Monarchs and Beaver

 This last day of September I went early to the Woods to see what the change of season might have brought. With southward-migrating monarchs flying over the Northeast Gate, I started along the Tree Loop. 

The Woods are parched. The still-green leaves of the Callicarpa beautyberry are drooped in a full wilt. The leaf litter crackles underfoot. Some early leaf drop has started, mainly stressed leaves of elm and sugarberry. No significant rain since 1.5-2 inch at the start of September. But most of canopy of leaves remains, and is still a weathered green.

With drought and heat, it is notable that the western wash is still full at Island Crossing, and at Elm Bridge. I was startled (and delighted) to see fresh beaver activity in the Wash. A young elm along the Wash, near the south end of the Tree Loop, had been cut down and its bark chewed partly off. It has been over a decade since I last saw beaver in the Wash. The water is something of a mystery - its been flowing for a few weeks. None of it is from recent rain. It is coming from the OU campus, perhaps along Timberdell somewhere, a pipe break? I want to know if it is dilute wastewater, irrigation water or something else.

The flow has been sustained for enough weeks that minnows and aquatic surface insects are present; and now, beaver. At Island Crossing a small garter snake appears to have adopted the area and swam away before I could snap some pictures.

Walking west, I surprised three or four whitetail deer. As they romped away I lost sight of them beyond the shrubby undergrowth. I heard several snorts of the doe calling the yearlings back.

Trees along the trails have sustained some breakage. Up on the North Rim trail, a large sugarberry crown has been torn down and blocks the trail. But trails I walked on were mostly clear. The earth along the Main Wash by the Grandfather cottonwood is cracked dry and broken into irregular polygons, waiting for rain.

The Northwest and East Ponds are both dried across their basins. Pushing a rod into the damp soil near the water depth post, there is water visible about 6 inches below the surface. Most of the annual wildflowers, Elephantopus Elephant's foot, Verbesina Frostweed and Crownbeard and others along the trails have wilted, drooped leaves. Not sure what a rain might do to restore. The season is probably complete for them.

Armadillos have been plowing through the leaf litter searching for a meal, beetles, snails, other invertebrates. They've left their characteristic furrows in the dried leaves.

Although very dry, the Woods have become pleasant again for walking and exploring. The highest heat of summer is gone.