May 19, 2021


Phantom Crane Fly

Notes and Changes since last report

  • It was 85°F, clear and calm at 1:00 PM on May 19, 2021.
  • This week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.
  • Common ringlet and zabulon skipper were back, and pearl crescent was out by the dozen.
  • Yellow lady's slipper was blooming in the Fern Glen.

The Trails

  • The oaks at the Gifford House trailhead were finally pushing out new leaves.
  • Spittle bugs were back on the bedstraws.
  • Pearl crescents were courting, feeding or flying in all open areas.
  • One place to find them was on all the buttercups in the paths.
  • In sunny areas, wild geranium had started blooming.
  • Down by the foundation of the old pump house, the viburnum, nannyberry had finally started blooming.
  • After years of narrow escapes and imposters, a phantom crane fly was finally captured... by camera. They fly with their legs outstretched, indeed using them in flight.
  • The more conventional common ringlet had returned.
  • In the Sedge Meadow, tussock sedge tassles had vanished.
  • However, cinnamon fern was developing its namesake fertile fronds.
  • In the back Old Hayfield, the air was heavy with Russian olive.
  • The dense, showy flower clusters are much more noticeable than the small, green fruit.
  • In the back of the field, the flowering dogwood seemed to still be doing well.
  • In the foreground, golden Alexanders were up and blooming.
  • Along the edge, burning bush was still sporting its obscure flower.
  • A little patch of golden ragwort was off in the shade.
  • Even though the air was dry, 80 plus degrees was a bit much after so much cool weather. The view of the Wappinger Creek was refreshing.
  • Blackpoll, redstart, and black and white warbler were calling, but only the latter showed itself.
  • Farther along, by the Watershed kiosk, eastern phoebe was not shy.
  • Along the side of the trail was a good example of a crowfoot species - a less showy group of the buttercup family.
  • And then there are grasses. This one stood out nicely in sunny patches in the woods.
  • Up ahead, a Louisiana waterthrush was working along the creek banks.
  • Japanese primrose is a prolific invasive of wetlands. Its seed is like dust.
  • An invasive that handles moist and dryer soils is narrow-leaved bittercress, just now beginning to bud.
  • With pale, narrow leaves in dry conditions it is hard to recognize, but the clasping stipule at the leaf base makes it distinct even from similar cresses.
  • Next week: the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

Sightings

Birds
  • 1 Turkey Vulture
  • 1 Mourning Dove
  • 1 Black-billed Cuckoo
  • 1 Common Nighthawk
  • 2 Chimney Swift
  • 1 Downy Woodpecker
  • 3 Eastern Wood-Pewee
  • 1 Eastern Phoebe
  • 1 Great Crested Flycatcher
  • 1 Yellow-throated Vireo
  • 1 Warbling Vireo
  • 5 Red-eyed Vireo
  • 1 Blue Jay
  • 3 Tree Swallow
  • 1 Tufted Titmouse
  • 3 Eastern Bluebird
  • 3 Veery
  • 2 Wood Thrush
  • 1 American Robin
  • 4 Gray Catbird
  • 2 European Starling
  • 2 Blue-winged Warbler
  • 1 Prairie Warbler
  • 1 Blackpoll Warbler
  • 1 Black-and-white Warbler
  • 1 American Redstart
  • 1 Louisiana Waterthrush
  • 1 Common Yellowthroat
  • 2 Scarlet Tanager
  • 9 Eastern Towhee
  • 2 Chipping Sparrow
  • 1 Field Sparrow
  • 2 Song Sparrow
  • 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • 2 Red-winged Blackbird
  • 1 Common Grackle
  • 3 Baltimore Oriole
  • 2 American Goldfinch
Butterflies
  • 1 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • 2 Cabbage White
  • 33 Pearl Crescent
  • 1 Common Ringlet
Plants
  • 1 Burning bush
  • 1 Golden Alexanders
  • 1 Nannyberry
  • 1 Russian olive
  • 1 Wild geranium