July 27, 2021

Frost's Bolete

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 85°F, partly cloudy and breezy at 1:30 PM on July 27, 2021.
• Butterflies were out in number today, notably tiger swallowtails, but bird activity was low.
• New flowers were few, but wild bergamot was still going strong and there was still some common milkweed blooming.
• This week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.

The Trails

• It was a surprise to find some common milkweed still blooming behind Gifford House.
• Several monarchs found it too.
• The path into the Old Hayfield had been recently mowed.
• Indeed, only a moment ago.
• The wild bergamot was open for business, but strangely unattended.
• Regulars eventually drifted in starting with hummingbird clearwing.
• Of course silver-spotted skipper showed up.
• And great spangled fritillary stopped in.
• A red-bellied woodpecker was buried in ripening cherries over the Sedge Meadow Trail.
• Goldenrod was getting ready to bloom below.
• The cool shade of the boardwalk was welcome by now.
• The view of the Sedge Meadow was getting crowded.
• Invasive purple loosestrife was the main culpret, but it was beginning to flower and that attracts a few insects including silver-spotted skipper.
• Joe-Pye weed would soon be opening its buds.
• The back Old Hayfield was busy with butterflies.
• Eastern tiger swallowtails were looking very fresh.
• Common wood-nymphs were plentiful and active - one finally perched and leaned over to soak up some sun.
• New to this field was thimbleweed. It had already flowered and was forming its namesake fruit.
• Shade in the back of the field was welcome, but not usually to butterflies.
• None the less, a large tiger swallowtail ventured in and gave a great view of its upper side.
• Out in the open again, a well worn eastern tailed-blue perched with wings open to receive some sun.
• Back on the Sedge Meadow Trail, something darted out, circled, then landed on a leaf in the sun. It took several tries get it in the lens.
• It was a northern pearly-eye. They've been hard to find this year.
• Banded hairstreaks were down to one last week; none was expected this week, but the "usual spot" in the Old Pasture had one - a female at that. Males' forelegs are reduced and not usually obvious - she was using all six.
• The forest of red chanterelles above the Wappinger Creek had expanded a little.
• A search in a usual haunt of the northern pearly-eye turned up one.
• Again, even with a clear landing on a tree trunk, it took several attempts to get it in the lens.
• However, the full creek below was easy to locate.
• A screaming red mushroom was hard to miss.
• Again, something rose from the trail, circled, and dropped back into a seedling in a sunny patch.
• It was an eastern comma.
• This one had been around for a while and was apparently the survivor of a bird attack.
• As the trail descended towards the floodplain, afternoon sunlight angled into the water of the Wappinger Creek.
• Off the side of the trail, enchanter's nightshade was waiting for a passing pant leg. The sticky little fruit are so easy to remove compared to others, it's almost a pleasure to find them on one's socks.
• Wood nettle is another matter. It is not as common as stinging nettle, but it is as easily remembered...
• The ground seemed to move in front of the last little foot bridge.
• It was a good size bull frog that had ventured several leaps away from the edge of the creek.
• A little time at the bench at the "Appendix" yielded no banded hairstreaks at this earlier hot spot.
• But the burrowing wasp mounds were still active.
• On the way out, the light was perfect on a little spotted wintergreen.
• Next week: the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

Sightings