May 2021 Sightings

2:00-3:30, sunny, lows 60s, a bit breezy.

commas seemed small; two were fighting near a cedar tree
commas have perched on other years

Cloudy to Sunny, 11AM to 12Noon
Great numbers of Eastern-Tailed Blues

9:30 AM till 12:30 PM, mostly cloudy, breezy, warm.
Photo courtesy Jane Hurwitz

We stopped for a quick mid-afternoon walk since we were in the area.

Mostly Sunny, T=Upper 60s, 1:00–1:30 PM

9:30 AM,- 2 PM. Cool and cloudy.

1:30 to 2:30. Partly sunny; 70s. Pipevine was puddling in parking lot at Twin Lakes off Goodale Road. Photo by Mike Tracy.

4:00-5:15. Sunny, low 80s.

9:30 AM until 1:30 PM. Cloudy breezy and cool to warm and sunny.
Fisherman's Beach Rd, Parking Lots D, E and K
Photos courtesy Jane Hurwitz

2:30-3:30. Sunny, mid 60s. Many of the Pearl Crescents were nectaring on Common Cinquefoil. One of the Question Marks was feeding on sap oozing from a damaged willow tree branch. The sap was also attracting flies and what appeared to be a Yellowjacket. The Question Mark fended off interlopers by vigorously flicking its wings.

3:30- 4:15, sunny, low 60s.

11am-1pm
Cool but cloudless
Permit required for watershed

9 AM - 12:30 PM. Sun but cool and windy, too cool for butterflies until around noon. One anglewing sp, a rapid fly-by.

1330 to 1445; Sunny, breezy, temperature in the 60's. Some plants starting to bloom. Saw a Duskywing Sp. fly into one of the dry fields. Could not get close enough to it to determine species. Finally, some butterflies are starting to appear in this area.

Brief stop.

I've seen a Henry's Elfin only once before right near this spot. There may have been 2 but I never saw both together and it was in close proximity. Tons of coppers around! Beautiful view of a Red Admiral and the first time I've had a nice shot of the dorsal side. 2 other individuals that could have been Painted or American Ladies. Sunny and warm from about 3:25-5:00.

Large open field. Mid-afternoon.
The Black Swallowtail was gloriously fresh. It may well have been on it's first flight.

At Crows Nest parking area

Sunny, temps in the 60's

FOY for me - no photo, got close and off it flew

Seven observers, 9:30 AM to around noon. Started cool but warmed up some later but not really enough for good butterfly activity. American Coppers were much in evidence but we searched for Henry's Elfin without success. But a message arrived about Humpback whales off the beach, so we went to E-lot and there they were! So we spent a hour or so appreciating these larger creatures. Photos from Mike Newlon.

Second part of NABA-NJ field trip, 1:15pm-2:45pm,filtered sun to start then thick clouds and sprinkle, 64˚F–>57˚F, Photos from Mike Newlon.

8:45 AM-12:15 PM. 52-58 F, breeze from the NW. Too cool for butterflies until around 11. Genhurst trails very muddy, bring rubber boots. Not a lot of nectar; Crescents on buttercup and dandelion, Whites on Garlic mustard and Wintercress. Two Whites found each other, went into a dogfight, spiraled upward until lost to sight even in binoculars.

1215 to 1430. Mostly sunny, 60's. Parked in the lot by the Driving Range on Atlantic Ave. Walked the paths and trails East of there through fields. wet, open woods, and a few Swampy areas.

Hundreds of Zizia plants (Golden Alexander) west side. Large dark butterfly flew up from it. Probably a Black Swallowtail.
ETBs nectaring on Wild Strawberry.
Low 60s, windy, bright sunlight 90% of the time.