The sit spot I chose is located by the creek across from the derby field beyond the tinker parking lot on campus. When I went riding in the field Monday morning, I spotted deer beds and I knew that area would be perfect for me to study. Tuesday, September 8th at around 5:50pm, I set out to find the perfect location to watch the life around me. On my way to my sit spot, I discovered various bugs and flowers that caught my eye. The forest edge contained many tall, bright yellow flowers that honeybees seemed to have loved. I knew I had to trek through the forest to reach my desired spot, but the foliage was quite dense. After a few minutes of searching, I finally found a clear enough path for me to squeeze through and reach the creek. Although I believe a bug bit the back of my leg and I stumbled into several spiderwebs, the effort I put into my travel was well rewarded. Now that I know where the best path is, I should have no trouble reaching my sit spot in the future.

On my arrival, I reached the creek and was stunned with the spot I had discovered. Immediately to the left of me was a fallen tree that ran over the creek, much like a natural bridge. It had grooves in it that I believe to be from emerald ash borer. I thought about sitting on the log so I could watch over any creatures living in the creek, but I decided against it. I traveled a bit further upstream, settling down on the rocky creekside at around 6:05pm. Most, if not all living things, need water to survive, so I hoped to encounter lots of wildlife. I already knew there were deer in the area, so I was optimistic. The sketch I drew was merely a rough representation of the tangled branches and roots and lush foliage that stood before me. Not even the images I captured on my phone accurately represent my scenery. When seated, I faced west towards the sun that had just begun to set.

Once settled, I closed my eyes and focused on anything and everything I could hear. Some sounds remained constant throughout my study; the buzz of cicada song all around me, the soft trickle of the creek as it rolled over stones in front of me, and the droning hum of cars on a nearby road that seemed to be to my right, or the north. Every now and then I could hear the snap of a twig as a bird or squirrel sent it cascading to the forest floor, the rustle and crunch of leaves as they fell from their branches, indicating the first signs of autumn, the light chitter of songbirds as they called to each other among the treetops, and the splash of small, silver minnows as they leaped from the water. After opening my eyes, my attention was drawn to the gentle sway of leaves in the wind. Countless numbers of trees surrounded me, one with leaves as big as my face especially catching my eye. I believe it was an American sycamore tree. Most of the leaves were still a bright, lush green, although some began to show speckles of yellow and orange. The sky above me began a soft blue color with many white, wispy clouds that looked to be mostly cirrostratus. Eventually, the sky began to darken into a beautiful orange color, causing the clouds to turn pink.

Sitting still for around an hour was difficult for me, and I will admit that I explored upstream a bit to see what else I could find. I am glad I did so because I found some very interesting things! As I walked, I noticed a small portion of the creek was a bright orange color. I followed the stream and came across a large, rusty piece of metal sitting in the water. It was interesting to me to see how a foreign object can affect the water in the way that it did. The next thing that I discovered was a large deposit of rock and concrete embedded in the side of the earth. There were many cracks and crevices that could easily house wildlife, ideally snakes, so I was excited to find it. Just beyond the rock, I found something that really excited me; holes entwined in the roots of a tree! Curious, I sat on a nearby log and waited for about 10 minutes. I did not notice any activity from the holes, but I heard crunching just above me and noticed broken shells of tree nuts all around. I soon spotted a squirrel hopping among the branches. Along the ground, I also spotted tracks of deer, so I hope to encounter them in the future. Another thing I noticed was an American hornbeam tree, which, after looking back at my pictures, there were more of them than I noticed. American hornbeams are one of my favorite trees.

Satisfied with my additional exploration, I returned to my original spot and sat once more. I began to focus on my other senses, seeing what I could smell. Other than the earthy tones of the water and the leaves that were beginning to decay within it. The air was comfortable with a light breeze, the temperature around 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit. The water felt brisk, but not too cold. It was the perfect temperature to stick my feet in if I so felt. At around 7:00 pm, I began to write down my experience while it was still fresh in my mind. I remained at my sit spot while listing my thoughts to see if anything else would happen as I wrote. I am very glad that I did so. As I was writing, I heard something in the undergrowth in front of me. Lo and behold, as soon as I looked up, I spotted a skunk lumbering along the side of the creek! I quickly snapped a few not so good photos and watched the skunk as it sniffed around. It disappeared behind the small hill in front of me, so I went back to writing. Several minutes later, I look up and the skunk is directly in front of me, maybe 12 feet away! I quietly took some better photos and watched as it scavenged through the roots. It paid no attention to me until I accidentally shuffled a bit too loud. Once it spotted me, it stared at me for a moment before trotting off in the opposite direction. Now I wonder if it lives in the burrows that I found. I am very glad the skunk did not see me as a threat because I don’t believe my hallmates would have appreciated me stinking up the place.

Overall, I am very happy with the outcome of my sit spot! Three things I would like to track are the burrows I found within the system of roots, the large sycamore tree directly in front of my main spot, and the level of the creek based on weather and season. I left the creekside at 7:38pm. I am very excited about my next session to see what else I can find.