August 12, 2020

Sneezeweed

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 80°F, partly cloudy and breezy at 2:00 PM on August 12, 2020.
• The humidity must have been near 100%.
• It was a long walk...
• This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

The Trails

• The Wappinger Creek at trail marker 10 was moving right along from recent rains.
• Above the Fern Glen, a well worn duskywing species was nectaring on wild basil.
• Shadows were upon the Fern Glen pond.
• A bull frog and painted turtle were still out under the filtered sun.
• There was color at the back of the pond.
• At the pond's edge, New York ironweed was blooming.
• On the other side of the path, spotted Joe-Pye weed was finally blooming in earnest.
• Brushing my elbow was sneezeweed.
• A pair of mating ambush bugs was on the neighboring flower head.
• An alarming sight was autumn red leaves on the poison sumac.
• Speckled alder catkins were getting ready for next season.
• A female scorpion fly landed nearby.
• Turtlehead was real close to blooming.
• Lemony smelling horsebalm was finally blooming.
• Indian tobacco was forming the balloon-like pods on which its Latin name was based: Lobelia inflata.
• A relative of Jack-in-the-pulpit, green dragon, was coming up along a foot bridge.
• White wood aster was blooming on higher, dryer land.
• Off the edge of the fen's boardwalk, boneset was blooming.
• The joined leaves were once thought to indicate that the plant was useful for healing broken bones.
• In a few places, swamp milkweed was forming pods.
• Near the stone bridge, starflower was forming its tiny fruit.
• The bridge itself is worthy of a look about.
• Little maidenhair spleenwort was growing out of the mortar between the stones.
• On the way out of the 'Glen, that Indian pipe from two weeks ago was still going.
• A nice example of clearweed was growing on the mossy pavement.
• The leaves and developing flowers left little doubt that this is in the nettle family.
• Another common yard plant right near by was smartweed .
• It was still a hike to return to Gifford House on this humid afternoon, but there was a breeze the whole way.
• Next week: The Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.

Sightings