On Saturday, July 21, Loree Speedy and Mark Bowers led the hike along the bike trail at Duff Park.  We entered from the new parking lot on Route 22. Click here to see the list of plants we admired along the way.  Thanks to Mark for submitting his photos.  Other photos by Dianne Machesney.

Witch Hazel in Bud

Spikenard

Jumpseed

Joe Pye Weed

Helleborine

13 people attended the walk on a 65 degree, partly sunny day.  We saw 51 species of flowers in bloom and 34 birds.  Only two butterflies:  Cabbage White and E. Tiger Swallowtail.  See the whole list here.

Paul and Pam

Kim and Melissa

Virginia Bluebells

Long Spur Violet

Sessile-leaved Bellwort

Grandiflora Trilliums covered the woodland floor

Walking Fern

Checking out the partridge berry and wintergreen

About 15 folks attended this walk led by Judy Stark. After snow the previous week we were treated with a sunny and warm day. We walked the road on the forested hill behind the Maple Syrup buildings and back around the lake. We saw about a dozen flowering plants, Bloodroot being the most prolific.  (Photos by: Judy Stark)

Here is the list:
bloodroot
sharp-lobed hepatica
grandiflora trillium
trout lily
Virginia spring beauty
cut-leaved toothwart
two-leaved toothwart
blue cohosh
trailing arbutys
kidney-leaved buttercup
wild ginger
Virginia Bluebells
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partridgeberry
teaberry
striped wintergreen

Kim searches Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide

Bloodroot

Grandiflora Trillium

Sharp lobed hepatica

Virginia Spring Beauty

Trailing Arbutus

Even though Pittsburgh and south saw 2-3 inches of rain the night before,  Jennings was dry and the sun was shining for our annual walk through the prairie. We found 62 species in flower including a new one for our records, Featherfleece, Stenanthium  gramineum. Click here to see the list of what we found.  After lunch, six of us went to Moraine to see the Spotted Coralroot.

Photos by Dianne Machesney and Tom Moser.

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

Notice:  bring boots or old shoes that can get muddy.  It’s been raining in that area the past two days and the dirt road we will be walking could be messy!!

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