May 06, 2021


Spicebush swallowtail

Notes and Changes since last report

  • It was 67°F, mostly clear and breezy at 1:45 PM on May 6, 2021.
  • This week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.
  • Many birds were back: orioles, thrushes, and blue-gray gnatcatcher among them.
  • As for butterflies, eastern pine elfin was back and spicebush swallowtail was a surprise by beating the tiger.

The Trails

  • The dark lilacs by the main kiosk at Gifford House were blooming.
  • At the back of the parking lot was a large bush of a lighter color.
  • The smell of lilacs made it across into the Old Hayfield trails.
  • Around the bend, buttercups were growing up in the middle of the path.
  • Along the side, honeysuckles were budding up.
  • Less obvious was burningbush with its tiny flower buds.
  • I expected nannyberry - a native viburnum - to be further along.
  • Back on the Sedge Meadow Trail, honeysuckle was further ahead and actually opening up in places.
  • The canopy was filling out over the boardwalk.
  • Off the side, violets and buttercups were coming up through the moss.
  • Out in the sun, a spring azure floated by and landed for a minute.
  • It looked like snow on the path.
  • Thankfully, it was apple petals.
  • Right after that was the window to the Sedge Meadow proper.
  • There, cinnamon fern fronds were unfurling.
  • Out in the back Old Hayfield, a spicebush swallowtail sailed by and dropped into a hollow in the grass to get some sun.
  • In the back corner, flowering dogwood was standing out.
  • Orioles, phoebes, kinglets, and yellow-rumped warblers were all along the side on the way over.
  • Dogwoods were doing well all over the area this year; here was no exception.
  • In the woods along the Wappinger Creek Trail, wood anemone was still blooming.
  • It was looking summery down by the creek, though it didn't really feel like it.
  • For some time, the chirp of a rose-breasted grosbeak had been following overhead.
  • A red-winged blackbird appeared at about the same time and place.
  • As the trail rose, gaywings decorated the sides.
  • Down on the other side, ostrich fern fronds had unrolled and were filling out.
  • Next week: the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

Sightings

Birds
  • 1 Red-tailed Hawk
  • 1 Mourning Dove
  • 1 Belted Kingfisher
  • 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
  • 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  • 1 Northern Flicker
  • 4 Eastern Phoebe
  • 1 Blue-headed Vireo
  • 3 Blue Jay
  • 1 American Crow
  • 1 Tree Swallow
  • 1 Black-capped Chickadee
  • 1 Tufted Titmouse
  • 1 White-breasted Nuthatch
  • 1 Carolina Wren
  • 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
  • 1 Wood Thrush
  • 7 American Robin
  • 2 Gray Catbird
  • 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler
  • 1 Prairie Warbler
  • 2 Ovenbird
  • 3 Eastern Towhee
  • 2 Song Sparrow
  • 6 White-throated Sparrow
  • 1 Northern Cardinal
  • 3 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • 1 Red-winged Blackbird
  • 6 Baltimore Oriole
  • 3 American Goldfinch
Butterflies
  • 1 Spicebush Swallowtail
  • 1 Cabbage White
  • 2 Eastern Pine Elfin
  • 3 Spring Azure
  • 1 Pearl Crescent
Plants
  • 1 Buckeye
  • 1 Fothergilla
  • 1 Lilac