Privet
Notes and Changes since last report
- It was 53°F, cloudy and windy at the tail end of a Nor'easter at 12:30 PM on October 27, 2021.
- Note that the grounds close Nov. 1 for the winter.
- This is the last trail report of the season.
- This week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.
The Trails
- On the way to trail marker 10, black berry clusters didn't look familiar at first.
- But checking the leaves helped recall the garden escapee, privet.
- All too familiar, but very pretty, was Japanese barberry.
- Across from the bench, witch's butter had continued its slow decline.
- The "biscuit" mushrooms looked a bit more orange today, but it doesn't really show in the photo.
- Across the Creek, the orange foliage wasn't bad. A little afternoon sun would really set this off.
- Color was improving by the stone bridge in the Fern Glen, too.
- The leaves of hobblebush had brightend up a bit.
- Even more interesting is the bud - it looks like little hands in prayer... that the deer don't get it.
- Spicebush was easy to pick out now.
- Suddenly its distinctive leaves were everywhere.
- Across the road, American hazel had taken some color.
- It was too late for nuts; only the empty husks remained.
- But the male catkins were already waiting for spring.
- The neighboring azalea had some dusky reds developing.
- At the tip of a branch, a bud again was prepared to get through the coming winter.
- The fruit was an unassuming brown capsule.
- Closer to the bridge now, a maple was looking more the way one would expect this time of year.
- In the pond, water striders were still active.
- At the back, sweet pepperbush was bright.
- Getting there was half the fun, one might say regarding the still green veins.
- A beacon of yellow blazed across the creek.
- Back on this side, leatherwood was still working on it.
- It might have been about half way through its color change.
- On the other hand, striped maple looked complete.
- Just about all the leaves were of uniform pale yellow.
- The Wappinger Creek was running full after two nights and a day of rain.
- But it was a steady, moderate rain. The banks appeared undisturbed, unlike after the last hurricane.
- On the way out, some mushrooms had so far survived growing in the middle of the trail to the Old Gravel Pit.
- The other end of the trail found the clouds thinning over Gifford House across the Little Bluestem Meadow.
- After all the rain and wind, there'd been only a few sticks in the trails... until the path from the pines to the creek.
- After clearing that, it was down the Scots Pine Allée and away.
- Next week: the grounds will be closed until April.
Sightings
Birds
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