The day started out cloudy with a few scattered showers but quickly turned to increasing sun and mid-70’s.  Kim and Jean, Walt and Dana, joined walk leaders Bob and Dianne at 10AM  for the count.  Mid-day we met up with the 8:30 AM  group consisting of Glenn and Maryalice, Curt, Neil and his children, Samuel, Harvey, Ruth Ann, Rachel and Naomi.  After a picnic-style lunch, we continued to the Polk Wetland to look for the Baltimore Checkerspot, which we found.  28 species of butterflies and 80 species of flowering plants were recorded .  Click here to see the lists.

Vipers Bugloss                                       Sandy Lake Gamelands

Moth Mullein

Chicory

Bouncing Bet

Bee Balm

Angelica

The rains held off and eight of us had a very successful walk in the Cedar Creek Gorge.  We were delighted to meet Holly Peck, whose grandfather Werner Buker was a longtime member of the Botanical Society.
He volunteered at the Carnegie Museum herbarium for 40 years and collected thousands of specimens.  Holly has all his slides, each is identified.  I Hope we can talk her into giving a talk and show!
We saw 20 some blooming flowers, the highlights were Snow Trillium, Harbinger of Spring, Hepatica, Twin Leaf and Blue Bells.  We saw at least 20 not-blooming or non-flowering plants, most notable were Few-flowered Valerian, Blue-eyed Mary, Liverwort, Scarlet Cup and Crowded Parchment mushrooms.  We also saw several Mergansers and Spring Azure butterflies.

Submitted by Judy Stark, Trip leader

Downy Skullcap

Click here to see photos and lists from today’s hike.

Even though the day started off cloudy and threatening rain in Pittsburgh, by the time we arrived in Butler County the sky cleared and the sun came out.  The temperature was in the mid-70’s perfect for finding dragonflies and butterflies.

Four club members braved the muddy path to the various ponds and were rewarded with 22 species of dragonflies, 18 species of butterflies and 34 species of wildflowers. Click here to see the list.  Thanks to Dick Nugent for submitting the bird species seen.  Click here to see his list.

whiskerville gamelands

Painted skimmer

12 spotted skimmer

Large Cranberry

After eating our bag lunches in the gravel parking lot, we headed to Jennings Prairie where we found 48 wildflowers in bloom and two more species of butterflies.

Common Whitetail

Variable Dancer

Painted skimmer

Thanks to all who attended our anniversary picnic and to those who submitted photos.

Read the report submitted by Monica Miller here.

Saturday, May 23 was cool and cloudy, but two of us were treated to some lovely displays of wildflowers at Boyce Mayview park in Upper St. Clair.  From the Boyce Rd. parking lot, we hiked the Wetlands, Duckbill and Trillium Trails.  Highlights were gorgeous hillsides of Blue Phlox and Toadshade Trilliium, and a lovely patch of Large Flowered Bellwort.  Also seen were Dutchman’s Breeches, Toothwort, Larkspur, Golden Alexanders and Lesser Celandine.  Past their prime were Trout Lilies, Hepatica, Spring Beauty and Bloodroot.  We got a good look at a Towhee, but missed the Blue Herons and Great White Egrets seen earlier.

Submitted by Leader: Judy Stark

Click here for a list of the flowering species we found and more photos.

On a cloudless morning, ten people attended our nature walk at Raccoon. The temperatures went from mid 50’s to low 70’s for the 3 mile loop on the Jennings and Audubon Trails. Over 50 species were in bloom and another handful in bud.

The hills sides were covered with Dwarf larkspur and the lowlands we re dense with spring cress and golden ragwort. Violets abounded. The trillium were waning but were still beautiful. Goldenseal was still in bloom.

Common Blue Violet

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Dwarf Larkspur

Grandiflora Trillium

The highlight of the day for me was the abundance of the submerged aquatic buttercup, yellow water crowsfoot, Ranuculus flabellaris, which was a life plant for all attending.

Yellow Water Crowsfoot

Bladdernut

Goldenseal

Read the trip report and see some photos here.