October 17, 2018

• It was 57°F, mostly cloudy and windy at 12:45 PM on October 17, 2018.
• It hadn't rained yesterday, but it did the day before.
• The creeks were full, the ground was soft, but the mosquitos were absent.
• This trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.

The Trails

• At the Gifford House Trail Head, common milkweed seed pods were opening to the wind.
• Perhaps the forecast for afternoon showers was accurate. The sky over the front Old Hayfield had gotten quite dark.
• In the back of the field, invasive Burningbush brightened things up.
• Several palm warblers dropped into view. The wind made for tough photos...
• On the Sedge Meadow Trail Yellow-rumped warblers were eating poison ivy berries under the same conditions...
• Leaves down on the boardwalk showed little color but did indicate the general wind direction.
• In the Sedge Meadow itself, cinnamon fern gave a hint of yellow to the landscape.
• The back Old Hayfield was still sporting green oak foliage.
• Along the back of that field invasive Japanese barberry competed with the burning bush for providing color.
• In the Old Pasture, little bluestem was going to seed.
• The Wappinger Creek was full today.
• Down by the Watershed kiosk, the fungus on the big stump was just about gone.
• The little tributary had a lively waterfall above the foot bridge.
• In the flood-plain section of the trail, the creek was calmer.
• A non-stinging nettle relative, clearweed, was common.
• Farther along, definately stinging wood nettle had distributed most of its seeds.
• Next week: the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.