>>Definitely not. The burning has been constant all winter.
Oak trees do a gradual leaf drop all winter, and hang on to some of their leaves right up to spring. They also self-prune; if nutrients are inadequate, they withdraw stored energy from limbs and drop them.
Not many oaks. Despite the hilly terrain, this is mostly cleared for ag. I get a kick out of going for a walk past a half-acre plot with a cow.