You'll also find hop hornbeam here, or ironwood, an indicator of thin, dry, nutrient-rich soil, such as occurs here on the highest point of the sanctuary. Several species of clubmoss creep across the path, lined with hay-scented fern and lowbush blueberry. Notice all the logs on the ground, lying in the same direction, mostly uphill. These are blowdowns from the Hurricane of '38, when this whole hillside was flattened. After the hurricane, white and yellow birch seeded in quickly on the exposed soil, followed later by the oaks, maples, and other hardwoods, and now shade-tolerant beech, striped maple and balsam fir.
Dead snags stand amid thick grasses, willow and black alder shrubs.
Adding to the spring and summer frog chorus of wood frogs, spring peepers, toads, green frogs and bullfrogs is the northern mink frog. This frog is so named because of its ability to produce a strong mink-like odor when handled roughly. As you stroll uphill again, watch for blue-eyed grass in the path in springtime, wood asters in the fall. Soon you'll be walking alongside a well-built stone wall. Notice the large trees growing along the wall, including a very large white birch.