This is a follow-up to this older diary — Woods and Field. This diary is documenting a visit to the fields and woods in Rush, NY during late March. Given that the growing season is just starting this diary is mainly being used to establish a baseline for future visits in having a general description of the layout and some pictures with actual sight lines before the underbrush grows, the trees leaf out, and the fields get planted.
The local high spot is in the middle of the Upper Field. It mildly slopes down in all directions from there. The Lower Field has a sort of “arch” to it as it is highest in the middle while sloping uphill towards the Upper Field.
The area is quite damp and muddy today. Wellingtons are in order. The soil is glacial till with lots of small rocks. The field gets sandier as you move west due to windblown sand coming off the floodplain of the Genesee River.
The ditch has actual water flow going today. The hedge itself is a mix of plants (high bush cranberry, honeysuckle,etc. plus a mix of tree types.)
The northeast corner of the property is relatively low-lying, marshy, has a small stream running through it. And is totally overgrown with heavy honeysuckle thickets. The white-tailed deer hang out here and have lots of trails running through it.
The field edges support the typical disturbed ground and meadow plants. Just wild onion for the most part right now, but other plants come up later in the season such as the Dame’s Rocket pictured in the previous diary.
There is a tree line separating the Lower Field from the Upper Field. In addition larger rocks removed from the fields and piled here have accumulated into low walls. There are not that many good crossing places due to trees, rocks, poison ivy, honeysuckle and multiflora rose thickets.
A triangular piece of untended field lies to the east here that is not pictured. Open meadow trees starting to occupy it and goldenrod grows on it later in the year. A good place for looking for meadow birds.
When walking across the Upper Field when its open early in the year is a good time to try to spot chert chippings. This area was camped on in ancient times and there are registered archaeological sites nearby.
There is a small untended field next to the woodlot. Some birds here today along the brush line — blue jay, white-throated sparrow and song sparrow. Crossing this small field gets us to the eastern side of the Woodlot.
This side of the Woodlot is wetter, has smaller trees, and more undergrowth. Deer paths cross back and forth as well. Since it is still early spring there is not much undergrowth to dodge through. A little further in is even wetter ground that is a seasonal wetland.
The water from the wetland areas collects and drains to the north into a single stream.
The stream runs north a little ways and then turns west to run between two small hillocks. These hillocks are drier than the rest of the woodlot and support most of the larger trees, mainly hardwoods. Later in the year more plants will be up in this area; including wild garlic, ramps, and mushrooms.
Along the stream can also be found a old well and a farm’s midden containing broken glass and other decaying artifacts.
A Pileated Woodpecker was heard, but not seen this morning. There are also gray squirrels running about. No hawk activity today, but I have seen them here in the woods previously.
Exiting the west side of the Woodlot we enter some open ground. High grasses and some rocks here. There are also power lines nearby, so this is a good area to look for larger birds such as hawks and vultures.
There was some active insect life about. Some gnat swarms and a few flies where it was sunny and warmer.
Thanks for coming along.