August 30, 2017

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 72°F, partly cloudy, and calm at 3:00 PM on August 23, 2017.
• This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.
• Late season caterpillars have been showing up, e.g., hickory tussock moth caterpillar.
• And butterflies have been slowing down.

The Trails

• It was beautiful with cool air and warm sun as I looked back towards the Old Hayfield at Gifford House.
• A cool afternoon made for few butterflies in the Little Bluestem Meadow.
• That late version of black cohosh was at the Fern Glen entrance.
• Differences in the flower compared to the earlier are hard to pick out without a lens.
• Along the pond, bottle gentian was blooming - maybe. That's as far as it gets.
• Groundnut, that enthusiastic vine between the kiosk and pond, was blooming today.
• Back by the bridge, sneezeweed was blooming too.
• Several least skippers were interacting and perching on jewelweed in the sun.
• Towering above them, NY ironweed was doing well.
• These blossoms can be attractive to butterflies, but not right then...
• At the back of the pond, sweet pepperbush was blooming - I thought it did already... I guess not.
• Back off the fen boardwalk, bittersweet nightshade berries were just beyond ripe.
• All around, in and out of the wetlands, rough-leaved goldenrod was blooming. The big basal leaves and habitat make this goldenrod easy to ID.
• Shape, texture and posture of the pods are distinct from common milkweed.
• Purple-leaved willow herb doesn't look like much.
• Closer examination reveals a tiny pink - turning to white - flower with its base looking like a long pod.
• Around the corner, turtlehead was doing well.
• Near the Shrub Swamp plaque, was what looked like a young giant puffball.
• No, it was a big mushroom.
• It was a quiet walk to the "Appendix", where a hemlock looper moth fluttered by and landed on a hemlock twig.
• Back at Gifford parking lot I remembered to check last week's monarch chrysalis - I didn't expect much more.
• Getting ready to leave, I noticed I had a hitchhiker: a snowberry clearwing caterpillar. I found a honeysuckle bush for it and was gone.
• Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.