June 2023 Sightings

A few sparse Red Clover blooming, both Peck's were nectaring on it. Not much else blooming except Rubus and a few Slender Blue Flag.

11:15 to 1:15. Sunny, temps in 80s. Rain sorely needed.

Leaderless Walks - 9 participants. Sunny in the 80's.

2:05 to 3:25, mostly cloudy, mid to high 80's. Very dry! Found an intergrade individual of Limenitis arthemis. [Moderators: Since an intergrade individual - as shown in photos - shows at least partial markings of both ‘Red-spotted Purple’ and ‘White Admiral’, it can’t be assigned definitely to either subspecies and so has been listed and captioned as the full species, Red-spotted Admiral.]

3:40 to 4:35. Mostly cloudy, approaching storm with wind shortened my stay.

8:30-12:45, sunny, 70s to mid 80's. Obs. made along the roadside and on the pipeline ROW.

10 AM - 2 PM, mostly birding.

At least 5 or 6 Little Wood-Satyrs working the same field.

Mid-afternoon walk around fields near the park office. Mixed clouds and sun with temperature in the high 60's. The nectar source of choice was Red Clover.

Obs incl a tiger swallowtail that appeared to be paler, smaller, & slower in flight. Unable to get photo.

12:15 to 1:30. Mostly sunny, temps 60s, breezy.

9:30-10:45, sunny, 60s, a rather cool northerly breeze. Walked the trail around Gardner’s Pond.

4:00-4:30, overcast, warm slightly humid [Moderators: The first report of a Hackberry Emperor to the club sightings page this year and a new early date (previous early date was June 7). Also only the second report of a Giant Swallowtail. Well done, Maria! Given the paucity of reports of the first brood of Giant Swallowtails this year one wonders about the magnitude of the second brood expected in July.
For those who don't know, a section of Canal Road has been vacated for many years. There are dirt parking lots near the north end at Buckey Lane and just south of the pedestrian bridge over Wawayanda Creek. The AT crosses Canal Road near this bridge. One can explore good bird and butterfly habitat along this road and along the AT all of which is Federal or State owned land open to the public.]

11:45 to 3:00. Partly sunny, temps about 70°. Photos are by Mike Tracy. [Moderators: The first report of a Hoary Edge this year and right on time. Tom and Mike spend more time in the field than anyone else who reports to the club sightings page and consequently see more than anyone else. This should be a lesson to all of us that you can't see much sitting in front of your computer. So, if you have some spare time get out and explore.]

9:30-10:30 walk with ZuZu.

low 60s, sunny, and breezy

10:05-11:20. Sunny and hot. First Zabulons of the season for me, along the main road over the bridge to the parking area. Also a beautiful Baltimore Oriole nest!! The fields had red clover, oxeye daisy, hawkbit, hairy vetch, honeysuckle, multiflora roses, and dandelions - generally a very good spot for pollinators and the pond has lots of dragonflies.

Our first visit there. Overall about 11:00-2:30. We walked the meadows we could find in the main park, and then went to Cherry Road. The main park had little in bloom, and little activity except for one field. Cherry Road had a a little more in bloom and lot more butterflies. The fritillaries were in Cherry only.

The Peck's Skipper could be a Long Dash (?); we could use some help with it. [Moderators: The smoothly rounded and rather diffuse rear edge to the hindwing markings indicates Long Dash; on Peck’s the outer edge of the spots is well defined and one of the yellow spots projects beyond the others.]
The Satyrs ranged from very fresh to very worn; there was one odd tan and yellowish one (photo attached).

11:05 - 2:20. Mostly sunny and warm. I walked the fields east of the main parking area, then hiked Patriots Path to the north fields. Many wildflowers still coming into bloom - the most activity I saw was on red clover and hairy vetch, but there was also lots of bird'sfoot trefoil, raspberry flowers, meadow hawkweed, and also some beautiful blue irises in the center of one field. Peck's and Hobomok competing for flowers around the park. Not sure of the skipper id on the hairy vetch - I assume worn Peck's Skipper - I was looking for the Long Dashes but no luck. I did see 2 other light skippers with no id. Great Spangled Fritillaries and Little Wood-Satyrs were everywhere!! The Common Ringlet was quite a welcome surprise. [Moderators: The worn grass-skipper on the vetch is indeed a Peck's Skipper. Common Ringlet is a northern species that was first reported in NJ in 1993 in northern Sussex County. Initially it expanded fairly rapidly into northern Warren and northwestern Morris counties but has since slowed, and its southern limit appears to have stabilized in northern Hunterdon and central Morris counties. Schooley's Mtn. CP is near this southern limit.]

Yellowish-brown smoke haze increasing through the day; temps in the 70s, breezy. Occasional forays into the murk. Finally seeing enough diversity to reach double figures, but hard to find more than one of anything.

11:30 to 1:15. Mostly hazy sun; temps in 70s. Hoping for an early Baltimore Checkerspot but no luck.

9:45 AM - 1:15 PM. 65-80 F. Breezy and hazy due to smoke from Quebec forest fires. Not much blooming except some Rubus.

Hate to be putting up these short lists, but this is the story of the year. Walked about 9:15-11:30.
Morning started out a bit hazy, Got worse as the day went on. I retreated early, but the time I reached my car, it was surreal. Dark with a deep orange cast. Lakes not visible from the road.

Normally, this is a decent place for butterflies. Today, I saw four altogether. The Wood Satyrs continue their surge, albeit at small numbers here. Normally, the lower reaches are paved in dragonflies in June; I saw zero. Birdsong was noticeably quiet for June, but I did find the usual breeding species. Almost missed BT Blue, but found one on the way out. There were also northerly nesters who were not around the last week or two, and would not normally be found in NJ this late: Bay-breasted and Magnolia warblers. This seems to be a statewide phenomenon.

Leaderless Walk - 3 participants. Very hazy because of the smoke from the wildfires in Canada. Sun not visible for the most part, temperatures in low 60's. Terrible weather.

A lot growing on the restored banks of the creek: vetch, wild chicory and swamp milkweed fully blooming (fragrant).

10:15-11:10, mostly cloudy, low 60s. Along the trail by the lake found 11 Shining Ladies'-tresses orchids (Spiranthis lucida). All nectaring (even the fritillary) was on Red Clover.

5-7:15pm, dry even by the grey water supplied areas…. orange milk weed budding, clovers, yarrow, fox glove, daisies, pea plants. Area which used to host Sleepy Oranges was cut for a project though there are some partridge peas coming up adjacent. Zab was male; comma worn.

3:30 to 5:20 pm. lows 70s temperature. Mostly sunny at start of hike but became overcast about half-way. Common Milkweed (what little there is in this park) blooming, but no butterflies on it. No fritillaries but one late Dusted Skipper.

More flowers; FOY Least Skipper for us. It was in the grass.

8:00-10:00am, partly cloudy.

Late morning walk around field by office. Mixed sun and clouds, temperature in low 70's. [Moderators: The first brood of Eastern Tiger Swallowtails is fading away. The second brood (which includes dark females) will emerge in July. Now is the time to see fresh Hoary Edges.]