OWP Investigations Projects

Relaxed ramble in the Woods.. they were still today.. cold.. low to mid 30's. East Pond and small pool in Wash were mostly frozen over. West Pond was 80% open water. One cottontail rabbit dashed away near an isolated patch of wild onion 200 feet north of Fence Corner. Four or five recent deer beds- ellipses of flattened leaf litter- northeast of northeastern corner of North Loop. Nice fresh Pleurotus oyster on freshly down pecan snag #175. Lots of fruiting polypores in large deep hole left when snag fell. This is the origin of odd large vertical holes in the Woods.. uprooted rotten snags.
Ecology students can map: Ligustrum privet, Rosa multiflora rose, vines (what vines are on what trees?), cedars (branchy? in rows? dead?), Crataegus hawthorn (by early April blossom), Eleagnus Russian olive, catalpa (by blossom), more 'Liriope monkey grass, persimmons. All large trees in 3 or 4 acres (each 200 x 200' block =~ one acre).
Along the south boundary and elsewhere through the Woods there are patches of junipers all blown over in the same direction, now supporting impenetrable thickets of honeysuckle off the ground.. cozy sanctuary for any wildlife sheltering within.
Winter green on the ground: Geum, Stellaria chickweed (good snack), Galium bedstraw (very small), Stachys-like horse mint-like (same leaf odor, shape and venation).
Need to remap with GPS all of Carpenter's posts found:
1-5: C10,D10,F10,G10,H10
6-8: NE quarter off Pipeline Trail NE of flagged Liriope patch; and SW of patch in Wash; and at the jct of N Loop and Trans OWP
9-10: at Barney Jct; and by Grandfather Cottonwood
11-12: first found post between two green ash; and west in sedges (east of line to break in Chautauqua fence)
13-17: at old western gate; and north (found in the ice); and east on pink line along south border of sedge; and north to small raised clump of trees in eastern sedges; and north (on pink line) to large sedge lobe in middle of woods opening;
18-21: SE corner of West Pond; SE corner of East Pond (in water pit); by big cottonwood; just off trail between two ponds at trail turning.