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June 07, 2022


Trumpet Honeysuckle

Notes and Changes since last report

  • It was 77°F, partly cloudy and windy on June 7, 2022.
  • I thought the weather would be better today than tomorrow. I was wrong: clouds thickened and a light rain followed.
  • Many plants had finished flowering and were now developing fruit.
  • This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.

The Trails

  • It started out nice enough, dry and sunny along the Carriage House drive.
  • Behind the Carriage House, pine warbler was calling.
  • Several good views were to be had.
  • The changing light over the Scots Pine Allée was rather moody.
  • Off to the side, the Little Bluestem Meadow was filled with bedstraw and the air with its scent.
  • Grasses were dominating in some places and the smells in the air followed suit.
  • Before the path entered the Old Gravel Pit section, a glance back took in our starting point at the Gifford House.
  • In the foreground, spreading dogbane had started blooming.
  • Bare branches overhead promised good views of the maker of raucous bird calls.
  • However the glare and view angle made the great crested flycatcher a challenge to photo.
  • Down at the edge of the Fern Glen, viewing conditions for butterflies were better.
  • A Silver-spotted skipper, its face dusted with pollen, was feeding on dame's rocket.
  • In the Roeller Bed, black gum had something going on.
  • It's inconspicuous flowers were blooming.
  • Splashes of red worked their way up inside a neighboring striped maple.
  • It was trumpet honeysuckle - one of our native honeysuckles.
  • A little moth, the promiscuous angle was resting on ostrich fern.
  • Another fern had the tip rolled up into ball shaped shelter for the caterpillar of another moth.
  • In the limestone cobble twinleaf had quickly gone from flower to smiling seed pod.
  • Above the cobble, vancouvaria was beginning to flower.
  • At the front of the cobble, large-flowered bellwort was sporting its own peculiar pods.
  • Trillium fruit was beginning to form, as well.
  • A handsome crane fly landed on the leaf next door.
  • The pond had a film of pollen.
  • So too did the four painted turtles lined up to get some sun.
  • The boardwalk throught the fen was full of life.
  • A female common whitetail was basking on the warm boards.
  • A male was perched on a dry stalk.
  • Off to the side, sheep laurel had started blooming.
  • Below, pitcher plant had started the week before.
  • Blueberry had rapidly progressed from flower to fruit.
  • Back out on dry land, twinflower was still looking good.
  • By the stone bridge there were a few tired looking Indian cucumber root. They had done much better last year.
  • A dragonfly relative, ebony jewelwing, was perched at the exit of the Fern Glen. Note the leg bristles that help it capture smaller insects on the wing.
  • Out on the Cary Pines Trail, bracken was getting big.
  • The bench at the "Appendix" was the end of the trail today.
  • Across the creek, something seemed to have set up residence. It did not show itself. Maybe next time...
  • Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail the side of the trail system.

Sightings

Birds
  • 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  • 1 Downy Woodpecker
  • 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee
  • 3 Eastern Phoebe
  • 3 Great Crested Flycatcher
  • 6 Red-eyed Vireo
  • 2 Blue Jay
  • 1 Black-capped Chickadee
  • 1 House Wren
  • 1 Eastern Bluebird
  • 4 Veery
  • 2 Wood Thrush
  • 1 American Robin
  • 3 Gray Catbird
  • 2 Pine Warbler
  • 2 Ovenbird
  • 2 Louisiana Waterthrush
  • 1 Scarlet Tanager
  • 1 Eastern Towhee
  • 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • 1 Indigo Bunting
  • 1 Red-winged Blackbird
Butterflies
  • 1 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • 3 Little Wood-Satyr
  • 3 Common Ringlet
  • 3 Silver-spotted Skipper
  • 2 Zabulon Skipper
Moths
  • 1 Promiscuous angle
Insects
  • 1 Ebony jewelwing
Plants
  • 1 Black gum
  • 1 Indian cucumber root
  • 1 Sheep laurel
  • 1 Spreading dogbane
  • 1 Trumpet honeysuckle