Recent sightings

An hour about noon. Hot & Humid.

A few observations throughout this warm, humid, and mostly sunny day. The Cloudless Sulphur was our 46th yard species for 2021 so it is very likely that our streak of seeing at least 50 species on our property in a year will be broken after probably more than 20 years. Monarchs are increasing while the grass skippers are decreasing.

5:00-5:30. Overcast, low 80s. Meadow Fritillaries were fresh and frenetic. One finally paused for a photo.

4:00-4:45. Hazy sun, low 80s. Lots of mosquitoes.

3-3:30. Mostly sunny, low 80s. Comma was fresh, Millipedes were fewer, and the mosquitoes voracious.

10 AM - 12:30 PM. Sunny, humid, 80-85 F. Many mosquitos. Red Admiral quite fresh, Viceroys slightly worn.

red spotted purples here in miserable condition- ragged and few scales left on the wings

3:00-4:30. Sunny, around 80 degrees. American Lady very fresh.

2:00-2:30. Sunny and breezy in the low 80s.

Noon - 12:30. Little in the way of nectar sources.

10:45-11:45 AM, sunny, breezy, 85 F. Area had clearly been underwater during recent storms. Thistle and Grass-leaved goldenrod nearly spent.

some back fields severely cut; fields around Nature Center still
blooming; asian mantisses prowling; azure "nectaring" on smart weed- those are tiny flowers.

10 AM to Lunch; Sunny; Mid 70s

2:00-4:15pm, mostly sunny, windy, 74F

10:30am–1:15pm, sunny, 72F, windy, first time in new park, lots of knapweed in bloom

10:00 - 2:15
66-70, mostly sunny and very breezy
This is a gated and guarded facility. As volunteers to the NJDEP, Endangered and Nongame Species Program we have had permission since 2010 to survey for the now State Endangered Leonard's Skipper. This was a down year for this species and most other species of grass skippers. The Painted Lady was only our second for the year and was very fresh.

Last week we saw a Bobcat and today a Coyote.

10 AM - noon; mostly birding. Monarchs all westbound, from grass-level to very high.

10 AM - 1 PM. Sun and increasing clouds, about 85 F. Most action on Grass-leafed goldenrod, especially at River Rd Pk.

1:30-4:30 warm with sun and some clouds. I checked some fields and the trailsides E and W of Rt. 94 and Canal Rd. Most activity around thistle and red clover, some on asters and purple loosestrife. Common checkered skippers were the first I've seen in some time and there were likely more deeper in the field - I mainly stayed on the boardwalk trail. Rough counts on the crescents and sulphur sp.

2:00-2:45. Sunny, upper 70s. Red-banded Hairstreak very worn. Skippers and ETBs nectaring on the last few Bush-clover flowers. Impressive, volleyball-sized Puffball on lawn.

10:00-11:30. Sunny, upper 70s. Not as many species as the last time I butterflied Flemington Hyundai.

Visited a few gardens in town while biking. It has been a dismal spring, summer, and so far, fall here! This is the best day I have had!

Leaderless Walks, 7 participants. Sunny, temps in 70's.

4:15-4:35, sunny, mid-70s. A quick stop at a large field on Mt. Pleasant Road (about half a mile in from Rt. 94, on the left) that is in the early stages of management for pollinators. Currently it is a colorful mix of cosmos, coreopsis, and a few other annuals, with the perennials that were seeded in hopefully to become more prominent in future years.

Observations limited to a few circuits through the garden in the afternoon. The Pipevine was our second of the summer. American Lady has been scarce so far this year. Warm and sunny.

A new aluvial fan on the outer loop trail here. Thistle, NY Ironweed, goldenrod, butterfly bush blooming… autumn joy sedums not yet at peak. Snowberry clearwing present as well.

10:00 AM to Lunch; Sunny; Warm
Many observers.