Asclepias incarnata in seed
Polygonum pensilvanicum, pinkweed
Betula nigra, river birch
Bidens frondosa, beggar’s ticks
Amelanchier canadensis, Serviceberry
Tridens flavus, Purpletop
Setaria faberi, giant foxtail
Lythrum salicaria, purple loosestrife (much had been sprayed, some in flower)
Ludwigia alternifolia, marsh seedbox –flowering
Commelina communis, Asiatic dayflower
Boehmeria cylindrica, false nettle
Butorides virescens, green heron
Lithobates catesbeianus, Bullfrog
Sagittaria latifolia, arrowhead
Eupatorium serotinum, late boneset
Panicum virgatum, switchgrass
Avena sativa, Oats
Cyperus esculentus, chufa
Lotus corniculatus, bird’s-foot trefoil……blooms
Columba livia domestica, Homing Pigeon
Phytolacca americana, pokeweed
Cephalanthus occidentalis, buttonbush
Polygonum convolvulus, Wild Buckwheat
Typha latifolia, common cattail
Quercus palustris, pin oak
Cercis canadensis, redbud
Solidago gigantea , late goldenrod
Rhus typhina, staghorn sumac
Megacyllene robiniae, Locust Borer
Robinia pseudoacacia, black locust
Erechtites hieraciifolius, fireweed
Clematis terniflora, sweet autumn clematis
Rhus aromatica, fragrant sumac
Polygonum perfoliatum, tearthumb (fruit)
Scirpus sp. bulrush
Saururus cernuus, lizard’s tail
Microstegium vimineum, stilt grass
Quercus bicolor, swamp white oak, seedling
Ducks – Mallards
A few photos from a walk at Concourse Lake, September 19th, 2015 thanks to Isabelle Dijols, photographer
Nympaea odorata, Fragrant Water Lily in bloom
botanist David Hewitt and assembled naturalists
Magnolia virginiana, Sweetbay Magnolia with ripe seeds
Butorides virescens hunting for brunch
Eupatorium serotinum, Late Boneset
If you can help identify any of the unidentified , please get in touch!
soft lined wave
Japananus hyalinus
7/6/15
An Emerald Moth flew to my blacklight at Concourse Lake at 10:00 pm. It was either Synchlora aerata, Wavy Lined Emerald, or it was Synchlora frondaria, Southern Emerald. The moon is Waning Gibbous 76% illuminated , it is hot, humid and overcast.
Event July 12th 2015
July 12th 8 -11 pm Science in the Park – Moths to Light
Celebrate National Moth Week! Come see what moths are living in West Fairmount Park. The diversity and beauty of these creatures may surprise you! We will attract moths to blacklight and sugar. We will also be looking for bats, fireflies, and other night time creatures! We will be joined by entomologist Ken Frank. Meet at Concourse Lake at Concourse St. and Belmont Ave. (rain date Monday, July 13)
Questions? Contact M.Katz at ranmapushkin@yahoo.com Look for field trip results and other related information to be published at https://ecologyofwestpark.wordpress.com/ and https://parksidejournal.wordpress.com/about/
Photos of Field Trip to West Park by Ken Frank 5/23/15
Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Belmont Avenue and Concourse Street
Storeria dekayi, subspecies S.d. dekayi, or northern brown snake.
Canada goose (Branta candadensis)
Bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus)
Blue flag (Iris versicolor)
Bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Fragrant water lilly (Nymphaea odorata)
(Red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris) and sliders (red-eared and yellow-bellied, Trachemys scripta elegans and Trachemys scripta scripta)
Snake skin
Notes from trip to Concourse Lake 5/23/15
Bernard Brown was the leader for our trip on 5/23. We were focusing on looking for amphibians and reptiles, also referred to as herps (though we also saw alot of interesting birds, plants, and other creatures). Bernard gave some good advice about looking for herps. He advised that when flipping over rocks and stones to uncover animals, upon putting them back, one should put the stone or log back down next to the animal so as not to smush the critter. He mentions that snakes have a real sense of their local environment so if you catch one, be sure to put it back where you found it. Some more advice for benefiting the habitat of these creeping communities is to buy a fishing license. http://fishandboat.com/faqlice.htm Even if you don’t fish, it helps pay for conservation efforts for wildlife. Finally, Brown recommends sharing your sightings at this citizen science website: http://paherpsurvey.org/email-submit.php
Some species we observed at Concourse Lake were Red Eared Slider or Trachemys scripta elegans, Sunfish,
Redbelly Turtle or Pseudemys rubriventris (distinguishable from Redeared by a pattern of finer lines on the head),
Painted Turtle or Chrysemys picta (recognizeable by a flatter shell with the scoots or blocks lining up in a regular pattern), and Bullfrogs.
While walking to look for Brown Snakes in a vacant lot across the street, we saw Birdfoot Trefoil,Lotus corniculatus in bloom. We found the skin of a snake under a rock in the lot but no live snakes were found there that day.
Here are some additional notes from David Hewitt about the day:
Blooms and pads [with purplish undersides] of the fragrant water lily (Nymphaea odorata) were spread out across the lake, and arrowhead was growing in the mud near the margins of it, as a Warbling Vireo sang and Red-winged Blackbirds called. Iris versicolor was in full bloom, too.
Right by the lake, a planted sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) flowered, as did bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) in the lawn. Geranium maculatum, that was also planted, flowered, and a Multi-colored Asian Ladybug (Harmonia axyridis) was there, too. Bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) was also growing in the lawn nearby.
A Cedar Waxwing flitted around in the canopy of a neighboring white oak, as did an Oriole, as Eastern Wood Pee-Wee songs ‘pee-weed’ frequently in the air.
A campion, or catchfly (Silene alba [=S. latifolia], with its hairy calyx) flowered next to a vacant lot across the street, as did timothy (Phleum pratense) and Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) – Rumex acetosella was also in fruit and in flower. And cleavers (Galium aparine) was in fruit, quite stickily.
[Thanks to Steve Jones and Ken Frank for the bird and insect IDs]
Steve Jones adds – “Also on my list:
Blackpoll Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Warbling Vireo
…all singing.”
May 23th at 10:00 AM – Lizards at the Lakes
Take a walk in beautiful West Fairmount Park to see what frogs and lizards and salamanders we can find in and around the lakes and nearby woods. We will be joined by herpetologist Bernard Brown. Meet at Concourse Lake at Concourse Street and Belmont Avenue. Rain or shine.
Notes from trip to West Park 4/25/15
Notes from trip to West Park 4/25/15, led by David Hewitt.
Attended by 18 people
Around Concourse Lake
Fothergilla gardenia, Dwarf Fothergilla
Salix discolor , Pussy Willow
Salix
Taraxacum officinale, Dandelion
Rhus aromatica, Fragrant Sumac
Nymphaea odorata, Water Lily
Lythrum salicaria, Purple Loosestrife
Cercis Canadensis, Redbud
Quercus palustris, Pin Oak
Viola sororia, Common Blue Violet
Prunus serotina, Black Cherry
Polygonum spp, Smartweed
Switchgrass, Panicum virgatum
Hydrangea quercifolia, Oakleaf Hydrangea
Senecio vulgaris, Common Groundsel
Hypericum prolificum, Shrubby St. John’s Wort
Betula nigra, River Birch
Ranunculus ficaria, Lesser Celandine
Duchesnia indica, Wild Strawberry
Amelenchier Canadensis, Serviceberry
Platanus X acerifolia, London Plane
Malus , Flowering Crabapple
Taxodium distichum, Bald Cypress
Cornus alternafolia, Pagoda dogwood
Iris
Elder sambucus, Black Elderberry
Acer rubrum, Red Maple
Physocarpus opulifolius, Ninebark
Rosa multiflora,
Phytolacca americana, Pokeweed
Typha spp
Narcissus
Magnolia virginiana, Sweetbay Magnolia
Euonymous americanus, Hearts a-Burstin’
Wineberry, Rubus phoenicolasius
Arctium lappa, Burdock
Fallopia japonica, Japanese Knotweed
Allaria petiolata, Garlic Mustard
Geum canadense, White Avens
Silver Maple, Acer saccharinum
Sassafrass albidum
Centennial Lake Side
Liquidambar , Sweetgum
Prunus, Ornamental Cherries
Magnolia stellate, Star Magnolia
Lonicera japonica, Japanese Honeysuckle
Pistia stratiotes, Water lettuce
Aesculus, Buckeye
Around Michaux Grove
Quercus macrocarpa, Burr Oak
Oenothera biennis, Evening Primrose
Artemesia vulgaris, Mugwort
Skunk cabbage, Symplocarpus foetidus
Quercus nigra, Water Oak
Pyrus calleryana, Callery Pear
Aralia spinosa, Devil’s Walking Stick
Carpenter Bees, Xylocopa
Song Sparrows * Melospiza melodia
Roughwinged Swallow* Stelgidopteryx
Canada Goose* Branta canadensis
Redwing Blackbird* Agelaius phoeniceus
Redtail Hawk* Buteo jamaicensis
Robin* Turdus migratorius
Ecology of West Park 