September 18, 2019

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 63°F, and partly cloudy with light winds at 1:45 PM on September 18, 2019.
• It was a cool day; the sun felt good.
• Leaves were beginning to crunch under foot.
• This week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.

The Trails

• The sky over the front Old Hayfield would be typical for today's walk.
• A black swallowwort along the edge had eluded my detection until now and had started to release seeds. This is poisonous to monarch caterpillars. It has now been removed...
• Just ahead a well worn female common whitetail was perched in the sun.
• The end of a branch was webbed in silk.
• It looked like the work of fall webworm.
• Along the edge of the back Old Hayfield, fruit of invasive autumn olive was ripening.
• Underfoot, hickory nuts threatened ankles.
• There is a lot more husk than there is nut.
• Locust borers were not uncommon in the goldenrods.
• A stink bug always wanted to be on the other side of the leaf from the camera.
• Several dogbanes were wrapped in silk.
• No, not the fall webworm again, maybe one of the sallows.
• Another fake-out was a slow-flying praying mantis.
• In the dry shade of the Old Pasture, it's always a surprise to find winterberry.
• The color of the berries is more accurate it here.
• Along the Wappinger Creek Trail, maple-leaved viburnum fruit was ripening.
• At the bridge in the floodplain was a patch of wood nettle.
• The curious seeds were maturing.
• Off the other side of the bridge was stinging nettle.
• And for a nice 3-way comparison, false nettle was mixed in.
• All were surrounded by invasive Japanese stilt grass now going to flower.
• Know it from similar grasses by the shiny mid vein down the leaf.
• Next week: the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

Sightings