But today is sunny and 76degrees -- beautiful day to lead off a beautiful week-end in the 80s.
Not too many folks in the parking lot --- but its about 2:30 so its still early. I can hear water now at the parking lot which means the snow melt is picking up.
There are white butterflies flying. One kindly lands on a flower and its a Spring White! (And yes, it only flies during the Spring.)
There is also a little orange flyer --- probably a Crescent but he won't stop; he's just patrolling his territory up and down the trail waiting for a female. Also see some Sara Orangetips - males (they have a dark orange spot on their wing) and they too are patrolling for females.
There is also another white butterfly out -- he's all white (no black markings). I don't have my book so I don't remember what species he is -- but after a while one does spot so I can get a good look. (He's a Margined or Mustard White.)
Off course the Hoary and Satyr Commas are about and the Mourning Cloaks - well I stopped counting at 20. Even got to hear their wings flap as two got in a fight right near my head before circling higher and higher into to air.
This was an exercise hike (especially since I was here only a few days ago), so real no stops on the way -- ok there were a couple of bflies..... Figured I'll do all the stopping on the way down.
Got to end very uneventfully. The stream flowing down the trail on the last stretch was higher (its 30degrees warmer than Sunday so not surprising). I had to go thru the woods for a bit to get around it. Took a quick stop at the end; the only snow left it at the old building was in some shady spots. The water is definitely higher today.
Time to head on down (and make some stops this time).
Headed down to the creek about where the other parking lot's trail merges in --- saw a very fresh Painted Lady butterfly -- she wasn't flying much so I think that she emerged not too long ago and was drying out.
Headed back down the trail and saw something cross the trail -- it was very small -- I thought it was a mouse but it was a lizard --- they're back!
I saw at least 6 the rest of the way down.
At another stop near the creek, something yellow and flying (bfly) caught my eye. My heart was pounding because I had no clue what it was. I carefully made my way down to the creek where I saw it last and sure enough on some small purple flowers was a female Sara Orangetip (yellow form) nectaring - yea!!! She's a beauty!
She'd fly away and circle round and come back for some more nectar. Very exciting -- I've seen a female before but never the yellow form. (The males are all at the bottom of the trail and she's near the top, they need to start going uphill.)
Making my way back to the trail, I spotted a little cluster of small yellow flowers -- they were 2-3inches tall and the flower was about the size of a thumb nail. Looks like a little buttercup.
There's a patch of Dame's Rocket (mustard family) blooming not to far from the beginning of the trail, on the way back saw something very strange - there was a Comma nectaring on the flower.
Commas typically feed on sap, scat, etc so seeing one actually nectaring on a flower is a first for me.
Fun hike today!
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