Previously on the Trails of
The Cary Institute

These are the summaries from each Report. Click on a date for a full Report.
The most recent reports are on their own page.

• September 23, 2009
  • 75°F, mostly cloudy with a light breeze at 11:30 AM.
  • The trails have been freshly mown.
  • Few sightings today, but many sounds: cicadas, peepers, crickets, chipmonks, squirrels and lawn mowers.
  • The relentless rains of this summer may have finally yielded to a more normal pattern.
• September 09, 2009
  • 70°F, cloudy, and breezy at 1:30 PM.
  • The trails - even the farthest reaches - have been mown.
  • A few leaves have fallen already.
  • An unprecedented week of no rain is forcast to end tomorrow.
• August 26, 2009
  • 80°F, mostly cloudy, calm and - for a change - moderately humid at 2:00 PM.
  • As fall warblers are a challenge to the birder, so are fall flowers to the botanizer:
  • The rise of goldenrods and asters has been indicating the turn of the seasons.
• August 12, 2009
  • 77°F, mostly cloudy, breezy and humid at 11:00 AM.
  • The threat of afternoon thunder showers brought me out early today.
  • Although it was cloudy, it was still fairly sunny; that and the warmth kept the insects moderately active.
  • Fungi were profiting from the constantly damp conditions.
• July 29, 2009
  • 73°F, light rain and calm at 4:00 PM.
  • That and late walk on a cloudy day last week make for a short report today.
  • I did come back tomorrow for a few more photos when the light was better.
• July 15, 2009
  • 77°F, clear and breezy at 11:30 AM.
  • Summer flowers were beginning to show up.
  • There were several close encounters with interesting birds today.
  • Perhaps most amazing was that it was another sunny day.
• July 01, 2009
  • 68°F, and cloudy with light breezes at 10:00 AM.
  • The threat of heavy afternoon rains brought me out early today.
  • Seeds so early? Summer's barely started! Oh, all the spring flowers... of course.
  • By noon the sun was peeking out, so I took a peek in the "low lands". I must do that again.
• June 17, 2009
  • 67°F, with light breezes at 3:30 PM.
  • Much quieter than the last walk at this hour.
  • The farther reaches of the trails have been recently mown.
• June 03, 2009
  • 60°F, calm and drizzly at 3:30 PM.
  • It was nice this morning, but noooooooo I couldn't get out till now.
  • A number of shrubs behind the Carriage House were in bloom.
  • All the butterflies were hunkering down somewhere.
• May 20, 2009
  • 80°F, and partly cloudy with light winds at 2:30 PM.
  • This after a long stretch of too cool and damp.
  • The yellow lady's-slipper is blooming in the Fern Glen.
  • Pink lady's-slipper has come and gone. Sorry...
• May 06, 2009
  • 63°F, and cloudy with light winds at 12:30 PM.
  • The eastern pine elfin is back
  • Lots of new flowers are blooming in the limestone cobble...
  • ...and in the poor fen.
• April 22, 2009
  • 55°F, and overcast. Calm to light winds at 1:30 PM.
  • New flowers are blooming.
  • Some old flowers are gone already.
  • Fiddleheads of maidenhair and cinnamon fern are unfurling.
• April 08, 2009
  • 40°F, cloudy with light winds at 2:30 PM.
  • Things change fast this time of year.
  • Half a dozen things are blooming compared to two last week.
  • Round-lobed hepatica is a favorite.
• March 25, 2009
  • 55°F, partly cloudy with light winds at 3:15 PM.
  • The first walk of the 2009 season.
  • Skunk cabbage was the only thing in bloom.
  • But, other new features were popping up along the trails...
• October 29, 2008
  • 42°F, cloudy and blustery at 2:00 PM.
  • Not an inviting day for a walk.
  • And so much for the last report's katydids...
  • Wind and rain over the weekend dropped many leaves and branches.
• October 15, 2008
  • 67°F, clear and calm at 3:30 PM.
  • The middle of October and katydids are still about.
  • The trails have been recently groomed.
• October 01, 2008
  • 68°F, partly cloudy and calm at 2:45 PM.
  • The walk started at the Fern Glen but included a peek around the Plant Science Bld.
  • Mushrooms were plentiful thanks to the plentiful rains.
  • Special thanks to Austin and Cathy for finding my camera the previous week.
• September 17, 2008
  • 62°F, clear and calm at 16:00 PM.
  • A rather late start, but an eventful walk.
  • Asters and goldenrods are becoming the most common flowers.
  • Caterpillars are frequently encounterd now.
• September 03, 2008
  • 82°F, partly cloudy and calm at 12:00 PM.
  • Trails have all been recently mowed.
  • Bottle gentian and turtlehead are blooming in the Fern Glen.
  • The Groundnut blooming in the Fern Glen last time is done. That was quick.
• August 20, 2008
  • 75°F, clear with a light breeze at 12:30 PM.
  • Reminder: the Gifford Gardens are closed. The Fern Glen and trail system are open.
  • The Zabulon Skipper was a new butterfly species for the trails.
  • Groundnut was blooming in the Fern Glen.
• August 06, 2008
  • 80°F, mostly cloudy and a little breezy at 10:15 PM, but it soon brightened up.
  • Paths have been mowed and storm damage has been cleared.
  • Common wood-nymph and common ringlet were both common today.
  • A new camera, just a couple models away from the recently departed, behaves remarkably differently.
• July 23, 2008
  • 80°F, mostly cloudy and a little breezy at 2:00 PM. Some sun showed once in a while. A good rain shower passed over about half way through the walk.
  • Still no camera; I shall borrow some photos from last year this time.
  • But I have adjusted the borrowed bins to better suit our needs.
  • The back Old Hayfield presented a good opportunity to better know " The Witches".
• July 09, 2008
  • 85°F, mostly cloudy and a little breezy at 11:30 AM - again a little early in hopes of beating the forcasted rain.
  • My camera and binoculars are gone. Well, I found some pieces but not enough to really use. I have borrowed bins today.
  • The Northern Pearly-eye and Appalachian Brown are back.
• June 25, 2008
  • 75°F, clear and a little breezy at 9:15 AM - yes, rather early for me.
  • Milkweed is blooming! It's my #1 favorite butterfly nectar source.
  • European skipper (butterflies) were in numbers almost identical to last week.
  • And the Great Spangled Fritillary, just appearing last week, was now abundant.
• June 11, 2008
  • 77°F, clear and calm at 10:00 AM.
  • The Little Bluestem Meadow has been mowed.
  • The beastly 90s and high humidity of the previous week has given way to 80s and moderate humidity this week.
  • Walking with several groups of different sizes throughout the day brought both distractions and extra eyes.
  • For this reason this shall be a "distributed trail report" with moments from various points throughout the day, and from this day a week ago.
• May 28, 2008
  • 65°F, clear and breezy at 3:00 PM.
  • The peonies at Gifford House were beginning to bloom.
  • Last week - between trail reports - pink lady's-slipper, blueberry, star-of-Bethlehem, golden ragwort, Jacob's ladder, autumn olive, burning bush, and barberries were blooming.
  • More animal tricks at the Appendix amused the author.
• May 14, 2008
  • 75°F, clear and calm at 1:30 PM but cloudy and windy by 5 PM.
  • Last week - between trail reports - foamflower, rhodora, goldthread, blue phlox and gaywings were in blossom.
  • It started out quiet today, but got interesting towards the end.
• April 30, 2008
  • 55°F, mostly cloudy and breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • Last week - between trail reports - magnolia, pear and spicebush were blossoming; ginger, twinleaf, rue-anemone, toothwort, bellwort and trillium were blooming; and a tiger swallowtail was on the wing.
  • It was too cool for butterflies today, but not all insects...
  • ...and certainly not birds.
• April 16, 2008
  • 65°F, clear and calm at 2:00 PM. The kind of spring day we need more of.
  • First trail report of the new season.
  • A number of changes include the addition of benches and trail markers along the trails and new hours:
  • Trails are open from sunrise to sunset.
  • Gates are open 8 AM to 7 PM weekdays and 11 AM to 7 PM weekends.
• October 24, 2007
  • 53°F, cloudy and calm at 3:30 PM. Finally "seasonal temperatures" - we've had record breaking highs.
  • Quite some changes since the last Report, but I've been away.
  • The road through the Fern Glen is closed for bridge repairs, but foot traffic is OK.
  • Nov. 1 next week, the trails close for the season. The greenhouse will still be open through the winter.
• October 03, 2007
  • 70°F, mostly cloudy and calm at 2:00 PM. Humid if you move around...
  • Not many butterflies on this nice day.
• September 19, 2007
  • 75°F, clear and calm at 1:30 PM.
  • Clusters of warblers were encountered several times.
• September 05, 2007
  • 80°F, mostly clear and calm at 2:30 PM.
  • Highlights included brown creepers, an American lady, and an io moth caterpiller.
• August 22, 2007
  • 65°F, overcast, calm and a little humid at 4:30 PM.
  • Late, even for me, this walk took me through fields and woods settling down for the evening.
• August 08, 2007
  • 84°F, partly cloudy and windy at 1:30 PM.
  • This was a walk even quieter than the last - but still, it had its moments.
  • On an earlier evening, there was an informal Moth Night, Moth Moot, Moth Ball, however you may wish to call it.
• July 25, 2007
  • 80°F, humid and partly cloudy with a light breeze at 3:00 PM.
  • A fairly quiet walk but with several notable events...
• July 10, 2007
  • 85°F and calm: hazy, hot and humid at 3:30 PM.
  • It started raining as I approached the Old Hayfields; I decided to skip them just this once.
  • Northern pearly-eye butterflies were lurking along the woodland trails.
  • A noisey, young red-tailed hawk could be heard from many locations.
• June 27, 2007
  • 90°F, hazy and breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • Mosquitos were hardly worth mentioning - either they're gone or I'm getting used to them.
  • The Little Wood-Satyr and European Skipper had peaked after the last report and were now ramping down in numbers.
  • The Butterflies & Habitats walk on June 23 was well attended by both people and butterflies.
• June 13, 2007
  • 65°F, overcast and calm at 3:00 PM.
  • Mosquitos were only occasionally annoying - even less so than last week.
  • The Little Wood-Satyr and European Skipper were ramping up in numbers.
• May 30, 2007
  • 70°F, clear with a light breeze at 2:00 PM.
  • Mosquitos were only occasionally annoying.
  • The Old Gravel Pit has finally dried up.
  • The Little Bluestem Meadow by Gifford House has been mowed.
• May 16, 2007
  • 65°F, cloudy and calm at 2:00 PM; it had just showered.
  • The mosquitos were dense enough to nearly inspire panic; they thinned out in the open fields.
  • Water still lingers in the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit.
  • We're going to try trail reports on a bi-weekly basis.
• May 02, 2007
  • 60°F, partly cloudy and breezy at 3:00 PM.
  • More new things are blooming in the Fern Glen.
  • The eastern pine elfin butterfly was seen the following day.
  • Water still lingers in the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit.
• April 25, 2007
  • 60°F, cloudy and calm at 12:00 PM.
  • With last weekend's warm weather, things are happening in the Gifford Garden.
  • Half a dozen new things are blooming in the Fern Glen.
  • And old friends are emerging along the trails.
• April 18, 2007
  • 45°F, overcast and calm at 3:00 PM.
  • The nor'easter over the last few days dumped in excess of 5" here.
  • Marsh marigolds are blooming in the Fern Glen pond.
  • More flowers are starting in the Gifford Gardens.
• April 11, 2007
  • 60°F, clear and calm at 3:00 PM.
  • A late start and a quick run today.
  • Turtles are back in the Fern Glen pond.
  • Kestrels were in the lowlands, but that's not the trails...
• April 05, 2007
  • 35°F, cloudy and blustery at 1:30 PM.
  • This is the first trail report of the 2007 season.
  • One brave flower bloomed at Gifford Gardens.
  • Phoebes and a warbler are back.
• October 25, 2006
  • 50°F, mostly cloudy, and blustery at 1:30 PM.
  • Juncos have returned and starlings are swarming.
  • The 300 year old oak on the Sedge Meadow Trail has fallen down.
  • The trails close for the winter Nov. 1; this is the last trail report for the season.
• October 18, 2006
  • 65°F, mostly cloudy, with a light breeze at 1:00 PM.
  • Myrtle warblers and ruby-crowned kinglets were everywhere.
  • And just a few butterflies were left.
• October 11, 2006
  • 55°F, overcast, with a light breeze at 2:00 PM.
  • The Gifford Garden is changing with the autumn leaves.
  • The white-throated sparrow is back in force.
• October 04, 2006
  • 70°F, partly cloudy, and breezy at 2:30 PM.
  • A fine week for caterpillars.
  • Katydids and tree frogs were still calling in the Fern Glen.
• September 27, 2006
  • 70°F, partly cloudy, and breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • Monarchs, whites and sulphurs can still be found in number.
  • We've had nothing near a frost yet.
• September 20, 2006
  • 60°F, mostly cloudy, and calm at 1:00 PM.
  • A great day for mushrooms.
  • A bit cool and cloudy for butterflies, but whenever the sun peeked out the BFs would rise from the grass.
• September 13, 2006
  • 60°F and cloudy with a light breeze at 2:00 PM.
  • A quiet gray day today.
  • "Confusing fall warblers" were about again.
  • All the paths were freshly mown.
• September 6, 2006
  • 70°F and mostly cloudy with a light breeze at 1:00 PM.
  • The air was delicious today.
  • "Confusing fall warblers" were about; it was a nice bird day.
• August 30, 2006
  • 70°F and partly cloudy with a light breeze at 1:30 PM.
  • After several weeks of warm sun, cool air and low humidity, we got a week of rain. Today was the first break.
• August 23, 2006
  • 65°F and mostly clear with a light breeze and low humidity at 8:00 AM.
  • Great summer weather has continued for several weeks with but one rainy evening.
  • Today's walk was with the company of the Waterman Bird Club.
  • Photos were fewer, but the bird list was heftier...
• August 16, 2006
  • 75°F and mostly clear with a light breeze and low humidity at 11:00 AM.
  • Great summer weather has continued for since last week.
  • This walk was a little earlier than usual in the day, and was a little quieter too.
• August 09, 2006
  • 75°F and clear with a light breeze and low humidity at 3:00 PM.
  • Finally, weather that summer was meant to be made of.
  • Robins still abound.
• August 02, 2006
  • 90°F, hazy, and calm at 10:00 AM.
  • An early start to beat the record heat.
  • American robins were everywhere.
• July 26, 2006
  • 85°F, hazy, and calm at 11:45 AM.
  • The Gifford Gardens continue to put on a great show.
  • In spite of heat and humidity, wildlife was active on the trails.
  • Most exciting was the group of ravens that visited the Fern Glen.
• July 19, 2006
  • 80°F, partly cloudy with a light breeze at 2:00 PM.
  • The old hayfields were mowed today.
  • A quiet day otherwise.
• July 12, 2006
  • 75°F, some sprinkles, and calm at 2:00 PM.
  • A wet, gray day doesn't sound inviting, but it does present opportunities.
  • The Gifford Gardens and the Fern Glen have much to offer.
  • Mushrooms are notable along the trails.
• July 05, 2006
  • 75°F, cloudy, calm and humid at 1:30 PM.
  • I saw the cuckoo that I heard last week. It was not who it pretended to be.
  • A very nice day.
• June 28, 2006
  • 80°F, mostly cloudy, and calm at 2:30 PM.
  • It had rained all morning; I almost didn't come, but I did and it was a great day.
  • The European skipper is still abundant.
  • A number of other butterflies have appeared; check the milkweed which is starting to bloom.
• June 22, 2006
  • 80°F and partly cloudy with a light breeze at 3:00 PM.
  • The European skipper is out in great numbers.
• June 14, 2006
  • 80°F, cloudy, and calm at 12:30 PM.
  • The European skipper is making its appearance this week.
  • A long lost patch of pink lady's-slipper has returned!
  • And so have I after dealing with my house after a lightening strike.
• May 31, 2006
  • Hazy with a light breeze at 12:30 PM.
  • The Little Bluestem Meadow was mowed today.
  • Deer flies have returned.
• May 24, 2006
  • 65°F, Partly cloudy with a light breeze at 2:00 PM.
  • Peonies at the Gifford House are starting to bloom.
  • Yellow lady's-slipper is still blooming in the Fern Glen.
  • And a number of new flowers are showing up in both places.
• May 17, 2006
  • 60°F, Cloudy and calm at 3:30 PM.
  • Lilacs at the Gifford House have been outstanding.
  • Yellow lady's-slipper is blooming in the Fern Glen.
  • And hummingbirds enjoy the Soloman's seal; the neighboring bench can extend the hopeful observer's patience.
• May 10, 2006
  • 65°F, Cloudy with a light breeze at 1:30 PM, becoming clear later.
  • Things have perked up since last week.
  • The cobweb skipper was a first for me as well as for these trails.
  • The hooded warbler has returned to the Sedge Meadow Trail.
• May 03, 2006
  • 65°F, Cloudy and calm at 2:00 PM; sprinkling by 4:00.
  • It was a rather quiet day on the trails.
  • The eastern tent caterpillar is out.
  • Reptiles and amphibians are on the move.
• April 26, 2006
  • 60°F, Clear and windy at 2:45 PM.
  • Some of the earlier spring flowers are waning, but others are now coming into their own.
  • One could visit the Gifford Garden and Fern Glen almost daily and see the changes.
• April 19, 2006
  • 70°F, Partly cloudy and windy at 2:30 PM.
  • New features on the trails and trail maps are numbered trail marker posts to help the hiker pin point their location.
  • The Gifford Garden and Fern Glen both sport new flowers almost every day.
• April 12, 2006
  • 70°F, hazy and windy at 1:00 PM.
  • This is the first trail report of the 2006 season.
  • New visitor information kiosks replace the Gifford House visitor center. They are located at the Gifford House, the Fern Glen, and along Flagler Drive in "the lowlands".
  • The Fern Glen is coming alive with spring flowers.
  • The trails are hinting at what is to come.
• December 28, 2005
  • 40°F, overcast and calm at 12:00 PM.
  • The deep snow of last time is fairly clear from the trails.
  • A small tree was down, but it was easily pulled aside.
  • A nice quiet day.
  • Please note: for the safety of visitors, hiking trails and roadways are closed from November 16 - April 14 due to deer hunting season and the fact that internal roadways are not cleared of snow and ice cover. During this time, visitors are welcome to visit the IES Greenhouse.
• December 14, 2005
  • 15°F, partly cloudy and breezy at 3:00 PM.
  • My 1st time back on the trails after hunting season.
  • Deep snow on the trails will close them; call for current conditions before coming to hike.
  • The Ecology Shop and Green House would still be open. Stop in at the Gifford House visitor center.
• November 16, 2005
  • 65°F, mixed clouds and blustery at 2:00 PM.
  • T-shirt weather in the middle of November!
  • Spring peepers were heard in wet areas, but birds were scarce.
  • There was still some water at the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit.
  • Trails (and grounds in general) will be closed for the shotgun deer hunting season Nov. 19 through Dec. 11.
  • The Ecology Shop and Green House are still open. Stop in at the Gifford House visitor center.
• November 09, 2005
  • 42°F, sprinkles and calm at 3:00 PM.
  • With the leaves down, it looked very different today.
  • There was still some water at the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit.
• November 02, 2005
  • 50°F, mostly clear and breezy at 9:00 AM.
  • I had the company of the Waterman Bird Club today.
  • There was some water at the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit.
• October 26, 2005
  • 55°F, mostly cloudy and breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • A few mushrooms are finally showing up.
  • Some nice groups of birds were around.
  • A rotund raccoon was the sighting of the day.
• October 19, 2005
  • 70°F, partly cloudy and breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • Katydids are still calling.
  • A footbridge is missing, but the other fall out from the weather has been removed.
  • All the paths have been recently mowed.
• October 12, 2005
  • 50°F, raining, with a light breeze at 3:00 PM.
  • Even with recent rains of 8 inches, the trails were not bad at all.
  • Fall has finally arrived.
• October 05, 2005
  • 75°F, clear, and breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • The gardens are still going.
  • A quiet walk today.
• September 28, 2005
  • 70°F, clear, and breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • Deer were encounted in a number of locations.
  • Pictured above, a Compton Tortoiseshell.
• September 21, 2005
  • 80°F, mostly clear, with a light breezy at 4:00 PM.
  • The sun is getting lower, goldenrods are blooming, and little bluestem is fuzzy with seed.
  • Pictured above, leaves are falling on the Sedge Meadow Trail's boardwalk.
• September 14, 2005
  • 80°F, partly to mostly cloudy, and breezy at 1:00 PM.
  • The woods are dry, leaves are curling, and stems are drooping.
  • Fall webworm nests can be seen in the Old Gravel Pit.
  • Catocala underwing moths dart by along the woodland trails.
  • The common raven, unencountered most of the summer, has been heard overhead lately.
  • Above, a Pale Beauty stands out against the bark of a tree.
• September 7, 2005
  • 80°F, clear, and calm with low humidity at 2:00 PM.
  • The Gifford Gardens were graced by two uncommon visitors: the Aphrodite fritillary and Leonard's skipper.
  • Turtlehead was blooming around the cistern between the Old Hayfields.
  • Great dragonflies, one shown above, patrol the Old Hayfields.
  • Absolutely splendid day.
• September 1, 2005
  • 80°F, partly cloudy, and breezy with low humidity at 12:00 PM.
  • I was joined on the trails today by departing ecology camp counselor, Michelle.
  • As a result, some fine caterpillars and a magnificent spider were seen.
  • Above is a silver-spotted skipper caterpillar appearing to look longingly at groundnut blossoms.
  • Although the recently mowed fields were low on butteflies, the Gifford Garden was swarming!
• August 24, 2005
  • 65-75°F, partly cloudy, and breezy from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
  • Above, the Waterman Bird Club visited today and found a wealth of warblers in the Old Hayfields.
  • Cool and breezy, and with the hayfields mown, there was little butterfly activity.
• August 17, 2005
  • 88°F, partly cloudy, and breezy at 1:00 PM.
  • Above, a spicebush swallowtail is a blur of constant motion among the phlox.
  • Both hayfields were mowed today.
  • A few tree limbs were on the paths today, but nothing couldn't be heaved aside.
• August 13, 2005
  • This was the Saturday Ecology Program, Butterflies and Their Habitats at IES.
  • The heat and humidity drove away half of the 14 initial participants.
  • We tallied 16 species and 99 individuals in 6 different habitats during our 2-3 hours.
• August 10, 2005
  • 95°F, clear, and calm at 1:00 PM.
  • Above, a spider with brunch in the front Old Hayfield.
  • An ambush bug with a meadow fritillary was another interesting find.
• August 03, 2005
  • 85°F, partly cloudy, and calm at 2:00 PM.
  • Above, a jewel box spider along the Cary Pines Trail.
  • A belted kingfisher perching nearby along the Wappinger Creek Trail was memorable.
• July 27, 2005
  • 90°F, partly cloudy, and breezy at 2:00 PM changing to rain at 4:30.
  • Above, a great spangled fritillary visits purple cone flower in the Gifford Garden.
  • A family of worm-eating warblers near the Sedge Meadow boardwalk was a highlight.
  • The cooling rain was another...
• July 20, 2005
  • 85°F, partly cloudy, and breezy at 12:30 PM.
  • Above, chanterelles rise from the forest floor.
  • Cicadas have begun to sing, and spotted knappweed to bloom.
  • Gypsy moths are common on the wing.
• July 13, 2005
  • 80°F, overcast, and calm at 1:00 PM.
  • Above, a mountain mint blooms at the Fern Glen.
  • A good, if warm, day on the trails.
• July 6, 2005
  • 80°F, cloudy, and calm at 12:00 PM.
  • Above, a northern pearly-eye brunches on guano at the Gifford House.
  • Black caps, or black raspberry, are ripe in the Old Gravel Pit.
• June 29, 2005
  • 70°F, light rain, and calm at 1:45 PM.
  • An interesting beetle of the scarab family, above, was in the Old Hayfield.
  • European skippers were almost countable in places.
  • Red chanterelles were beginning to make an appearance at the edge of the Old Pasture.
• June 22, 2005
  • 80°F, mostly cloudy, and breezy at 1:00 PM.
  • Yarrow of the less common pink form, pictured above, was along the side of the Old Hayfield.
  • European skippers were even more abundant than last week.
• June 15, 2005
  • 70°F, overcast to partly cloudy, and windy at 12:30 PM.
  • Last week's tree across the path has been removed.
  • The farther reaches of the trails have been trimmed.
• June 8, 2005
  • 80°F, clear, and breezy at 1:00 PM.
  • A note on last Saturday's "Butterflies & Habitats" program.
• June 1, 2005
  • 80°F, mostly clear, and calm at 1:30 PM.
  • I had company in preparation for the upcoming butterfly program.
• May 25, 2005
  • 50°F, cloudy giving way to rain, with a breeze at 1:00 PM.
  • Many new things in bloom in the Fern Glen.
• May 18, 2005
  • 60°F, partly cloudy, with a light breeze at 1:30 PM.
  • Trails have been recently mowed.
• May 11, 2005
  • 80+°F, partly cloudy, with a light breeze at 12:00 AM.
  • Some butterflies made first appearances today.
  • And the Eastern pine elfin was still around.
  • Some corrections were made to last week's report.
• May 4, 2005
  • 50°F, mostly cloudy, with a light breeze at 12:00 AM.
  • The trails have been recently mowed.
  • The Old Gravel Pit is Finally dry.
  • A new butterfly for the Trails - and for me - was the Eastern pine elfin.
• April 27, 2005
  • 50°F, occasional mist, and calm at 10:00 AM.
  • Warblers are arriving.
  • The Old Gravel Pit is Still flooded. The Ed-venture Trail gets around it.
• April 20, 2005
  • 85°F, yes 85, Partly cloudy, and windy at 1:30 PM.
  • Shorts and T-shirt weather!
  • Take the Ed-venture Trail to skirt the still flooded Old Gravel Pit.
• April 13, 2005
  • 60°F, clear, and breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • Surprisingly, the puddle at the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit is now a lake.
  • I would recommend the Ed-venture Trail to skirt this section.
  • The tree at the near corner of the Old Hayfields had developed a serious split.
  • The trails were quiet today; a little cool, a little late in the day.
• April 6, 2005
  • 70°F, clear, and calm at 1:30 PM - almost too warm.
  • With the warmth cometh the deer tick...
  • If you are not familiar with the issues and precautions, ask for information when you pick up your visitor pass.
  • The snow is 99.9% gone and the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit had a good puddle.
  • I had the company of two visitors today.
• March 30, 2005
  • 60°F, hazy, and calm at 1:45 PM.
  • Nice to be out in shirt sleeves for a change.
  • The trails are not bad but for a few patches of ice, and some soggy spots.
• March 23, 2005
  • 40°F, overcast, and calm at 2:00 PM.
  • Two visitors from the Waterman Bird Club joined me today.
  • Snow began promptly at 5:00.
• March 16, 2005
  • 40°F, clear, and breezy at 1:00 PM.
  • 5 inches of dense snow had fallen early in the previous weekend.
• March 9, 2005
  • 20°F, clear, and windy at 2:00 PM.
  • Of course it had snowed a good 4 inches the day before.
• March 2, 2005
  • 35°F, mostly cloudy, and breezy at 1:30 PM.
  • A foot of snow had fallen by the end of yesterday, but have no fear.
  • Robins and stoneflies are about.
• February 23, 2005
  • 30°F, clear, and breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • Since last week 4" of snow fell including maybe 3/4" last night, but have no fear.
  • Newts are swimming in the Fern Glen pond today.
• February 16, 2005
  • 45°F, cloudy, and breezy at 12:30 PM.
  • A great variety of footing conditions will be encountered; ice patches hide well on pine needles.
  • The dead tree across the path through the Norway Spruce Glade has been cleared.
• February 9, 2005
  • 40°F, cloudy, and calm at 12:30 PM.
  • A frog was out at the Fern Glen Pond!
  • Soft snow makes walking an effort; occasional small patches of ice are about.
• February 2, 2005
  • 30°F, clear, and calm at 2:30 PM.
  • The sun is warm on the back of the neck.
  • Soft snow makes walking an effort.
• January 28, 2005
  • 15°F, clear, and calm.
  • 8" of snow.
  • Any wet areas are frozen solid and so are passable.
• January 19, 2005
  • 12°F, overcast, and breezy with light snow starting at 12:30 PM.
  • The crust on the snow is not bad today.
  • The foot bridge is dry, but not quite where I had left it last week.
  • A dead tree is down in the Norway Spruce Glade.
• January 13, 2005
  • 40°F, foggy, and calm at 12:00 PM.
  • The crust on the snow was just right for rattling teeth.
  • The air you could almost taste.
  • Deer and turkeys were seen frequently today.
• January 5, 2005
  • 31°F, snowing, and calm at 11:30 AM.
  • The first good snow storm of the season is underway.
  • And it is magic.
• December 29, 2004
  • 35°F, overcast, and calm at 1:30 PM.
  • I don't yet have the spare battery routine transfered to my winter clothing.
  • The downed trees along the old Carriage Road have been cleared.
• December 22, 2004
  • 40°F, mostly cloudy, and calm at 1:00 PM.
  • The recent light snow was an open book with animal tracks.
  • A couple trees are down along the old Carriage Road.
• December 15, 2004
  • 30°F, clear, gusty at 2:00 PM.
  • Hunting season is over; so is my vacation.
  • It is suddenly cold this week, with teens over night. The ground is frozen and lumpy under foot. We are not yet used to this.
• November 17, 2004
  • 60°F, Cloudy, calm at 1:30 PM.
  • The immature Northern Shrike was seen by the Bird Club again along Flagler Dr.
  • The Common Raven was heard again around the Wappingers Creek, but, again, not by me.
  • I did see about 4 deer, both bucks and doe, in several locations along the route.
• November 10, 2004
  • 45°F, Mostly clear, with light winds at 3:00 PM.
  • An immature Northern Shrike was seen by the Waterman Bird Club in the morning along Flagler Drive.
  • A Common Raven was along the Wappingers Creek.
• November 03, 2004
  • 59°F, Partly cloudy, and blustery at 2:00 PM.
  • Mayflies were still out, but little else this late afternoon.
  • The oak leaves - even dry - are quite slippery on the trails!
• October 27, 2004
  • 62°F, Cloudy to partly cloudy, and breezy at 12:45 PM.
  • A katydid, 3 dragonflies, a lot of bees, and several columns of mayflies were out.
  • One can see much farther through the woods now with so many leaves down.
• October 20, 2004
  • 60°F, Mostly cloudy, and breezy at 1:30 PM.
  • A single butterfly was out today.
  • I dare to ID a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
  • A high school class mate ID'd me.
• October 13, 2004
  • 67°F, Mostly clear, and calm at 1:30 PM.
  • New to me at IES is the Hermit Thrush today.
  • Dragonflies are still on the wing and Katydids still sing.
• October 5, 2004
  • 60°F, Clear, and a light breeze at 2:00 PM.
  • Quite a few Turkey Vultures overhead lately and White-throated Sparrows are back.
  • A lone Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly was in a sunny corner of Old Hayfield #2.
• September 30, 2004
  • 65°F, Calm with light rain at 4:00 PM.
  • Special guest on the trails with me today was my sister up from Georgia.
  • Special sighting today was the Palm Warbler.
• September 22, 2004
  • 75°F, Clear with a light breeze and low humidity at 12:30 PM. It doesn't get much better.
  • Is spite of the recent wind and rains, the trails were in good shape.
  • Some nice bird activity in several places.
• September 15, 2004
  • 75°F, Cloudy with a light breeze at 2:00 PM.
  • A quiet day for wild life, but company helped and some interesting observations were made.
• September 8, 2004
  • 64°F, Calm and Raining at 12:00 PM.
  • The farthest reaches of the Trail System have been groomed.
• September 1, 2004
  • 76°F and Partly Cloudy at 1:30 PM. Calm with low humidity.
  • The Knappweed and Bergamot in the Old Hayfields are beginning to quiet for the season.
• August 25, 2004
  • 70°F and overcast at 2:30 PM. Calm with moderate humidity.
  • The trails have all been recently mowed.
  • Mushrooms, dragonflies and rabbits were freqently encountered today.
• August 18, 2004
  • 68°F and overcast at 8:00 AM. Calm with high humidity.
  • This week marks the first anniversary of these Trail Reports.
  • The Waterman Bird Club walked the trails today.
• August 11, 2004
  • 83°F and cloudy at 12:00 PM. Calm with high humidity.
  • I was recently asked if it ever rains when I'm on the Trails. Yes, it does.
• August 4, 2004
  • 82°F, partly cloudy at 1:00 PM. Breezy and moderately humid.
  • New to me on the Trails are the Brown Thrasher, American Redstart, and 'Olive' Juniper Hairstreak.
  • Birds are singing less.
• July 29, 2004
  • 77°F, partly cloudy at 9:30 AM. Calm and humid.
  • Gypsy Moths are declining in number.
  • New to me on the Trails is the Mulberry Wing.
• July 21, 2004
  • 82°F, partly cloudy at 1:00 PM. Calm and pretty humid.
  • Wild Bergamot is quite in bloom in Old Hayfield II.
  • Gypsy Moths are ubiquitous.
  • Cicadas are a growing voice.
  • Goldenrods are starting to bloom.
• July 14, 2004
  • 78°F, mostly clear at 1:00 PM. Light breeze, moderate humidity.
  • Wild Bergamot is just starting to bloom in Old Hayfield II.
• July 7, 2004
  • 82°F, mostly clear at 1:30 PM.
  • The trails are all freshly mowed and the brush has been cut back, too.
  • Spotted Knapweed is just starting to bloom in Old Hayfield I.
  • TWO new ones for me at IES today: the Tawny Emperor and Coral Hairstreak.
• June 30, 2004
  • 75°F, partly cloudy at 1:00 PM.
  • Friction tape applied to the foot bridge last week is holding up.
  • The small, broken tree in the Old Gravel Pit is gone, too.
  • Today held the first Compton Tortoiseshell butterfly I've seen at IES.
• June 23, 2004
  • 80°F, partly cloudy at 1:45 PM.
  • Friction tape was applied to the foot bridge by the "Appendix".
  • A small tree is broken and encroaching on the path through the Old Gravel Pit.
• June 16, 2004
  • 82°F, partly cloudy at 1:30 PM.
  • Trails have been recently mown
  • The "Appendix" was the hot spot today.
• June 9, 2004
  • 87°F, hazy, humid and partly cloudy at 1:30 PM.
  • Amazingly, the friction tape is still adhering to the bridge surface - even where it was damp.
• June 2, 2004
  • 75°F, from mostly cloudy at 1:30 PM, to thunder storms, to clear, to mostly cloudy again.
  • The air is sweet with the fragrance of Bedstraws in the Old Hayfields.
  • Some corrections and additions have been made to the previous Report of May 26.
• May 26, 2004
  • 68°F, mostly cloudy at 1:30 PM, occasional sun and drizzle, calm to breezy.
  • The fields are getting green.
  • The Wappingers Creek is low enough to expose gravel banks.
  • One of those seemingly dull, gray days that surprise you when you look back.
• May 19, 2004
  • 70°F, From mostly cloudy at 2 PM, to sunny and breezy.
  • Only fit in the western half of the trails today.
  • More butterflies are back!
  • Tick season has started. Follow precautions.
• May 12, 2004
  • 85°F, sunny and breezy at 2 PM, changing to Thunder storms by 4 PM.
  • Today I had the company!
  • Yellow Lady's-slipper is blooming in the Fern Glen.
  • All kinds of birds are back.
• May 5, 2004
  • 60°F, Calm, overcast, occasional drizzle at 1:30 PM.
  • The falling dead tree along the Wappingers Creek Trail has been removed.
  • The noble Creek Scum has all but disappeared.
• April 28, 2004
  • A very cool 58°F, Partly cloudy, and Breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • Honeysuckle leaves are full; Cherry are starting.
  • Warblers are on the return.
• April 22, 2004
  • 75°F, Partly cloudy, and Breezy at 2:00 PM.
  • The Gardens of the Gifford House are gearing up to give the Fern Glen competition for most rapidly changing site along my route.
  • A dead tree is working its way down across the Wappingers Creek Trail near the low foot bridge.
• April 14, 2004
  • 55°F, occasional rain, and calm at 2:00 PM.
  • Warning: the foot bridges can be slippery!
  • The Fern Glen is changing daily.
• April 7, 2004
  • 55°F, Mostly clear, and calm at 1:30 PM.
  • Plants are popping in the Fern Glen.
• March 31, 2004
  • 45°F, overcast, and calm at 2:30 PM.
  • It is Salamander season.
• March 24, 2004
  • 55°F, sunny, and calm at 2:30 PM.
  • Snow is virtually all gone and signs of Spring are appearing in force.
  • The foot bridge, which can be flooded, no longer needs regular reports.
  • The remaining ice in the Old Gravel Pit is a curiosity rather than a concern.
  • The Eastern Comma is the first butterfly I've seen anywhere this year. Two were basking on the Cary Pines Trail near the ridge overlooking the creek.
  • The Eastern Phoebe is back along the Wappingers Creek Trail.
• March 17, 2004
  • 32°F, light snow, and calm at 3:30 PM.
  • 4 to 5 inches of fluffy snow came down since yesterday.
  • The foot bridge, which can be flooded, is fine today.
  • Ice in The Old Gravel Pit is solid under the new snow.
• March 10, 2004
  • 40°F, partly cloudy, and breezy at 1 PM.
  • All of the snow and ice is gone except for a big patch of solid (i.e., walkable) ice in the Old Gravel Pit.
  • The foot bridge, which can be flooded, is fine today.
  • The road to the Fern Glen is bare now.
  • Life in the Fern Glen has taken to wing.
  • Maple syrup season is in full swing.
  • I am still happy to report that I saw no "deer ticks".
• March 3, 2004
  • 50°F, partly sunny, and breezy at 1 PM.
  • Most of the snow is gone; parts of the trails are wet and mushy.
  • Some soft ice will be encountered too - the kind kids like to smash with their heels.
  • The ice in Old Gravel Pit is still hard and easy to traverse - and had curious patterns.
  • The foot bridge which can be flooded is fine today.
  • The road to the Fern Glen is pretty slick, but the shoulder is just snow.
  • Life in the Fern Glen is stirring.
  • Maple syrup season is upon us.
  • I am happy to report that I saw no "deer ticks".
• February 25, 2004
  • 32° F clear and breezy at 1 PM.
  • I had company again today with the purpose of updating the winter trail guide.
  • There is some ice on the trails, notably the Wappingers Creek Trail at the Old Pasture.
• February 11, 2004
  • 30° F and partly cloudy at noon.
  • It was not wet at these temperatures; the snow was soft only in the sun.
  • This is the 2nd time now that I have had company on the trails.
  • And the one little bridge is holding steady.
  • Signs of Spring included Stone Flies, Skunk Cabbage, and a moth!
• February 4, 2004
  • 40° F sweater weather, clear and breezy, at 1:30 PM.
  • A little soft and wet, but the Gravel Mine was passable. My tall boots were overkill.
  • And the one little bridge is, for practical purposes, high and dry.
• January 29, 2004
  • A balmy 20° F, and mostly clear, at 1:30 PM.
  • 10" of snow had fallen by Wednesday morning; with tall boots, all trails are fine.
  • A new bird for my IES list was the Common Merganser along the Wappingers Creek Trail.
• January 14, 2004
  • 5° F, clear, some breeze from 1:30 PM on.
  • With the cold, the Wappingers Creek Trail affords many interesting views of ice.
  • The foot bridge along the Wappingers Creek Trail is again passable.
  • The Fern Glenn, interestingly, still has steaming open water.
  • The bottom of the Old Gravel Pit along the Cary Pines Trail is still flooded, but is also frozen and could be considered passable.
  • A quiet day, bird wise.
• December 18, 2003
  • 35 degrees, mostly cloudy, some breeze from 2:00 PM on.
  • The headless deer, although found to actually be in possession of its head, is entirely gone now.
  • The trees that were down along the Cary Pines trail have been cleared.
  • One foot bridge along the Wappingers Creek Trail is a mere island.
  • A quiet day, bird wise.
• December 10, 2003
  • 40-50 degrees, cloudy, mostly calm from 1:30 PM on.
  • The trails are open again; another season of deer hunting is over.
  • A headless deer lies off the Cary Pines trail in the Old Gravel Pit region.
  • The first snow of some 18 inches fell over the previous weekend; it can be up to your calves today.
  • Three trees are down along the Cary Pines trail:
    • The largest is a pine in the Old Gravel Pit.
    • Another heafty pine is near the Stone Wall on the fork from the Scotch Pine All&eaccute;e to the Creek Trail
    • The smallest is along the fork edging the Little Bluestem Meadow.
  • There are still sizeable puddles by one foot bridge along the Wappingers Creek Trail, but that is hardly an issue as they are frozen.
• November 12, 2003
  • 50-60 degrees, grey, foggy and calm from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
  • The Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club walked the Carey Pines Trail, the Fern Glen, and Lovelace Dr. out to the bridge by Redwing Dr.
  • Two cock pheasants crashed past the 100 Yr. Oak in argument as I stood and watched.
  • It's still fairly wet by one foot bridge along the Wappinger Creej Trail, but you can get by.
  • The trails will be closed for deer hunting Nov. 17 through Dec. 9. This will be the last Trail Report until afterwords.
• November 05, 2003
  • 40 some degrees, foggy and rainy at 2:00 PM.
  • Toured the East trails with Luanne until the rain became more determined than we.
  • The Wappingers Creek is dropping and foot bridges are now accessable with boots.
• October 30, 2003
  • 50 degrees, beautiful and clear at 11:00 AM. This follows 3 days and 3 inches of rain.
  • The Wappingers Creek is pretty high.
  • The foot bridges are all high and dry, but one is a little hard to get to...
  • Two light, "fall form" Eastern Commas were soaking up the sun. One near the cistern at the Old Hay Field, and one along the Old Gravel Pit.
  • After many attempts, I finally a good look at the Golden-crowned Kinglet.
  • Old dead tree down across back of Fern Glen.
  • Three dead saplings leaning over the ropes at the jct of Cary Pines & Wappingers trails.
• October 22, 2003
  • 45 degrees and occasional drizzle at 2:15 PM.
  • Good birds: big owl, little winter wren.
  • Golden Rods have gone to seed.
  • Old dead tree down across back of Fern Glen.
  • Three dead saplings leaning over the ropes at the jct of Cary Pines & Wappingers trails.
• October 16, 2003
  • Mostly cloudy, in the 60s at 2:30 PM.
  • Quite a few twigs down. They were removed.
• October 10, 2003
  • Clear, in the upper 60s. It could stay like this a few months...
  • Knappweed of the Old Hay Field is 99.9% gone now.
  • Butterfly Bush in the Gifford Gardens is all gone to seed.
  • Butterflies were largely absent. But it was 4PM too.
  • Katydids were still singing.
  • Puffballs emerging last week are soon to puff.
  • Several trees were down, one across the path, west of the Old Gravel Pit.
• October 1, 2003
  • Cloudy, in the 60s, very Fallish.
  • Only went around the Sedge Meadow today.
  • Giant Puffballs and hickory nuts suddenly abound.
  • Butterflies largely absent.
• September 24, 2003
  • Trails were in fine shape in spite of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Isabel.
  • The Wappingers Creek was high...
  • I'm pretty sure that was a Red-shouldered Hawk North above the Sedge Meadow Trail.
  • No sign of Milbert's Tortoiseshell at the Perennial Garden today.
  • Plenty of Monarchs, though.
  • And American Coppers still abound.
• September 18, 2003
  • A report of branches on the west end of Cary Pines Trail was confirmed. They are removed.
    Looked like the creative energies of youth at work.
    
  • Biggest news: a Milbert's Tortoiseshell has been on the Butterfly Bushes in Gifford Garden!
    That's a new one for my life list.
  • And American Coppers are booming. I counted 25, most along the far eastern section of the Wapp. Crk. Trail as it passes thru the Old Pasture and in front of the Old Hay Field.
  • Dogbane and Little Blue Stem grass are starting to go to seed.
  • Still some Knappweed lingering in the Old Hay Field and a couple Wild Bergamot in the 100 Yr. Oak Field.
• September 10, 2003
  • Only time for a few trails today, but... I was also about during the Sept 7 plant sale.
  • Both days were sunny and in the 70s with moderate humidity.
  • Looks like we are in the middle of the American Copper's 3rd brood: Watch for fluttering about your feet in low grassy areas such as the Sedge Meadow Trail.
• September 4, 2003
  • At 3:00 PM it was overcast, in the 70s, and very humid.
  • Butterflies were scarce, birds moderate, and mushrooms booming from the recent rains
• August 28, 2003
  • Sedge Trail has been mowed.
  • Hornet's nest on Sedge Trail is gone.
  • Knap weed in the near Old Hay Field is all but gone.
  • Wild Bergamot in the far Old Hay Field is still blooming.
  • Fungi along Wappinger Creek Trail have diminished. Some Indian Pipes remain.
• August 22, 2003
  • The first Trail Report