Tidy in White

Today’s sunshine motivated me to undertake an overhaul of my wildflower field guide for the Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve. As one of my first compilations, I know it contains some errors and is in need of updated scientific names. Further, the establishment of the Community Connector Trail (which runs through the preserve and for which I’ve already compiled its own wildflower guide) and an updated trail map of this preserve (which was prepared last year by Chris Nafis) are more substantive reasons to undertake this revision. So, I began my updated inventory along the 1825 Erie Canal Towpath Trail (shown in red on the aforementioned map).

While tallying the various species I observed today, I noted a definite theme.  Most of the blooms were white…and tidy.

Oxeye Daisy

White Clover

Prostrate Knotweed

Canada Anemone

Honewort

Yarrow

Gray Dogwood

Thimbleweed

Happy trails!

Summertime is here!

Summer Solstice 2019 will occur tomorrow.

With the extended daylight that the summer solstice brings, it offers the best opportunity of each year to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Community Connector Trail

Observe nature at a local preserve. Listen to the calls and songs of birds in your backyard. Go fishing. Forage for some wild edibles. Take a tour of any of the area bike trails.

Great Blue Heron – Mohawk River at Mohawk Landing Nature Preserve

To fill those longer days (and a few nights – see below) with outdoor activities, consider these upcoming events:

National Pollinator Week: Flowers of the Solstice (June 21 @ 7pm)

Wetland Hike (June 22 @ 9am)

Nature Photography Walk at Thacher State Park (June 23 @ 10am)

Woodland Wildflowers – 100 Acre Wood (June 26 @ 5:30pm)

The Multiple Helderberg Escarpments at Thacher State Park (June 29 @ 9am)

Guided Walk: The Wild Turkey Trail (June 29 @ 10am)

Inde”pond”ence Day at Woodlawn Preserve (July 4 @ 11am)

Karner Blue Butterfly Walk (July 6 @ 11am)

Discover the Pine Bush: Focus on Invasive Species (July 7 @ 1pm)

Invasive Species ID – Fox Preserve (July 12 @ 9am)

Guided Butterfly Walk (July 13 @ 9:30am)

Karner Blue Butterfly Walk (July 13 @ 11am)

Woodland Wildflowers – Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve (July 16 @ 5:30pm)

Dragonfly and Damselfly Hike (July 21 @ 1pm)

Moth Exploration of the Albany Pine Bush (July 23 @ 8:30pm)

Woodland Wildflowers – 100 Acre Wood (July 24 @ 5:30pm)

Wildflower Stroll (July 27 @ 2pm)

Birdwatching at Peebles Island State Park (August 11 @ 8:30am)

Moonlight Paddle (August 16 @ 8pm)

Woodland Wildflowers – Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve (August 20 @ 5:30pm)

Woodland Wildflowers – 100 Acre Wood (August 28 @ 5:30pm)

Birdwatching at Huyck Preserve/Myosotis Lake (August 31 @ 8am)

Birdwatching at Albany Rural Cemetery (September 7 @ 7:30am)

Hawk Watching and Songbirds at Thacher State Park (September 14 @ 9:30am)

Moonlight Paddle (September 14 @ 7:30pm)

Happy trails!

Spring Wildflower Sampler

During my past couple of visits to the West Sky Natural Area while conducting my ongoing wildflower inventory, I observed these blooming beauties –

Common Blue-eyed Grass

Blunt-leaved Sandwort

Nannyberry

Large Blue Flag

Common Cinquefoil

Yellow Wood Sorrel

Common Blackberry

Thyme-leaved Speedwell

Mouse-ear Chickweed

Field Hawkweed

Tall Buttercup

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Common Speedwell

Wild Peppergrass

Indian Cucumber Root

Black Medick

White Clover

Philadelphia Fleabane

Bulbous Buttercup – NOTE: The only Buttercup with downward pointing sepals.

Bristly Dewberry

Slender Vetch

Multi-flora Rose

View the current status of my wildflower inventories.

Happy trails!