May 01, 2014

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 70°F and partly cloudy at 2:30 PM on May 1, 2014.
• Although it was almost uncomfortable in the sun, it was acceptable after yesterdays 40° and rain.
• Cabbage whites and spring azures were out today.
• A warm, fragrant southerly breeze came in at the end of the day to ease the coming of evening.

The Trails

• The grass was greening in the Old Hayfields by Gifford House.
• Early spring cabbage whites can lack the typical dark markings.
• A male eastern bluebird was lacking nothing.
• In the back Old Hayfield, invasive autumn olive was just beginning to leaf out.
• I was hailed to look at some wood anemone along the Wappinger Creek Trail.
• A tiny fly on the blossom was not noticed until it was on the computer screen.
• Something hard not to notice was a pile of presumably frog guts. A nearby feather suggested where the rest of the frog had gone.
• Farther along the trail, ostrich fern was unfulring its fronds.
• After yesterday's rains, the creek was full.
• Long afternoon shadows were beginning to project on the water looking upstream.
• Both toothwort and cut-leaved toothwort were starting to bloom.
• Near the "Appendix", as I like to call the area around Trail Marker 10, the "chip!" of cardinals caused me to linger for a look.
• By the junction with Cary Pines Trail, an insect landing in the leaf litter suggested a rove beetle, but binoculars proved it to be a wasp of some sort.
• Along Cary Pines proper, Canada mayflower was really taking off.
• Here and there, partridge berry with last year's fruit was mixed in.
• Up ahead, a moth was doing a poor job of blending in.
• It was, however, pretty quick to escape, but not before I got one shot good enough to strongly suggest it was a gray spring moth.
• In the Fern Glen, false rue anemone was blooming in the Roeller bed, along the road.
• So too was hepatica and for some time now, but I couldn't resist the marvelous blue.
• In the Linde limestone cobble, a first nodding trillium was just opening.
• Neighboring cut-leaved toothwort was blooming in a nice patch.
• Again, a tiny pollenator was at work - this one, a small bee.
• The leaves of large-flowered trillium were almost as interesting as the flower.
• A bee fly, a common but interesting pollenator, was soaking up some sun.
• Twinleaf, just opening, was not without pollenators of its own.
• The ill scented red trillium, or stinking Benjamen, specializes in attracting flies as pollenators.
• Finally! A sprig of columbine was rising from the acid cobble.
• And across the trail was Carolina spring beauty.
• Right at the railing was something looking rather fern-like.
• No fiddlehead and something like a bud suggested otherwise. We'll keep an eye on this.
• Near the kiosk, the forest of mayapple continued to rise.
• Closer to the kiosk, wood anemone and toothwort were beginning to open.
• At the back of the pond, the mystery willow was shedding its catkins.
• Early meadow-rue was blooming with what remind me of little Tiffiny lampshades.
• On the out of the 'Glen, I noticed wild oats precariously close to lawn mower territory.
• Bishop's cap was playing dare-devil as well. Its crazy flowers were still but buds.
• At the top of the bed, hobblebush buds continued to build.
• The path towards the Old Gravel Pit went through a carpet of White violets.
• No surprise after yesterday's rains, the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit held a fair amount of water.
• Shadows were getting even longer by the time I entered the Little Bluestem Meadow.
• The clouds beyond Gifford House suggested it might be a noisy evening.
• In the Scotch Pine Alleé, a pine warbler seemed to have a better view of me than I had of it.
• At the Carriage House, one of the day's several spring azures settled for a moment in the sun.
• Above, another pine warbler offered a better view for me.
• The magnolia was what I had wanted to check; it looked about peak.
• On the other side of the drive was another looking maybe even a little better.
• And with that I was on my way til another day.