August 15, 2018

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 83°F, calm, humid and partly cloudy 1:45 PM on August 15, 2018.
• Yesterday's rains made for a lively butterfly activity on the dirt road to the Carriage House.
• This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.
• I missed the first brood in the spring, but Tawny-edged skipper was here today for the 2nd.

The Trails

• It was pretty humid and there were still wet spots on the dirt road to the Carriage House.
• Numerous male clouded sulphurs were lapping up minerals at the dried parts of puddles.
• A well worn (summer) spring azure watched from the grass before joining in.
• It was almost a perfect comparison of pearl crescent and meadow fritillary except the wings were more open on the crescent and closed on the frit.
• Several tawny-edged skippers were darting in and out of the group.
• One Peck's skipper almost blended in unnoticed.
• Overhead, a tree swallow was unconcerned.
• The view across the edge of the Little Blue-stem Meadow showed a bumper year for Queen Anne's Lace.
• Along the Scots Pine Allée, a house wren scolded me.
• A buzz went left to right at knee height and halted at one of the pines - a big robber fly.
• From another angle, the bumble bee look was complete.
• Dogbane tiger moths were in the dogbane patch at the entrance to the Old Gravel Pit.
• The occasional view from below showed the typical spotty / stripy tiger moth body.
• With the view of Gifford House at one's back, the path through the Old Gravel Pit entered the woods.
• Like a miniature pine tree, a club moss stood in the afternoon sun.
• At the exit to the Fern Glen, a jewel box spider dangled face high.
• Along the limestone cobble, spindly lopseed reached out across the path.
• The hinged seeds are easily carried away on one's legs.
• By the pond, New York ironweed was finally blooming.
• on the other side of the path, sneezeweed was being visited by a small bee.
• On the other side of the pond, green-headed coneflower was not giving up even though it was bent over in the water.
• Back by the fen, purple-flowering raspberry was now in fruit.
• Near the kiosk, great lobelia and cardinal flower - both lobelias - were side by side in bloom.
• Nearby, false Solomon's seal berries were beginning to ripen.
• Farther along, trillium fruit was getting big.
• Way in the back, spotted jewelweed was beginning to flower.
• On the return trip along the Cary Pines Trail, some punked out looking mushrooms were up.
• Coral fungus was in its usual location.
• Strange as a fungus, Indian pipe was in the neighborhood.
• Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.