November 2023 Sightings

1:30 - 3:30. Breezy, sunny, in the upper 50s. Below freezing temperatures for the past two nights. The hairstreak appeared fresh. The pictured sulphur was white on the dorsal side, but mostly yellow below. [Moderators: Getting late for Red-banded Hairstreak and Pearl Crescent in north Jersey. But the website is down so we can't check late dates. We have not crunched the numbers but our impression is that there were many more Red-banded Hairstreaks reported in north Jersey (and perhaps south Jersey, too) than Gray Hairstreaks. We can remember a time not long ago when Red-banded was a thrilling find in the NW counties].

Sunny in the 50's.

Sulphurs were all on dandelions, which obligingly bloomed in the last day or so. Also lots of Isabella Tiger Moth caterpillars and a Giant Leopard Moth cat.

11:20-1:30 sunny and high 60's. I visited this area to observe the Ross's Goose that was reported in the pond and was happy to see 3 different butterfly species - all were mainly checking out the dandelions. [Moderators: Some non-native species, like dandelion, do possess some redeeming value.]

They were both so happy to find a flower, but is something else happening here? Partly sunny, late morning, 50's. [Moderators: Your moderators were sleeping on this one. Tom Bailey, our sharp-eyed
colleague from south Jersey, pointed out that the pale member of this pair is not a Cabbage White as originally identified, but instead a white form of one of the two common resident sulphurs. This 'alba' form is quite common and studies have shown that they are females. Common and Orange sulphurs hybridize and many cannot be identified to species with metaphysical certitude.]

64 degrees, mostly sunny
1:00 to 3:00
[Moderators: Where are the commas and cloaks?]

12:30 to 2:30 PM. Partly sunny and mid-60s. Only nectar source I saw were a few scattered knapweed flowers. I flushed the sulphur as I was walking on the gas line ROW. Also flushed a late Woodcock in the woods.

3:15 pm, a warm (70F) day… flew up into a distant tree
Mods mocking me; web site still down…. just try again :(
one step forward; two steps back ; at least I am not Wade at the Post Office; chin up
[Moderators: Well, this clears that up—I guess. As inspector Clouseau might have said, mystery sol ved.]

3:15 pm, a warm (70F) day… flew up into a distant tree
very little blooming- a bit of golden rod. fields mowed. [Moderators: Apparently something of interest flew into a distant tree. Presumably a butterfly but what species? So, we are opening this up to the readers of this page. Use the date, location, and the comment that includes 2 hints: it flew into a tree, and that it was quite likely identified even at a distance. What could it be?]

12:30 - 2:30. Mostly sunny. Mid 50s. Only covered the Field of Flowers and the now-harvested soybean field beyond it. Some thirty small odonates were basking in the sun along the edges of the fields; Autumn Meadowhawks, I believe. I wasn't expecting to see a fresh, but unfortunately photographically uncooperative Red Admiral today. The Buckeye was getting a bit rough around the edges. Little Bluestem is now showing prominently in the field. The seasonally appropriate turkey, observed walking down the road, practically jumped into my car when I stopped to take a photo; it must have been newly released.

[Moderators: This sighting was conveyed to us by Tom Bailey. Monarchs can fly 100 miles or more in a day but this one may have to put more miles behind it than that to arrive at the primary wintering area in south-central Mexico].

60-65 and sunny with a light southerly breeze

Both Orange Sulphurs flitted among the low flowering dandelions that escaped the mowerman who mows even when there is nothing to mow. There ain't no such thing as no mow to the mowerman who only knows mow now.

12:40-2:20 mostly sunny and mild. 2 of the 3 butterflies were in K-lot grass and the third near the entrance to the beach near I-lot. Clouded Sulphur was feeding on dandelion briefly. The 2 that I photographed looked very fresh.

12:20-3:05 Sunny, low 50's and slightly breezy. It was surprising to find the American Copper today with the temperature being so low but the sun was strong. This copper was very fresh and vibrant and as it moved about quite a bit, I noticed the butterfly opened its wings quickly and almost fully after landing to expose the dorsal side to the sun, whereas in the past I've always seen American Coppers in warm weather do this slowly and gradually. [Moderators: This observation establishes a new late date for American Copper shattering the previous late date of Nov. 2 for north Jersey and even edging out the south Jersey late date of Nov. 15. Well done, Dave!]