Banded Hairstreak
Notes and Changes since last report
- It was 75°F, and cloudy with light winds at 2:30 PM on July 1, 2020.
- This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.
- It's been unsettled weather lately with some sun and rain most days.
- New butterfly returns included northern broken-dash and dun skipper.
The Trails
- The sun was out on the Wappinger Creek at the "Appendix", as I like to call the area around trail marker 10.
- It was also shining on patch of beech saplings at the beginning of the Cary Pines Trail.
- At least four banded hairstreaks were basking on leaves. If any one moved, they would all dash out in a furious spiral, then one by one return to their perches.
- In the Fern Glen, just past the fen, the patch of purple-flowering raspberry was blooming.
- Only one flower was not an outstanding display, but we'll see how it progresses.
- Along the boardwalk through the fen, arrow arum was up.
- One had to look carefully to find the odd flowers. Think of a tall, skinny Jack-in-the-pulpit - they are in the same family.
- On the other side of the walkway, swamp candles were up and blooming.
- The small flowers required a closer look to appreciate.
- A little farther along, swamp milkweed was preparing to bloom. It will be a little redder than common milkweed already in bloom.
- Dragonflies were hanging out at the end of the observation platform.
- One was male common whitetail.
- Next to it was a female.
- A respectable distance beyond them was poison sumac.
- It had finished flowering but its fruit was not yet white, rather still green.
- Nearby, bittersweet nightshade was similarly working its way towards red fruit.
- A least skipper looked very small on a cinnamon fern. The dark margins are not always so extensive.
- Back out on the main path, red baneberry fruit was already as red as it could be.
- Enchanter's nightshade is a mystery. Why does such an unassuming plant have such a fancy name?
- The tiny flowers will later produce disproportionally larger seeds.
- Hidden off the side of the path along the pond was turk's-cap-lily.
- Thanks to careful squashing of the introduced red lily leaf beetle, there were buds this year. Maybe flowers next week!
- More fruits were in progess along the path by the kiosk.
- Trillium was big but not not yet red and ripe.
- False Solomon's seal berries were still mottled green - red was yet to come.
- Tiny flecks of yellow drew attention to another obscure plant.
- This turned out to be whorled loosestrife.
- Across the path was spotted wintergreen. It was hard to tell if it was starting or finished flowering.
- On the way out of the Fern Glen, an ebony jewelwing paused long enough for a photo.
- Out in the Old Gravel Pit area, hay-scented fern could be smelled before it was seen.
- As the trail let out into the Little Bluestem Meadow, there were threatening clouds ahead, threatening thunder behind, and increasingly earnest rain drops from above. Happily, it was perfect timing to the car.
- Next week: The Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.
Sightings
Birds
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Plants
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