Exploring Nature One Step At A Time

Posts tagged “red leaves”

Nature Paints Winter with a Dusting of Snow

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I have been complaining about winter never arriving in Hot Springs National Park, this morning it dropped by for a few hours.  To those of you digging out from under several feet of snow our dusting will not be impressive.  Just the lightest touch  of snow changes everything in the Forest as it redefines shapes and boundaries along the trails.  The rust Leaves of autumn are beautiful against the white mix of snow and ice. Winter Leaves of red and green become jewels in the winter landscape.  I felt blessed to hike through Nature’s new art work this morning, thank you for joining me via my blog.

Love to ALL!
Lee

February 13, 2012 | Categories: Hot Springs National Park | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Missing the Birds as I Hike Along Winter Trails

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Nearly two months of extreme heat followed by several severe late summer storms has taken a toll on park wildlife populations.  Prior to the heat followed by high winds and rain Chipmunks and Squirrels could be seen in or below many Trees.  On some days I hardly knew which way to turn my lens as there was so much activity. I am thankful today to spot a Squirrel I call Bob because of the missing portion of her tail.  She lives near the Hot Springs National Park Entrance and has erratic road crossing skills.

The multiple families of Brown Thrashers have vanished from the lower portions of Hot Springs National Park.  The once abundant highly visible Northern Mockingbirds are now a rare sighting.  White Throated Sparrows that once flocked along the southern slope of Hot Springs Mountain appear only in small numbers at the top in the picnic area.

Although there are many American Robins the flocks are smaller than in years past. Cardinals that once flourished on both North and Hot Springs Mountains are a rare sighting beyond Dead Chief Trail.  Pine Warblers too have become a rare sight within the park as are many other warblers that would normally be seen in the winter months.

My constant winter companions of winters past the Red Bellied Woodpecker have also vanished from their regular nesting sites.  I have only seen two and heard one in the past three months.  I miss being verbally heckled by the numerous juvenile Blue Jays that would follow me across the park.

Perhaps the moderate winter of the north has kept the birds away.  However I think the weather extremes of the past summer have significantly reduced bird populations.  Those birds that flock in the park year round are scarce.  As I review old videos I remember the symphony of birdsong that used to echo through the Forest.  The silence in the park is heartbreaking.

Love to ALL!
Lee

February 7, 2012 | Categories: Hot Springs National Park | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Crunchy Autumn Leaves on the Winter Trail

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

My life has suddenly become busy with new adventures and even as I head out to hike my mind is buzzing.  The crunch of autumn leaves along the trail is the melody to the hum in my mind of the new language I am beginning to learn.  The Forest floor and trails are blanketed with the rust of fallen leaves from which  Tree sculptures rise up in a ballet of twisting bending limbs.  As I move up West Mountain I see a faint movement in the distance.  Poking out from between two leaf draped Rocks is a tiny nose and pair of eyes.  Soon an entire head appears, a sweet Chipmunk wiggles its nose then dives back into a hiding place below.

Like beautiful jewels the rust leaves below my feet glow in the early morning light.  Adding to the color of the landscape are the last of the summer and autumn leaves. Glorious intermittent splashes of red, green, yellow and brown decorate the trail edges. Nature has thrown a beautiful pallet of color on the Mountain.  It was a perfect cool crisp winter morning below a vibrant blue sky.

Much Love to ALL!
Lee

December 29, 2011 | Categories: Hot Springs National Park | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

How Nature Creates Beautiful Autumn Leaves

HSNP Hot Springs Mountain Trail Autumn Leaves

As autumn begins sunlight diminishes and the temperatures begin to drop there is not enough water or light for photosynthesis.  Now the sunlight is not warming the Leaves with the same intensity of the summer months. Trees begin to rest living off the nutrients stored during the late spring and summer months.  As Leaves shut down their internal nutrient factories the green chlorophyll vanishes from the Leaves. When the bright green fades away, we can see the now visible yellow and orange colors. These colors have been in the leaves in small amounts all along, but in the spring and summer other colors are hidden by the dominant green chlorophyll.

How are the bright reds and purples we see in Leaves made?  Within some trees, such as Maples the glucose is trapped in the Leaves after photosynthesis stops.  Now the sunlight plus cool nights in autumn causes the Leaves to turn the trapped glucose into a red color. The rust and brown color of Trees Leaves as found on Oaks are made from waste left in the leaves.

What conditions cause the most spectacular color display? The weather affects both the leaf color intensity and its duration.  The perfect combination for spectacular color display are a warm, dry summer followed by a rainy autumn.  Then in autumn, warm, sunny days with cool nights trigger brilliant color formations. If an early frost occurs this lessens the intensity of red. As a photographer I always think a gray rainy or overcast day will intensify the depth of vibrant autumn leaf colors.

For a more detailed scientific explanation please read The chemicals that cause leaves to change color in fall

Hope you all had a glorious leaf hunt this autumn…
Love to ALL!
Lee

HSNP Hot Springs Historic District Red Maple

Autumn's Last Burst Historic District Hot Springs

HSNP Historic District Autumn Leaves

HSNP Lower Dogwood Trail Autumn Leaves

Promanade Autumn Leaves

Tufa Terrace Autumn Leaves

West Mountain Trail Autumn Leaves

HSNP West Mt Canyon Trail Autumn Leaves

HSNP Tufa Terrace Trail Autumn Leaves

HSNP Promenade Autumn Leaves

HSNP Lower Dogwood Trail Autumn Leaves

HSNP Floral Trail Autumn Leaves

HSNP Peak Trail Autumn Leaves

HSNP Hot Springs Mountain Trail Autumn Leaves

HSNP Dead Chief Trail Autumn Leaves

HSNP West Mountain Loop Trail Autumn

HSNP Promenade Autumn Leaves

HSNP Gulpha Gorge Trail Autumn

November 18, 2011 | Categories: Hot Springs National Park | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Autumn Leaves with Wings of Orange and Red

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Autumn is gently caressing the Forest as green turn to gold.  Flashes of red and orange appear on several Trees putting on a spectacular display.  Occasional flashes of yellow and orange move among the wildflowers that are clustered on the banks above me.  A vibrant male Cardinal lands nearby on a barren branch, he glances at me several times before flying up into the canopy.

Glorious Aster decorate the trail edges in a variety of shades of purple and lavender.  Goldenrod glows on long tendrils of green and sways gently in an unseasonably warm morning breeze.  Ahead of me an elusive pair of wings dances upon the yellow wildflowers.  The elusive beauty stops long enough for me to see it is a Fritillary, Gulf Butterfly.  It’s vibrant wings of orange fan lightly over the Goldenrod as it sample the nectar in each blossom.  My hike home is filled with the memory of seeing so many Forest treasures bathed in the softness of the morning light.

October is one of my favorite months, I hope you can all get out and play in the Autumn Forest, it Natures Fireworks display!

Love to you ALL!
Lee

October 12, 2011 | Categories: Hot Springs National Park | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Young Buck in the Autumn Forest

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The skies are dark this morning as I head up into the Forest.  Beautiful orange and rust Leaves decorate the Trail before me on my way up Hot springs Mountain.  When I reach the Short Cut Trail I can hear but not see the squirrels that are busy foraging for the acorns that have fallen throughout the Forest.  Each step forward elicits a rice crispy crunch as I move higher up the Mountain.  I decide to try and tip toe up the last part of the Short Cut Trail, a little Chipmunk dashes across at lightning speed.  It appears I am not a quiet as I wished to be.

More rustling of leaves above me in the area I call the grave yard.  The old stumps of trees are now squared off and look like tombstones among the rocks in the soon to be leafless landscape.  I take a couple of shots of the Trees in hopes of capturing a Squirrel instead I discover I am being watched.  The crunching on the rise above me was not squirrels, I had attracted another creature with my delicate tip toeing through the Autumn Leaves.  Peeking at me first from behind a Tree then looking at me from out in the open is a young White Tail Buck.  Set between his huge ears are the button nubs of antlers that will soon grow.  Dark eyes stare intently as he looks straight on with glossy black nose pointing at me.  He is not afraid and is clearly curious about my light touch upon the leaves on the Trail.  I hope this is a mimicking of a deer moving along the trail as I might have other opportunities to see Deer this Autumn.

Along the Hot Springs Mountain Trail a breeze causes leaves to twirl downward onto the path before me.  They look like little helicopters whirling about me, I Love Autumn.  It is not long before I  reach the rest hut on the Honeysuckle Trail that was a wedding Chapel for my beloved husband and I this summer. From the Honeysuckle Trail I connect with the Peak Trail and as I near the bottom a flash of brown flies across the trail.  It turns out the flash is a beautiful little Chipmunk, it has changed into to it’s Autumn coloring.  Now I understand why they have been so difficult to see these past few weeks.

As I leave the park via the Tufa Terrace I am treated to a beautiful display of red Leaves.  Nature has been a gracious host and friend on my hike today.

Much Love,
Lee

November 1, 2010 | Categories: Hot Springs National Park | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

The Rusting Autumn Forest

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I Love overcast days, the gray skies make the colors of Autumn appear more vibrant.  My hike is bathed in the rust and gold glow of the rapidly changing Forest Leaves. When I reach the Carriage Road I arrive to witness a feral cat stalking both a Squirrel and a male Cardinal.  It’s concentration is so focused on it’s targets it does not see me until  a squirrel and I meet face to face.  I am happy to intervene as the Cat is NOT a native species in the Forest. It crosses my mind that the last time I saw the rabbits was just before the Cat began regularly prowling the the Carriage road.

The Dead Chief Trail is the last hold out of much of the vanishing green in the park.  That combined with the gold Leaves sprinkling the trail reminds me of a fairy tale path.  When I reach the the Short Cut Trail the Leaves higher on the mountain are changing to gold and rust.  The Trees in the picnic area are a lovely confetti pattern of green, rust and gold. As I stop for a drink of water a breeze causes a lovely rustling sound as it brushes past the changing leaves.

The Hot Springs Mountain Trail is no longer a tunnel of green the Leaves.  The Forest canopy is vanishing giving way to the Tree sculptures of winter.  It feels as if old friends from my first days of hiking in the Forest are returning to greet me.  I Love the changing seasons in the park, each day reveals new details hidden by spring and summer. My hike is tranquil in cloud covered skies of a wonderful Autumn morning.  As I near the trail head at the Hot Springs Mountain Road the Leaves begin the change to a rich gold.  On North Mountain the leaves becoming a rust and gold carpet across the Upper and Lower Dogwood Trails.  The greenery of the Forest floor is giving way to the rust of the falling leaves.

When I reach the Floral Trail standing to the side is a glorious Tree, vibrant contrast of Red against the green and gold along the path.  It is a beautiful sight as I finish my morning hike in the Autumn Forest.

Step outside and into the arms of Nature.
Much Love,
Lee

PS I hope you will view my new video Autumn Leaves

[

October 24, 2010 | Categories: Hot Springs National Park | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Testing new camera among the Autumn Leaves

This slideshow requires JavaScript.


All Images in this slide show are clickable below
as always we welcome your comments :)

I am testing a new camera, another one this weekend.  Of course lighting is not co-operating and wildlife is hovering at a distance… my only complaint so far is that increased megapixels resulted in increased image noise.  I am enjoying the extra zoom, panorama and burst features.  The camera is much lighter and the leather hand strap is really nice. All the wildlife was captured at a great distance and in some cases dawn or twilight.  The Male Cardinals were shot at over 25 feet at twilight, the squirrel farther and into the sun.  The Red Napped Sapsucker was a wonderful sight high above me in the leaves.  I do however think the Male House Sparrow was keeping an eye on me pre-sunrise. The squirrel sticking it’s tongue out at me might have been personal :)

Much Love,

Lee

October 5, 2010 | Categories: Hot Springs National Park | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 73 other followers