April 24, 2013

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was clear, approaching 70°F with light winds at 2:00 PM on April 24, 2013.
• Bird activity was low today.
• New butterflies were spring azure and Juvenal's duskywing.
• In the Fern Glen a number of new things were now blooming including trillium, twinleaf and large-flowered bellwort.

The Trails

• A good start to today's walk was seeing a grapevine epimenis (moth) fly by in Gifford parking lot.
• The grass was looking very green in the front Old Hayfield.
• The back Old Hayfield had my first Juvenal's duskywing of the season by the entrance to the Sedge Meadow Trail.
• Violets were blooming along the Sedge Meadow Trail and white-throated sparrows were easy to view.
• Pausing at the bench in the Old Pasture, I spotted two spring azures as they passed by.
• On the Wappinger Creek Trail, Pennsylvania sedge, a handsome grass-like plant that deer don't like, was just beginning to bloom.
• Trout-lily had already been blooming and was having a good year. Sometimes all you see is the leaves.
• While admiring them, I noticed some mallards, which didn't appear to notice me.
• On the Cary Pines Trail, Canada mayflower leaves were unrolling in a carpet.
• Along the road to the Fern Glen, escapee daffodils of several sorts were blooming in clumps.
• I wandered up the slope to see if any butterflys were lurking on the tips of a fallen branch.
• No, but I did find an old egg mass of praying mantis.
• In the Glen proper, Bishop's cap was budding up.
• My favorite bench was back and the big Solomon's seal next to it was coming up.
• In the Roeller Bed, wild ginger was up and flowering.
• Near by, spring beauty, was doing better than I can recall.
• Twinleaf was blooming. Look quick; this seems to last a very short time.
• Large-flowered bellwort was up and running too.
• Soon to follow would be Early meadow-rue.
• Back towards the fen, the first red trillium was opening.
• Near the deck, leatherwood and American fly honeysuckle were both blooming.
• Just past the kiosk, the mayapple colony was coming up.
• Set back behind the kiosk, false helebore was getting big.
• Smaller and fortunately closer, toothwort was getting ready to bloom.
• Up by the road again, pale corydalis was puzzling passers by.
• Hobblebush would soon be attracting attention.
• Below, false rue-anemone was getting ready to bloom too.
• At the Carriage House, magnolia was in full swing.
• With the cold forecast a week ago, I wondered how the blossms would fare.
• Well enough it would seem.