Looduskalender

Fall in Oregon, USA
I am in Corvallis Oregon 44° 33' 53" N
Corvallis is about 50 miles east of the Pacific Ocean separated by a relatively low mountain range.

Early fall -- late August and early September is quite dry. August averages about 1-2 cm of rain but sometime in the second half of September the rains begin.

September 13

A tree that I did not know but which Liis has helped me to come to a probable identification of -- it is probably: Cercidiphyllum or katsura, the peppercake tree.

September 13
Birch trees
I think these are some the earliest trees to lose their leaves.


I think this is a Snowball Bush under the Birch trees -- the red leaves to the right and under the birches.

September 13
Now for some Maples.
I think but am not sure that this might be a Sunset Maple.


I thought this was also a Sunset Maple but it does not have red stems -- maybe because it is young?


Japanese Maple (Weeds, English Ivy & Laurel Hedge)


Leaf Close up

September 13
This is a Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua L. ). They were quite popular with the city because they grow quickly. Unfortunately, they seem to have relatively short life spans and quite a few have begun to die.

I will be posting images of several near my house. I find them interesting because of the ones near my house within 50 meters of each other -- they lose their leaves quite differently and while the ones near my house are quite green there are others around town that are already quite red.



and a bit of a closeup, up there in the bits that are turning red


and a bit in a tree 20 meters away that is turning lighter green (after I sleep -- Now)

Other signs of Fall

I do not know if these large "garden" spiders are a sign of fall else where but the are a sure sign here.

alice44 wrote:Other signs of Fall

I do not know if these large "garden" spiders are a sign of fall else where but the are a sure sign here.

Hi, I have seem those spiders here too! Not this year, but some earlier years at the end of summertime. They made their networks behind the kitchen window that we do not open too often. That time i didn't have a camera to take any kind of zoomed picture.

Olga wrote:Hi, I have seem those spiders here too! Not this year, but some earlier years at the end of summertime. They made their networks behind the kitchen window that we do not open too often. That time i didn't have a camera to take any kind of zoomed picture.

These spiders are just everywhere! Every path has a web or three every morning and within an hour or less they are back. My path to the driveway has about 3 usually. Some are up high so I do not even disturb them going past.

September 13 or 12
A scenic view


This is taken from a walk I take with my mom from her house. The covered bridge is on the University grounds near the cow barn. A walking, biking, jogging path goes through it. I have no idea what the trees are but I shall attempt to get more shots so we can see the leaves change.

And yet one more sign of Fall
(After looking at Jo's posts of pears I took lots of pictures of apples but...)

Taken about August 5


Taken about September 13

Alice, how is your katsura tree doing?
Checked "mine" here in Stockholm (59 N) yesterday: it is a big one - some small branches are pale yellow, otherwise all green.
And not the slightest trace of ginger snap, or sugar candy, or cake bake aroma.
(I do have pics, but they sit in the computer memory).
Will check another, smaller, different species (C. magnificum ) at the botanical gardens today.

Liis wrote:Alice, how is your katsura tree doing?
Checked "mine" here in Stockholm (59 N) yesterday: it is a big one - some small branches are pale yellow, otherwise all green.
And not the slightest trace of ginger snap, or sugar candy, or cake bake aroma.
(I do have pics, but they sit in the computer memory).
Will check another, smaller, different species (C. magnificum ) at the botanical gardens today.

I have taken a picture. I hope to post it later today -- not sure if there was much change yet or not.

Oops I forgot what angle I used for the first picture!

September 19th
More leaves are missing and the colour may have gotten a little lighter (if that is possible).


Of course for the closeups I chose the darkest most beautiful leaves.


Thumbnail from September 13th

September 18th
This was taken just below the maybe Katsura tree -- the Green tree is an Oak and the Red one a Maple. I thought they made a good pair.

Oh yes!
The Katsura is much lighter this week.
I think the oak in Pat's garden in Plymouth is holding on to it's green colour, too.

Jo UK wrote:Oh yes!
The Katsura is much lighter this week.
I think the oak in Pat's garden in Plymouth is holding on to it's green colour, too.

It seemed like such a odd change I wondered if it was the lighting.

More of my Fall Spiders

Great close-ups of the spider, Alice.
I found myself trapped indoors by a web strung across the doorway, yesterday. I was very careful to break it at the side of the door frame, to allow the spider time to attach itself somewhere else.

It looks to be the same kind of spider as in your pics.

Jo UK wrote:Great close-ups of the spider, Alice.
I found myself trapped indoors by a web strung across the doorway, yesterday. I was very careful to break it at the side of the door frame, to allow the spider time to attach itself somewhere else.

It looks to be the same kind of spider as in your pics.

Some sort of garden orb spider I think. They must be around all summer but they really only become noticeable in fall. I have arch, over the path to the front door -- it is interesting some of the mailmen just strike out getting rid of all webs and others try to slink by without doing their webs much damage.

September 20
Birches


Earlier -- the 13th