May 03, 2017

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 55°F, cloudy and windy at 10:00 AM on May 3, 2017.
• This week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.
• It seemed like all the birds had come back at once.
• Maybe it was the temperature, maybe it was the wind, but the shad flies were not bad today.

The Trails

• At Gifford House, lilacs were beginning to bloom.
• Various shades and fragrances were represented.
• Invasive honeysuckle shrubs were budding. Morrow's is typically white, turning yellow.
• Tartaran is typically pink. But just to keep things interesting, the two hybridize.
• Right on the other side, Morrow's had actually opened.
• Farther along, by the old Pump House, nannyberry, a viburnum, was budding up.
• Next to the Pump House, a garter snake disappeared by the water's edge.
• Great angelica was already knee high.
• And tussock sedge was flowering.
• In the back Old Hayfield, common barberry was getting ready to flower.
• Next to it, the similar Japanese barberry had already started.
• Another viburnum was budding at the head of the short cut that goes down to the Wappinger Creek. The smaller, blunter leaves suggested black haw. Have to watch this one...
• In the NW corner, the flowering dogwood was beginning to indeed flower.
• The flowers were looking big and fresh.
• On descent of the Wappinger Creek Trail, a patch plantain-leaved pussy-toes was blooming.
• A few steps away, a mass of caterpillars was consuming a cherry leaf.
• At the bottom of the trail, the wood anemone was doing well.
• Just past the foot bridge, gaywings were budding up.
• One had actually opened revealing the reason for its name.
• Behind the Carriage House, Fothergilla had started up.
• Had to get a close up of this unusual bloom.
• Next to it, buckeye was still just thinking about it.
• Next week: the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.