It was 65°F, clear and windy at 1:15 PM on October 5, 2016.
This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.
Fall foliage had progressed considerably since last week.
Warmer and sunnier than last week, this day offered some butterflies.
The Trails
There's nowhere to hide in a clear blue sky. How can a hawk disappear in the time it takes to pull out a camera? It did reappear - a red-tailed hawk.
Scanning around lower to the ground, I noticed dark lumps at the edge of the field beyond Gifford House - a dozen wild turkeys moving across in stealth mode.
One stood up for a look about and made a nice portrait.
It had been damp for a week, but today the now dry leaves behind the Carriage House sounded like fall under foot.
And since last week, the view down the Scots Pine Alleé was looking more like Fall.
Bird activity along there was high with white-breasted nuthatches and kinglets above, and sparrows and bluebirds below.
The view across the Little Bluestem Meadow had the best color in photos, but it was all good - and better in person.
The walking fern in the limestone cobble had just about recovered since the theft in November 2012. Actually there was still a point of bare rock the moss had not yet covered in the 4 years. "Disturbance and recovery" is an interesting subject.
Blister beetles were still in the hepatica since Monday. The smaller male appeared to be whispering into the female's ear while an even smaller male tried to get between them. The female was interested only in the hepatica.
A fourth was resting near by, offering much less confusing views.
Oops, almost forgot: a visitor remarked on a purple mushroom and I actually found it.
Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.
