May 03, 2022

Mourning Cloak

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 59°F, mostly cloudy and calm on May 3, 2022.
• I had the pleasure of company and their extra eyes today.
• Grass had been greening, and leaves had been spreading.
• This week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.

The Trails

• Gifford House is always good for birding. At the corner of the pavilion's pathway white tail feathers flashed.
• It was my first eastern kingbird of the season.
• Across the driveway, a dot punctuated the top of a tree.
• Of course it was a tree swallow on its favorite perch.
• We started into the wet grass at the trailhead.
• Invasive honeysuckles along the edge were developing flower buds.
• Farther along, prolific burningbush was keeping up.
• A loud call kept coming from the corner of the field.
• An eastern towhee was the source.
• As the Sedge Meadow Trail forked off, garlic mustard had started to bloom.
• Close to the ground, wild strawberry was opening.
• Leaves were just beginning to show over the boardwalk above the Sedge Meadow.
• Off to the side was a tiny waterfall with a tiny sound.
• The Sedge Meadow didn't look much different from last time.
• Tussock sedge was maybe a little greener.
• But the flowers were all but gone.
• A little farther out, cinnamon fern was just becoming visible.
• The densely wooly fiddleheads are easy to spot.
• Everywhere, Japanese barberry was beginning to bloom.
• Extra eyes spotted a hawk's nest. It's occupant spotted us and indignantly left. We apologized and left, too.
• At the end of the Old Pasture, something dark darted into the leaves .
• It took some effort to locate it - a Juvinal's duskywing.
• Over the edge, the Wappinger Creek was running full after a day of light rain.
• Down the hill, rue anemone was going strong.
• The back side was occasionally as interesting as the front.
• Extra eyes caught movement over a side trail.
• Again, it took a while to locate the critter - a mourning cloak.
• Bloodroot had pretty much finished blooming, leaving the distinctive leaves to carry on through the season.
• A similar strategy was playing out with trout lily.
• Right along side the Wappinger Creek proved to be quite loud.
• In the lowest stretch of the floodplain, cut-leaved toothwort was really doing well.
• That took us up to the Appendix to conclude this walk.
• Next week: the Cary Pines Trail the side of the trail system.

Sightings