July 22, 2015

Notes and Changes since last report

• This week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.
• It was 75°F, partly cloudy and windy at 12:30 PM on July 22, 2015.
• Today was one of those days... I started in the wrong direction, then everything I pointed the camera at ran away, flew away, or was blown away.
• But, there may have been a new butterfly...
• And northern broken-dash was ramping up in back Old Hayfield.

The Trails

• The parking lot at Gifford House was mighty warm, but the view off the end towards the Tenent House was cooling.
• The invasive bird feeder escapee, Canada thistle was going to seed.
• A lot of chipping along the side of the front Old Hayfield turned out to be the young of a prairy warbler family.
• In the Sedge Meadow, spotted jewelweed had started to bloom.
• Appalachian browns are always along the edge in here.
• But there were many out in the middle today, and one features below suggested these were the very closely related eyed brown. That would be new here and for me.
• Blue vervain was blooming.
• It can be attractive to smaller butterflies like the uncommon mulberry wing.
• This butterfly has shown up in several locations on the trails this year. The side view was featured last week. Here is the female above; the male lacks the white spots.
• Something stood out in the leaf litter on the Wappinger Creek trail: the interesting caterpillar of the obscure moth, wavy-lined herterocampa.
• The green "X" in the middle on the top side along with the reddish head helps distinguish this one.
• Next week: the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.