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July 31, 2019

Notes and Changes since last report

  • It was 75°F, calm and the rain was just stopping at 2:00 PM on July 31, 2019.
  • It had showered several times through the day.
  • A giant swallowtail made it worth risking wet feet on the trails.
  • This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

The Trails

  • As the 3rd shower of the day subsided blue sky appeared over the Old Hayfields.
  • The front seemed to be over the Carriage House.
  • Drops were still splattering on the camera lens when orange appeared in the knapweed along the side.
  • It was a monarch drying off. The message was, butterflies won't be so easy to find, but they should be easier to watch.
  • The view across the Little Bluestem Meadow suggested another round of showers was on the way.
  • Of course, that's when the sun came out. It coaxed a few things up out of the grass to bask including a red-spotted purple. This one was showing a touch of the white of the other sub-species, the white admiral.
  • In the Old Gravel Pit, elderberry berries were ripening.
  • At the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit, harmless false nettle was looking dangerous.
  • Not far along, white snakeroot was all wet.
  • A little bit closer to the ground was Indian tobacco.
  • That was when a robber fly landed. It looked like it was mimicing a wasp.
  • At the Fern Glen pond, Culver's root had finally appeared.
  • The spotted Joe-Pye weed was doing well now.
  • New York ironweed was just getting started.
  • Across the pond, green-headed coneflower was catching up to other locations. Note the aphids on the stems.
  • At the back of the pond, sweet pepperbush was getting read to bloom.
  • Purple loosestrife had progressed from the week before.
  • Turtlehead would soon be in bloom - if the deer don't get it first.
  • Boneset was starting to bloom.
  • A number of ambush bugs were lurking between the blossoms. The enlarged "raptorial" forelegs can even hold a bumblebee.
  • Off the side of the trail, water parsnip had started blooming the week before.
  • Back by the yellow lady's-slipper, whorled aster was forming buds.
  • The Wappinger Creek was pretty noisy after the morning's rain.
  • On the way out of the 'Glen, Indian cucumber root was now forming berries.
  • Next week: the Wappinger Creek side of the trail system.
Sightings
MammalsBirdsButterfliesMothInsectsCaterpillarsArthropodsFungusHerpPlantsOther
1 Red-tailed Hawk1 Giant Swallowtail1 Culver's-root
1 Mourning Dove2 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail1 False nettle
1 Pileated Woodpecker2 Cabbage White1 New York ironweed
1 Red-eyed Vireo1 Pearl Crescent
2 Blue Jay1 Red-spotted Purple
1 Black-capped Chickadee2 Common Wood-Nymph
1 House Wren2 Monarch
1 American Robin1 Silver-spotted Skipper
1 Cedar Waxwing2 Northern Broken-Dash
1 Pine Warbler
1 Eastern Towhee
1 Indigo Bunting
1 American Goldfinch