April 20, 2021

Soldier Beetle

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 68°F, partly cloudy and windy at 1:00 PM on April 20, 2021.
• This week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.
• Things were slowing down: only half a dozen new flowers since last week.
• As for butterflies, there were only a couple cabbage whites in spite of the mild temps today.

The Trails

• Off the edge of the Gifford House parking lot stands a tall tree that always appears to have a bird on top.
• Today it actually did: a tree swallow.
• At the trailhead, clumps of grass were almost tall enough to mow.
• Mixed in the lawn was a little colony of chionodoxa, a little imported lily family member.
• Over two weeks, the honeysuckle leaves had expanded and been joined by flower buds.
• Strange buds were errupting from the strange stems of burning bush.
• Another invasive, privet, had suddenly started leafing out, too.
• I have to relearn every year: the large, sharply toothed leaves with drawn, pointy tips belong to nannyberry; it will flower soon. We will look for the smaller, blunter leaves of black haw next week.
• A soldier beetle, related to lightning bugs, drifted by and landed on a multiflora rose stalk. This one seemed to have a dusting of yellow pollen.
• Overhead, the screech of a red-tailed hawk drew my attention.
• A northern flicker flew into the same tree but higher up.
• Down below, a mole road led to a mole hill.
• On the Sedge Meadow Trail, violets were blooming. I enjoy finding surprise insects in the "darkroom"
• A wave of sunshine blew across the Sedge Meadow.
• It set the tussock sedge flowers aglow.
• The sun would come and go all afternoon, but the sugar maples were definitely out in the back Old Hayfield.
• Long, drooping yellow-green flowers contrast with the tight, red ones of the earlier red maple.
• A mayfly landed on my arm and accompanied me for a while.
• In the back of the field, Japanese barberry was filling out.
• Additionally, flower buds had formed and were swelling.
• All the way around on the Wappinger Creek Trail, wood anemone was blooming.
• Briefly flowering bloodroot had already been out a while, but with the cool weather, was still hanging on.
• Trout lily was continuing to make a great show of flowers this year, too.
• Two stem leaves, each with three leaflets should be toothwort.
• Some books mention the smooth upper stem.
• Compare these hairy stems...
• ... and with sets of three stem leaves - that should be cut-leaved toothwort. But just a few leaflets suggest even narrow, let alone cut. Those in the Fern Glen (see last week) leave no doubt. I guess this feature is "variable", though the books don't seem to mention it.
• There should be little doubt about the identity of stinging nettle, even - nay, especially - when young.
• Next week: the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

Sightings