May 29, 2014

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 68°F, mostly clear and calm at 12:00 PM on May 29, 2014.
• Yesterday, my usual day, was rainy. I deferred to today and it was as nice as forecasted.
• Returning butterflies included little wood-satyr, common ringlet, and hobomok skipper.
• And we had a new plant in the Fern Glen.

The Trails

• The grass had been growing tall in the front Old Hayfield.
• The path along the edge was full of buttercups.
• Along the way, chickweed was attracting ants, which looked like they were contributing to the pollenation effort.
• Little wood-satyrs were back, bouncing through the grass.
• Looking from a distance like giant dandelion was yellow goat's beard.
• The similarity wanes as one takes a closer look.
• Common milkweed was finally making an appearance.
• But what was that sitting in the sun on that leaf? Was that the emerald ash borer?
• A fuzzy patch of blue was in the corner.
• It was bird's-eye speedwell.
• Next to that was a cress or mustard that was lunch for a female Juvinal's dusky wing.
• In the Sedge Meadow, larger blue flag was up and opening.
• The Russian olive in the back Old Hayfiled was filling the air.
• Towards the back of the field, the patch of golden alexanders seemed to have gotten bigger.
• A male Juvinal's duskywing was zooming about the area.
• So too was a dragonfly of some sort.
• In the Old Pasture, dewberry was blooming. Shall we find a hobomok skipper today> They seem to come together.
• Towards the end of the Old Pasture, that little cherry was bare, but the tent caterpillar nest had grow and now seemed empty.
• The Wappinger Creek Trail was pretty quiet, but a little star-of-Bethlehem was a bright spot.
• Well look who's in the Fern Glen: a hobomok skipper.
• With skippers it's always nice to see underside as well as the top..
• I always say the alumroot looks like miterwort on steroids.
• At least as strange, pitcher plant was getting ready to bloom in the fen.
• I really wanted a better picture of the limber honeysuckle than last week's. No snake this time...
• Near the Acid Cobble, that fern-like plant that caught my eye a while ago was finally blooming.
• It was Virginia waterleaf. I think that's new for the 'Glen.
• Near the kiosk, pink could be seen down the trail.
• The swamp azalea was in bloom.
• So too, down by the stone bridge, was Indian cucumber root, a tiny lily.
• Then it was off to the Old Gravel Pit where dangling in the middle of the path was a white slant-line.
• The unusual posture revealed a little bit of orange coloring in its face.
• Behind the Carriage House, rhododendron was blooming; that's a discovery a little easier to share when one gets home.