Fish in the Forest

11/14/2015
Out to the Woods this morning from the construction behind the Dog Pound. I checked and cleared the SE Trail and S. Central trail with swing blade and loppers and renewed the blue blazes. The south Service road is blocked by construction. The dried, old red stems of Polygonum were thick and high, mixed with five foot tall dead stems of ragweed. Clearing the southern end of the two trails at the Service Rd. was a job with the tall dead vegetation. And it was more challenging to clear the growth further west at the southern end of the N-S Trail, beside Heather's solar cell.
Beautiful cool fall day.. overcast with rain coming in a day or so. About 70% of the leaves are down. Along the E-W Trail there was a doe and two yearlings. There will be more seeking safety in the Woods as hunting season begins. The southern center of the Woods east of the N-S trail is green with new inch high growth of Stellaria chickweed and other herbs.

It has likely been a good summer for growth. Heavy, record rains/ floods May and June but then a long 'flash drought' lasting for the rest of the summer. Trees had good soil moisture in the important early summer growing season.. then they just had to survive the drought.
I started clearing the Ravine Trail from the west but was only half done when a bolt on the swing blade flew off. I set it aside and did some minimal clearing back up the slope to the western herp trap, now old and de-activated.
Passing by the NW pond, I saw the water at the NE corner roiled with something in the water. After a few minutes I could see the small fish, gathered where the sunlight was warmest. Gambusia, most likely.. probably placed there by mosquito control folks. There was also a small young garter snake by the water's edge, sunning and perhaps looking for a meal. First snake I've seen in the Woods in years.  I wonder if the fish will bring back the turtles.