Notes and Changes since last report
- It was 70°F, cloudy and windy at 1:45 PM on August 07, 2013.
- The new camera did a nice job today.
- Gray and windy wasn't the best for butterflies, but it was warm enough.
- Mosquitoes were not quite as annoying as they have been.
The Trails
- In the front Old Hayfield, a constant chip was coming from a bird out in front.
- New camera's zoom did a nice job helping verify it was a female common yellowthroat.
- More chipping off to the side was from the male.
- He was much more out in the open than she.
- I wasn't sure if they were chipping amongst themselves or at me. Not wishing to disturb a possible nest, I moved on.
- Not very far away was another nest I did not wish to disturb: hornets. Another fine job by the camera.
- Easing my way around that, I thought I noticed a least skipper.
- Indeed there were several. Where did I see them last week? It was again unusual for them in that it was not a wet location. Compare its size to the "sour clover" and grass blade.
- I've always seen browning locust trees and I've know the locust leaf miner beetle, but only now, in the back Old Hayfield, have I seen them together.
- An occasional sighting is the female zabulon skipper. The diagnostic white edge of the hind wing apex is just visible.
- Something big zoomed by: a galium sphinx. The caterpillar feeds on Galium - bedstraw.
- On the way out I noticed a fly being attended by a spider... while a scorpionfly helped itself to a previous catch.
- Along the Sedge Meadow Trail something buzzed me. Appalachian browns have been out along here, but that's northern pearly-eye behaviour. It finally landed... aye, it was an eye.
- Running short on time, I ran through the Old Pasture pausing just long enough to snap the cicada exuvia that I somehow spotted.
- The mosquitoes helped me keep up the pace along the Wappinger Creek Trail, but at the "Appendix", as I like to call the area around trail marker 10, I had to investigate a harsh, raspy cry. A great blue heron was around recently, but that's more of a croak. Green heron would be closer, but not as shrill as this. Something big went up high into a sycamore. Camera said it was a great horned owl.
- With an appointment to keep I had to cruise - no more time for sightseeing. But we sure had some sights today.
