and even the bushes seem to have taken on this trait. The buildings reflect across the water's ripples, creating an interesting vision with the sunlight. I hear a bird call overhead, maybe looking for a place to roost. The stream flows gently by.

C.Jones
26 October 2008
Outside Shepard
1626

The weather outside is warm and there is little to no breeze. I just observed a gray squirrel munching on an acorn. There is a lady bug resting on a green leaf by the side of the concrete. Ants are marching under itin their usual fashion. I notice the squirrel skirting the corner of the building and begin to chew on another nut. It just came within four feet of me and darted off into the nearby bushes where it began foraging and emerged a minute later with another nut. There are numerous small birds calling to each other in a nearby tree to my left. Maybe they were interested by the squirrel. Maybe they are going home.

www.theazaleaworks.com/.../EastGraySquirrel.jpg

Mushrooms

Leo Castillo
25 October 2008
10:00am-10:30pm
Climate 50 degrees
Location Goudy Commons
As I went through that salad line I notice some mushrooms and see what they had. Went back to return it could not get the information I wanted. So I looked at my field guide and scouted some real mushrooms. I found one that looked interesting and found the fly amanita, which is shaped like a cap umbrella and bright red. It looks like a fruit in the ground a first from far. Another mushroom that looked interesting was the Sulphur shelf that lays flat in a fan shape with colors such as orange, yellow, and is directly attached to the wood which I have seen before. This one is only available in Jul-Oct. Last would be the Meadow mushroom that appears to be an egg on the grass, which is only available in Agu-Sept.

Mt. Hood

Leo Castillo
24 October 2008
4:00-4:30pm
Climate 62 Degrees
Location: Parkdale OR
Today’s observation will be done back home and I will take you to a place where most tourist come to see. As you head over to the local store and stand in the middle of the street you can look at the Mt. Hood from this open road that shows the best display of this volcano. It starts off with acres of orchards of fruit; apple, pears, cherries. Then as you head into the horizon you start to clime the your eyes to see the mountain and the reason they call it hood. Is because of the cloud that stays at the top of the mountain and never moves and looks like a hood over it. There is always snow on this mountain year around. Parkdale is more so known for the orchards that make most of this town. The fruit trees also seem to have their seasonal transformation, which start in the spring with the flower and all the pollination. Then comes the bright green leafs with the fruit, which brings harvest, which doesn’t end until the fall. Then tree lose its leafs like most trees and it starts over again.

Leo Castillo
23 October 2008
3:00pm-3:30pm
Climate 62 degrees
The old railroad bridge, Salem
Walking about a mile or so and headed to west Salem going through many stoplights and street I am off to the riverfront park. Once I arrive to Riverfront Park I decided to keep exploring the west and crossed the bridge and notice there was a bridge beyond this one and also saw the little min beach and decided to check out the view. As you may know the train doses not go through this bridge, I think. A week back my friends decided to clime the top of this bridge and the certainly did. Most of this area is clean and open the only trees are and a park that many soccer and baseball sports take place.
The water seems to be low and I was told that in the next month or so it would rise.

Leo Castillo
22 October 2008
500-530pm
Climate 57 degrees
Minto Park, Salem
As we wear running through a trail unknown to the public I found some tiny horsetail, but unlike the one at home you could barley see it. This horsetail is dense and cluster of green and jointed with hollow stalks with many whorls of narrow jointed branches. You can find these horsetails in streams mostly and in the back of people’s yards. I decided to do this observation on the horsetail; back home epically where I live there is plenty of horsetail. If I recall it starts out like a little three and very thin. In a couple of days it either keeps on growing or it just starts to sprouts its little branches. The thing about this horsetail is that if you try to remove it, eventually it will come back and back and never really leaves. It seems odd that I would encounter such a spore plant.

Leo Castillo
21 October 2008
11:00am-11:30am
Climate: 50 degrees
Next to the Art theater, Willamette U. Salem.
As I was walking to the library in this early morning, coming from Dorm and fall in my surrounding I notice a pyramidal tree. This tree inhabits next to the art theater and has not gone through change like the rest of the trees. It still maintains it’s gray/green color in it’s leafs and dose not seem to change one bit. No growth in it’s leafs and still keeps it’s triangular shape from top to bottom and does not want to join the club of the change in the seasons like the rest of nature. Therefore this tree is unique in its form in that way. The leafs of this three are poky and sharp leafs that poke and kind of hurt. I remember in the summer when I cut the law in my house and going around that three would poke my leg and it bother me every time. Besides it being poky it also seems to be sticky by the trunk and at the ends of every steam.

Leo Castillo
21 October 2008
11:00am-11:30am
Climate: 50 degrees
Next to the Art theater, Willamette U. Salem.
As I was walking to the library in this early morning, coming from Dorm and fall in my surrounding I notice a pyramidal tree. This tree inhabits next to the art theater and has not gone through change like the rest of the trees. It still maintains it’s gray/green color in it’s leafs and dose not seem to change one bit. No growth in it’s leafs and still keeps it’s triangular shape from top to bottom and does not want to join the club of the change in the seasons like the rest of nature. Therefore this tree is unique in its form in that way. The leafs of this three are poky and sharp leafs that poke and kind of hurt. I remember in the summer when I cut the law in my house and going around that three would poke my leg and it bother me every time. Besides it being poky it also seems to be sticky by the trunk and at the ends of every steam.

Leafy tree!

H.Waller
Date: 25 October 2008
Time: 1145
Location: Oaks Park
Weather: clear, but chilly. 45 degrees.

I am in Portland today for my final regatta of the fall season of crew. While the city is bigger than Salem, it still manages to include as much or more trees into the landscape as Salem does. I notice one tree in particular across the river as the beautiful park called Oaks Park from which we are launching. This tree is average height, but it is entirely covered in leaves all the way from the roots up to the end of every single branch. It looks almost fictional. The trees that I observed last weekend on the hike with my parents remind me somewhat of it, because they too were covered completely in green. But the encasing in which they were surrounded was moss, and these are actual leaves. It is fascinating to look at, and I have never seen so many leaves on one tree. I wish I could get a closer look to see how the leaves are attached. My prediction is there are probably a bunch of little sticks coming out of the trunk on which the leaves are stuck.

Tyler Starr: 10/26 pm, Mill Stream between Rogers and library

Tyler Starr

26 October 2008 from 1410-1425

Location: The north bank of the Mill Stream in between Rogers and the library

Weather: 75 ̊ F, little to no wind, completely clear skies

General: I think it’s funny that my hometown received its first snowfall last night, while I am sitting outside in perfect weather on my laptop doing a nature observation. The weather is absolutely perfect. The mallards seem to think so too. It seems that many of the mallards have left us for the winter, and I keep seeing the same 8 (4 male, 4 female) that have not yet left. They are clearly happy with their decision today. They appear very hyper, paddling all over and feeding from the water. Several times, they have had brief scuffles resulting in minor splashing, but I find it hard to believe that it is out of anger on a day like today. The water level of the Mill Stream seems a lot lower today than it was yesterday. I have heard that humans control the water level, and I wonder if this is actually true, because it does seem that the water level fluctuates greatly from day to day. Yellow, orange, and brown leaves frequently float by in front of me. A squirrel is rustling in the bushes behind me, taking advantage of a warm October day. I heard the screech of a Western Scrub Jay as well, coming from the direction of Belknap or the Botanical Gardens. According to the Field Guide, the Scrub Jays remain here all winter, storing acorns for food.

Tyler Starr: 10/26 am, North Side of Campus

Tyler Starr

26 October 2008 from 1015-1030

Location: A walk from Belknap, along the north side of campus north of Eaton and Waller, in between Olin and Collins, and back toward Belknap along the northern edge of the Quad

Weather: 59 ̊ F, mild winds (less than 5 mph), completely clear skies

General: My goal was to take a walk around the north side of campus to observe the various fall foliages. Obviously, many trees have begun to change colors. I noticed several trees that have actually already shed all of their leaves. Some, however, have not even begun to change colors. I noticed that many of the plants that are still completely green are small trees, shrubs, ferns, and other smaller types of plants. Perhaps the smaller plants can still garner enough energy from the waning sun to justify the maintenance of its photosynthesizing plants. One exception is the horse chestnuts, which have hardly even begun to change colors. I wonder if the fact that they are an introduced species affects how they respond to the weakening sun, causing them to change colors at a different time from comparable trees. I also noticed several different strategies of color change. Some trees had sections where most of the leaves were changing, while in other parts they did not. One particular shrub had randomly dispersed yellow leaves among its green ones, exhibiting no clear pattern. One tree had interesting leaves that were beginning to turn red, but were still streaked with green along the veins (see picture). My favorite trees that I saw were along Collins. I believe they were some sort of maple. They were a few of them, and they were all a brilliant yellow color.