July 06, 2022


Swamp Candles

Notes and Changes since last report

  • It was 81°F, mostly cloudy and windy on July 6, 2022.
  • A nice day with 19 species of butterflies.
  • In particular, common wood-nymph was out in number.
  • This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

The Trails

  • It was getting warm along the Scots Pine Allée on the way to the Fern Glen.
  • From overhead the burbling of a young eastern bluebird floated down.
  • The Little Bluestem Meadow to the left had been mowed, but the field to the right had not and the dogbane patch was attracting a number of butterflies including a banded hairstreak.
  • Stalks of enchanter's nightshade lined one side of the path through the Old Gravel Pit.
  • Flowers form from the top with the older ones becoming bristly seeds lower down. They release from socks very politely compared to some other species.
  • An eastern comma errupted from a sunny spot along the path and landed on broad, sunny leaf. Several would be encountered today.
  • A white-tailed unicorn bolted from a dense snag along the path.
  • In the Fern Glen, tall meadow-rue was starting to bloom at the entrance to the limestone cobble.
  • It actually stands nearly shoulder high.
  • Closer to the ground, delicate lopseed was starting to bloom.
  • Again, these flowers are older at the bottom where they will again wait as seeds for passing socks
  • Purple-flowering raspberry had started last week.
  • Off the boardwalk through the fen, a hint of yellow could be spotted.
  • Swamp candles had started the week before, as well.
  • On the other side of the boardwalk, swamp milkweed was getting ready to bloom. It usually follows common milkweed to stretch out the milkweed flowering season.
  • Limber honeysuckle berries were ripening.
  • Horsebalm was not ready to bloom, but the leaves were beginning to take on their lemon scent.
  • From the deck, a bit of pink could be seen near the base of the stone bridge.
  • Invasive Japanese spirea was beginning to bloom.
  • The front of the pond was hiding several secrets.
  • Lizard's-tail would not be able to hide long once the air fills with its sweet scent.
  • A dragonfly was motionless in the tall blades.
  • Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail the side of the trail system.

Sightings

Birds
  • 1 Pileated Woodpecker
  • 3 Red-eyed Vireo
  • 1 Blue Jay
  • 2 Black-capped Chickadee
  • 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • 1 White-breasted Nuthatch
  • 1 House Wren
  • 1 Eastern Bluebird
  • 1 Veery
  • 1 Wood Thrush
  • 4 American Robin
  • 2 Pine Warbler
  • 2 Ovenbird
  • 1 Louisiana Waterthrush
  • 1 Scarlet Tanager
  • 1 Eastern Towhee
  • 1 Chipping Sparrow
  • 1 Field Sparrow
  • 1 Indigo Bunting
  • 1 Red-winged Blackbird
  • 2 American Goldfinch
Butterflies
  • 1 Clouded Sulphur
  • 1 Orange Sulphur
  • 3 Great Spangled Fritillary
  • 1 Eastern Comma
  • 2 Little Wood-Satyr
  • 5 Common Wood-Nymph
  • 7 Silver-spotted Skipper
Plants
  • 1 Japanese spiraea
  • 1 Lizard's-tail
  • 1 Lopseed
  • 1 Tall meadow-rue