October 12

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. The early morning weather was sunny with some ground fog, a temperature of 45 degrees and no wind. Today, I would look for Mother Nature’s dark side, not the attractive rainbow colors of autumn, but the blacks and browns of death, decay and sometimes, living things. From the crest of the hill, I proceeded down the hill to Mallard Marsh where I was surprised to see a male Redwing Blackbird perched in the same spot that Max occupied during the spring nesting season and another one in the spot that Mark occupied. Since all the Redwings had left several weeks ago. I was unsure if they were the same birds and why they were there. I hiked through Bobolink Meadow where I noticed the flower heads of Queen Anne’s lace had folded up and turned black. I entered North Woods and headed west where I saw plenty of dark, decaying logs on the ground. Underneath the colorful leaf litter was dark, humus-rich soil. Next to the trail, I spotted an aging White Birch tree trunk covered with black fungus and lenticels. Exiting the woods, I circled Succession Field and turned east along the edge of South Woods where decaying Aspen leaves covered the trail. Following the trail through South Woods, I couldn’t help but notice the dark bark of a Black Cherry and Apple tree. I exited the woods, headed east and turned north toward Willow Wallow where I paused to watch several waves of noisy geese flying in formation high overhead. I walked east along the edge of the pond where I was again surprised to see a male Redwing perched in the same tree Will occupied months ago. Climbing Reflection Hill, I noticed some of the Goldenrod galls had turned dark including both the ball gall and bunch gall. At the top of the hill, I spotted a Honeysuckle shrub with blacken, “witches broom” galls. I descended the hill to the south and paused near Frog Fen to see and hear another male Redwing perched in Fred’s tree. Proceeding toward Brady Cemetery, I could still see the charred branches of a White Pine tree killed by a wildfire over a year ago. Passing the cemetery, I turned north into Native Grassland where the black seed heads of Purple Cone Flower punctuated the meadow. I paused at the edge of Grebe Pond where a dozen geese swam on the green surface. Continuing along the edge of the pond, I noticed a small Cottonwood tree whose leaves were turning black. Also, I heard a Redwing in the same tree where Gabe perched in the spring. Flying low above the meadow was a large flock of Redwings. At my feet, I spotted a black and brown, Wooly Bear Caterpillar. Arriving at the barn, I walked to the north side where I spotted a few rotting, blacken hulls of Black Walnuts on the ground. Finally, we passed the classroom and arrived at the car for our trip home.

Autumn marches onward
Nature sheds her green
Dark colors exposed
Falling leaves are seen
Meadow changes clothes
Frost touches the ground
Swallows leave the pond
Wooly bears crawl around
Plants cease to grow
Creatures have their way
Comes the colder night
Comes the shorter day

D. DeGraaf