Sunday, September 27, 2015

Beauty At 9th Annual High Knob Naturalist Rally


September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Valley
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Autumn Color Changes In Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Beautiful and remote wetland valleys rest upstream of Bark Camp Lake in the Little Stony Creek Basin of the High Knob Massif.  These high valleys possess a special environment sculptured by many factors over time, including geology-topography and microclimatology as well as nature's hard working engineer supreme - The North American Beaver. 

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Valley
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Autumn Color Changes In Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Around 1.50" of rain had fallen prior to these photographs 
with the water looking rather silty above the Beaver Dams.

The High Knob Landform

The High Knob Landform WebCite Permalink

The Appalachian Climate Center

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Valley
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Fresh Looking Beaver Slide Into Water
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Observe the fresh looking Beaver slide into the 
water behind the foreground tree, that is visible 
just left of this tree in the photograph below.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Valley
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Fresh Looking Beaver Slide Into Water
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

This was the setting for the 9th Annual High Knob Naturalist Rally sponsored by The Clinch Coalition.

September 26, 2015
Wildlife Biologist Lois Boggs Leads Hike
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Wildlife Biologist Lois Boggs, of the Clinch Ranger District of the Jefferson National Forest, did a great job leading a hike into wetlands upstream of 
Bark Camp Lake.

September 26, 2015 at 9:56 AM
Morning Light On Bark Camp Lake
9th Annual High Knob Naturalist Rally
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

There was little true sunshine during this day, 
with a bit following early rain that brightened 
colors developing along Bark Camp Lake.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Basin of High Knob Massif
Cloudy & Gloomy Skies Over Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

The day began with rain and skies were dark and gloomy into
the wetland valley.  It was not until my return hike that skies
brightened up a bit and I captured most of these photographs.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Basin of High Knob Massif
Cloudy & Gloomy Skies Over Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

While this might look like a grassy field, if one steps off the Boardwalk below it would be into muck of the bog-wetland that is knee to hip dip or greater in places.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Basin of High Knob Massif
Boardwalk Across Wetland In Upper Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Sugar Maples, Alders, Sedges, Rushes, Cinnamon Ferns and a vast array of other species of flora & fauna add to the wondrous setting of these high valleys.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Valley
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Autumn Color Changes In Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Valley
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Autumn Color Changes In Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Autumn color changes were most advanced amid cold air drainage corridors of the valleys upstream of Bark Camp Lake, where cold air pools and night temperatures often get cold at elevations of over 2700 feet above sea level.

September 26, 2015
Clinch River Watershed of High Knob Massif
Wetland Valley of Little Stony Creek Basin
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Bark Camp Lake Basin of High Knob Massif
Beauty of Little Stony Creek Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Valley
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Autumn Color Changes In Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Valley
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Autumn Color Changes In Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Valley
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Autumn Color Changes In Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Wetland Valley
Hazel Alder ( Alnus serrulata ) Thicket
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Mountain White Alder
( Clethra acuminata )

is also in this area.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Basin of High Knob Massif
Jack O'Lantern Mushroom ( Omphalotus olearius )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Many different species were observed including a couple of poisonous Jack O'Lantern mushrooms, the one below looking brighter and younger.

Jack O'Lanterns undergo bioluminescence,
with a blue-green color from their gills, at night.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Basin of High Knob Massif
Another Different Jack O'Lantern Mushroom
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

A fresh and partially dug out Yellowjacket nest was found along the trail, with a Fox, Skunk or Bear being the possible culprit.

September 26, 2015
Partially Dug Out Nest
Little Stony Creek Basin of High Knob Massif
Eastern Yellowjacket ( Vespula maculifrons )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Part of Upper Tennessee River Basin
Turkey Tail Mushroom ( Trametes versicolor )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Bluish-Green Cup Fungi On A Stick
Possible ( Chlorociboria aeruginascens ) Species
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Low light and gusty winds made for poor shooting
conditions upon discovery of a Cardinal Flower.

September 26, 2015
Low Definition Photograph
Cardinal Flower ( Lobelia cardinalis )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Upper Tennessee River Basin
Thick Vegetation In Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Valley Floor Around 2750 feet
Beauty of Little Stony Creek Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Clinch River Watershed of High Knob Massif
Beauty of Little Stony Creek Wetland Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

While water was being held behind Beaver Dams, in photographs above, portions of the wetland valley between backwaters of Bark Camp Lake and the Beaver Dams had a nearly dry stream channel.  This was mostly due to the lake level being below normal.

Was this all due to below average rainfall since August 1?

It is possible if no water was being released from the spillway ( future work on the dam is reportedly scheduled ).  Around 1.50" of rain fell in the 24-hours prior to these photographs.

September 26, 2015
Little Stony Creek Basin of High Knob Massif
Stream Channel Nearly Dry In Portions of Valley
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

A diversity of ferns populate the forest floor, especially amid the cold air drainage corridors where Mixed-Mesophytic Northern Hardwoods finger down from endemic Southern Appalachian Northern Woods of upper elevations.

New York Fern 
( Parathelypteris noveboracensis )

Cinnamon Fern 
( Osmundastrum cinnamomeum )

Christmas Fern 
( Polystichum acrostichoides )

are easily visible below with
American Beech ( Fagus grandifolia )

September 26, 2015
Cold Air Drainage Corridor
Mixed-Mesophytic Northern Hardwoods
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

A few other documented Fern Species here:

Northern Maidenhair Fern
( Adiantum pedatum )

Mountain Spleenwort
( Asplenium montanum )

Ebony Spleenwort
( Asplenium platyneuron )

Walking Fern
( Asplenium rhizophyllum )

Maidenhair Spleenwort
( Asplenium trichomanes )

Southern Lady Fern
( Athyrium asplenioides )

Lowland Bladder Fern
( Cystopteris protrusa )

Hay-Scented Fern
( Dennstaedtia punctilobula )

Goldie's Wood Fern
( Dryopteris goldiana )

Fancy Fern
( Dryopteris intermedia )

Marginal Wood Fern
( Dryopteris marginalis )

Fancy-Marginal Hybrid Fern
( Dryopteris intermedia × marginalis )

American Climbing Fern
( Lygodium palmatum )

Sensitive Fern
( Onoclea sensibilis )

Interrupted Fern
( Osmunda claytoniana )

Royal Fern
( Osmunda spectabilis )

Broad Beech Fern
( Phegopteris hexagonoptera )

Bracken Fern
( Pteridium aquilinum ssp. latiusculum  )

September 26, 2015
Kayaking On Bark Camp Lake
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Early Autumn On Bark Camp Lake
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Early Autumn On Bark Camp Lake
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Focus Upon Kayakers Enjoying The Lake
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Bark Camp Lake of High Knob Massif
Locally Brilliant Trees Along Lake Edge
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Eagle Knob of High Knob Massif
Dark Trunks of Sugar Maple on Eagle Knob
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
Eagle Knob of High Knob Massif
Huge Wild Black Cherry ( Prunus serotina )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
High Knob Lake Basin of High Knob Massif
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

A drive from Bark Camp Lake to the High Knob Lookout proved to be a great decision as dramatic, gorgeous light developed with waves of rain moving across the mountains from the southeast.

September 26, 2015
High Knob Lookout At 5:03 PM
Dramatic View of Rain Moving Into Mountains
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.



September 26, 2015
High Knob Lookout At 5:07 PM
Dramatic View of Rain Moving Into Mountains
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
High Knob Lookout At 5:10 PM
Dramatic View of Rain Moving Into Mountains
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
High Knob Lookout View
East Toward Brumley-Beartown Mountain
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
High Knob Lookout View
North To Breaks Interstate Park-Pine Mountain
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 26, 2015
High Knob Lookout View
Southwest Across High Knob Massif-Landform
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Early Autumn Color Changes In High Knob Massif


September 19, 2015
Water Elevation 3318 Feet
Early Color Changes In High Knob Massif
Afternoon Beauty At Upper Norton Reservoir
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Beautiful water reflections included low 
hanging cumulus and early color changes.

The High Knob Landform

The High Knob Landform WebCite Permalink

The Appalachian Climate Center

September 19, 2015
Early Color Changes In High Knob Massif
Afternoon Beauty At Upper Norton Reservoir
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Cold nights during the past week have accelerated color changes in the high country of the High Knob Massif, with gorgeous afternoon conditions observed Saturday ( September 19 ).

September 19, 2015
Benges Basin of High Knob Massif
Early Autumn Color Changes In High Country
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 19, 2015
Benges Basin of High Knob Massif
Early Autumn Color Changes In High Country
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 19, 2015
Water Elevation 3318 Feet
Beautiful Reflections On Upper Norton Reservoir
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Elevation 3325 Feet
September 19, 2015 at 3:23 PM
Large Yellow Birch ( Betula alleghaniensis )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Yellow Birch is locally large and fingers downward amid these cold air drainages to near the valley floors of Norton, Coeburn, and adjacent locations where air drains downward out of the massif.

I have called these Mixed-Mesophytic Northern Hardwood corridors that finger downward from the endemic Southern Appalachian Northern Woods of upper elevations.

Check this section for more information:
Natural Communities & Cold Air Drainages

September 19, 2015
Benges Basin of Powell River
Northern Slopes of High Knob Massif
Beech-Birch-Maple-Ash-Lycopodium-Lichens
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

The flora of Benges Basin, and northern exposed slopes of the High Knob Massif in general, is rich Mixed-Mesophytic Forest featuring many northern species with intermixed species having southern and locally disjunct affinities.

Elevation 3322 Feet
September 19, 2015 at 4:26 PM
Striped Maple ( Acer pensylvanicum )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Just A Few Canopy Species Here Include:

Sugar Maple 
( Acer saccharum )

Yellow Birch 
( Betula alleghaniensis )

White Ash
( Fraxinus americana )

American Beech 
( Fagus grandifolia )

Northern Red Oak 
( Quercus rubra var. borealis )

Sourwood 
( Oxydendrum arboreum )

Red Maple
Acer rubrum )

White Pine
( Pinus strobus )

*Many tree species that form the canopy are also in the under-story, growing along with shrubs and the many ferns and herbaceous plant species.

September 19, 2015
Upper Norton Reservoir at 4:20 PM
Sourwood & Red Maple - Understory Examples
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Just A Few Under-Story Species Here Include:

Striped Maple
Acer pensylvanicum )

Mountain Pepperbush
( Clethra acuminata )

*Sourwood 
Oxydendrum arboreum )

Red Maple
( Acer rubrum )

Great Rhododendron
( Rhododendron maximum )

Christmas Fern
( Polystichum acrostichoides )

New York Fern
( Thelypteris noveboracensis )

Cinnamon Fern 
( Osmunda cinnamomea var. cinnamomea )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Sensitive Fern 
( Onoclea sensibilis )

White Turtlehead 
( Chelone glabra )

September 19, 2015
Upper Norton Reservoir of High Knob Massif
Broad-leaved Goldenrod ( Solidago flexicaulis )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Boneset
( Eupatorium spp. )

Joe-Pye Weed
( Eutrochium spp. )

White Aster
( Symphyotrichum spp. )

September 19, 2015
Benges Basin of High Knob Massif
Beautiful Clouds Form Over High Country
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

The most brilliant maple, or at least one of the most, observed all
day can be seen to the left side of the spillway in this photograph.

Beautiful cumulus which literally developed right above the massif as air was being forced to rise across the high country, beneath high altitude cirrus, created an awesome setting which foreshadowed the show that would later be observed around sunset.

September 19, 2015
Upper Tennessee River Basin
Early Autumn Color Changes In High Country
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.






Some nice and bright early color is showing across the lofty basins where cold air drains into at night.

September 19, 2015
Early Color Changes In High Knob Lake Basin
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

The September 14-17 period featured nights in the 30s to lower 40s
amid the lofty valleys and basins of this high country.

Early color changes have been common since I began keeping track of this area in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Reference the end of this section for details:
High Knob Massif - Peak Color Periods In Upper Elevations

September 19, 2015
Peak of High Knob Massif
Autumn Conditions At High Knob Lookout
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 19, 2015
Peak of High Knob Massif
Autumn Conditions In High Knob Meadow
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Conditions were breezy to gusty & cool atop the crest zone with late afternoon temps in the 60s.

September 19, 2015
Crest Zone of High Knob Massif
Focus On Crepuscular Rays Of Sunshine
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Looking West
September 19, 2015
Crest Zone of High Knob Massif
Approaching Sunset From High Knob Lookout
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 19, 2015
Early Autumn Conditions In High Knob Massif
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Looking Southwest
September 19, 2015
Crest Zone of High Knob Massif
Gorgeous Colors Develop Before Sunset
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

An increase in orographic clouds toward 
sunset created some rather dramatic scenes.

September 19, 2015
Crest Zone of High Knob Massif
Gorgeous Colors Develop Before Sunset
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

The mass of clouds below developed some terrain forced rotation as
air flowed across the massif.  This view is looking northeast-east
( the Eagle Knob Communications Complex is on far left ).

September 19, 2015
Crest Zone of High Knob Massif
Gorgeous Colors Develop Before Sunset
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 19, 2015
Crest Zone of High Knob Massif
Gorgeous Colors Develop Before Sunset
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

While plenty of awesome color decorated the sky before sunset it was actually blocked by clouds at the time when it dropped beneath the crestline of Black Mountain.

*When skies are clear the sun can be caught sitting momentarily upon the crestline of Black Mountain just prior to its astronomical setting.

September 19, 2015
Crest Zone of High Knob Massif
Colors-Haze Fill Sky As Sun Drops Below Clouds
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Increasing haze observed during late afternoon gave way to stronger winds overnight along a cold frontal boundary with 0.25" to 0.50" of rain that locally fell in the High Knob Massif.  Low cloud bases on upslope flow dominated September 20 with temps that held in the 50s all day above 2500-3000 feet.

September 19, 2015
Crest Zone of High Knob Massif
Sun Blocked By Clouds At Setting Time
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.





Additional Early Autumn Species

September 23, 2015
Native Species of Cumberland Mountains
Blue Monkshood ( Aconitum uncinatum )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Some additional early autumn species currently being observed in the Cumberland Mountains include the beautiful Monkshood and many varieties of Asters.

September 23, 2015
Native Species of Cumberland Mountains
White Aster ( Symphyotrichum spp. )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 23, 2015
Garden Phlox ( Phlox spp. ) And Spider Web
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 23, 2015
Bracket Polypore Fungus
Possible Artist's Conk ( Ganoderma applanatum )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

Late Summer 2015
Growing on American Beech ( Fagus grandifolia )
Northern Tooth Fungus ( Climacodon septentrionale )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 24, 2015
High Definition Photograph
Blue Monkshood Aconitum uncinatum )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 24, 2015
Cumberland Mountains
Virgin’s-bower ( Clematis virginiana )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 24, 2015
High Definition Photograph
Great Blue Lobelia ( Lobelia siphilitica )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.

September 24, 2015
Cumberland Mountains
White Aster ( Symphyotrichum spp. )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved.




This section is under construction.  Check back for updates.