August 28, 2019

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 75°F, calm and cloudy at 1:00 PM on August 28, 2019.
• Rain was in the forecast, but did not happen until after today's walk.
• Some fields had been mowed.
• This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

The Trails

• The Old Hayfield by Gifford House had been mowed to keep it a field.
• Continuing towards the Carriage House, one could see that the clouds were thicker to the south.
• Along the side, a cabbage white didn't look quite right in the goldenrod.
• A flower spider had gotten it.
• Silverrod, a white goldenrod, had started blooming at the end of the Scots Pine Allée.
• Something yellow towards the tip turned out to be one of the leaf beetles.
• Along the road to the Fern Glen, a giant swallowtail was on the same hill side as last week.
• In the limestone cobble, great lobelia was still going strong.
• A white sport may have been here before.
• There was something fuzzy under dogwood leaves at the back of the pond.
• A mass of dogwood sawfly larvae.
• Was this the same little green spider that has been around this year?
• Jewelweed was blooming a lot and seed pods were swelling.
• That the pods explode give rise to the name, touch-me-not. The blue seed maybe be the jewel in the other name, jewelweed.
• Boneset was still attracting plenty of insect action.
• A few least skippers were weaving through the tall vegetation.
• The air was sweet from climbing hempweed.
• Insects such as bumble bee were enjoying it.
• Enough turtlehead had escaped the deer and were doing well in a few locations.
• Along the board walk in the fen, arrow-leaved tearthumb was just beginning to bloom.
• In the same area, willow herb was well under way.
• The long flower base will become the seed pod.
• One easy to ID goldenrod is rough-leaved goldenrod: it's in a wetland and the lower leaves are quite large.
• Beggar ticks flower buds were forming but still had a way to go.
• Swamp milkweed seed pods blended in well with the leaves.
• So too did a grasshopper.
• A striking caterpillar on witch hazel turned out to be of the yellow-haired dagger moth.
• The empty shell of a cicada was still clinging to a hemlock along the creek.
• Through the leaf litter at the base, coral fungus was emerging.
• Along the road from the stone bridge, false Solomon's seal berries were ripening.
• Back along the side of the pond, closed gentian was as open as it gets.
• In the back, NY ironweed was still in bloom.
• Along the railing, predator had become prey when a damsel fly got caught by a spider.
• This would look like one of the long-jawed orb weavers.
• To end on a peaceful note, a white-striped black perched on jewelweed just long enough for a photo.
• Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.