Autumn mornings are a wonderful time to take a walk in the Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Feel the fresh chill in the air and look for ways that plants and animals prepare for winter.
You can begin your walk at several trail heads on the west, south and east sides of the Conservancy. Let's start at the north end of the conservancy where a trail leads to the top of a hill overlooking the marsh. Standing on the hill’s viewing platform, you can see how the native oaks and prairie grasses on the hill change color with seasons. Try to find the reddish-orange hues of the little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) and prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepsis) grasses. If you see any patches of green, they’re probably invasive species like common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica). We’ve been trying to remove these tress and shrubs because they grow rapidly and crowd out native prairie and oak savanna plants.
From the viewing platform, you can also see clumps of willows, and large areas of red-osier dogwood shrubs (Cornus stolonifera) with their red leaves and carmine stems. We’re trying to eradicate the willows and dogwood shrubs because these invasive species prevent the growth of native wetland plants in marshy areas. Further south in the marsh, look for orange patches of bur-reed (Sparganium eurycarpum), a plant that looks roughly like a shorter version of cattail. With binoculars you may be able to see the browned tips on the ends of their leaves.
Strolling southwest from the hill along the Pheasant Branch trail leads you through an upland forest. Look for the deep russets and browns in the red oaks (Quercus rubra) and burr oaks (Quercus macrocarpa) which stand on the hillsides above the marsh. The oaks hold onto their leaves well into winter and provide some protection from wind for many winter birds and mammals.
Walking further south across a wetland boardwalk and along the trail toward Century Avenue, you’ll begin to see tall wetland forest trees. Cottonwoods (Populus deltoides) and silver maples (Acer saccharinum) turn a modest yellow color in fall and are not nearly as colorful as the oaks. Here too, you’ll see more invasive buckthorn trees and honeysuckle shrubs that tend to keep their green leaves long after the native trees and shrubs have lost theirs.
Animals in the conservancy prepare for winter in many ways. Mammals grow denser coats and some store food for the long winter months. Bird species that nested in the conservancy, like warblers and vireos, migrate at the first signs of cold weather. But you may begin to see the arrival of northern birds, like Pine Siskins and Dark-eyed Juncos that spend their winters in our relatively balmy climate.Updated February 2006
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