May 16, 2018

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 71°F, cloudy and calm at 10:30 AM on May 16, 2018.
• This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.
• Interesting birds included blackpoll warbler and hooded warbler.
• It was not a great butterfly day, but eastern pine elfin was seen Monday.

The Trails

• The lilacs at Gifford House parking lot were looking at peak.
• Trees had leafed out over the past week making the Old Hayfield look more like spring if not summer.
• Behind the Carriage House, buckeye had started blooming.
• Just past it, fothergilla had started, too.
• Along the edge of the Little Bluestem Meadow, nannyberry was budding up.
• Out in the meadow, a mourning dove was perched on a high dead branch.
• Just visible from the path through the Old Gravel Pit, a brown thrasher lurked at the field's edge.
• Farther along the path, a smudge ran across from one side to another.
• It was only the first congregation of springtails I would encounter this day.
• These tiny, "primitive" insects are also known as snowfleas when they appear in the winter.
• Starflower had started to bloom with Canada mayflower right behind it.
• Near the exit to the Fern Glen, a scarlet tanager was drowning out the hooded warbler I was desperately seeking. I did eventually catch a decent look at it.
• At the edge of the Fern Glen, pink azalea had survived last year's roadside brush hogging.
• The blossoms were looking at their best.
• In the 'Glen, wild blue phlox had opened.
• Striped maple blossoms were being attended by a small bee.
• Lower to the ground, starry false Solomon's seal was being attended by an ant.
• Wild columbine had shown up in a new spot.
• Sprawling all over was Jacob's ladder.
• One of our mystery plants from earlier times was in bloom.
• Twinleaf had finished blooming and its comical pods were already swelling.
• A small clump of foamflower was keeping a low profile.
• Large-flowered trillium, once white, was turning pink in age.
• With a little practice, bellwort is becoming easier to tell from large-flowered bellwort.
• Nodding trillium seems pretty obvious.
• And Jack-in-the-pulpit should not be a problem at this point.
• Along the edge of the pond, golden ragwort had started.
• Out in the fen, tiny bog rosemary had to be looked for.
• There is only one swamp saxifrage here.
• It doesn't flower often and it's hard to tell when it does.
• Bracken is a big, bold fern.
• Like a smaller version of bracken, oak fern is also much more polite.
• The yellow lady's slipper is part of the Phenology Trail, a citizen science project monitoring the timings of biological events.
• Always the strangest flower in the 'Glen, gaywings was blooming.
• On the way out, choke cherry was just starting.
• Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.