Overview: Join volunteer naturalist Fred Losi for a late spring walk through riparian woodland habitat in search of butterflies. Along the way, we will note associated host plants and other items of nature’s beauty. Last Saturday was a great day to see both butterflies and blooms. The weather was just about perfect with water levels in Tinker's Creek low enough that we could have made this an in stream walk. We covered around 2.5 miles of flat territory, covering the floodplains around Hemlock Creek, north of Tinker's Creek.
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Overview: Explore the floodplains around Tinker’s Creek for beautiful, ephemeral flora with Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi. Bring your camera to capture stunning images of Wild Blue Phlox, Wild Geranium, Bishop’s Cap, Foamflower and many others. What a great outing! The wildflowers were wonderful. Here are Frank's pictures from the outing, that are quite special. For species that we see in Bedford in the spring, please see this Bedford Wildflower Checklist. I hope to see everyone next month, when the focus will be on Blooms and Butterflies, a great combination! Overview: Join volunteer naturalist Fred Losi for a spring walk along beautiful Sagamore Creek in search of salamanders. We will walk the floodplain trails and in the tributaries. If conditions permit, we will visit the base of two woodland waterfalls. We had a great group experience, visiting the base of one waterfall and exploring the area for salamanders, wildflowers and anything else of interest. The Eastern Red-backed Salamander was the only one we noted on this day, not encountering the Northern Two-lined Salamander we had observed last summer. Here is some additional information.
Overview: Explore the historic town of Little Egypt on this hike with Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi. We will begin our adventure on Button Road looking up at both Indian Point and Snake Hill. We will then explore legacy mill sites, railroads, taverns, bridges and cemeteries. Thanks for a great outing on this beautiful early spring day! We had a large group that was both inquisitive and pleasant. We covered around two miles on this hike, focusing on many historically significant points of interest including the NY Central Railroad, Gleeson family structures, Mother Parker's Tavern, Indian Point and more. This hike complements the November 2017 Walton Hills History Hike. Here are some items of interest from the hike. For more history, please visit these sites for reference information.
Overview: A scenic overlook, frozen waterfalls, ancient trees and a beautiful forested winter landscape will be key highlights of this hike lead by Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi. Bring nourishment to sustain yourself and a camera to record the experience. Please be prepared for potentially difficult mid-winter conditions. The morning was rainy and freezing. With the lack of plentiful salt, the parkway in Bedford Reservation was closed for safety reasons. Frank and I stationed ourselves at the two likely entrance points and met folks as they arrived to divert to Hemlock Creek Picnic Area, our alternate starting point. As a result of the start location change, we were unable to visit the locations as planned, but instead visited the floodplain area and plateau above. If you want to get an idea of the areas I intended for us to visit, here are my photos from last weekend. Thanks to everyone for a most enjoyable winter trek providing many pleasant memories. Here are a few data points from the hike. As we looked across the gorge from the concrete foundation of the old Circle Emerald Stables, we estimated the distance to the distant Cleveland Quarry. I figured 1/2 mile but the distance was much shorter, at less than 1/4 mile away. Overview: Enjoy hiking with Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi to explore the winter landscape of Sagamore Creek, including visits to two waterfalls. We will look at the how plants and animals are coping with the cold temperatures. Please dress for expected harsh weather conditions. Thanks to everyone for a great day exploring Sagamore Creek and the surrounding area. Here are a few links to help revisit the day and perhaps learn a bit about the region.
Overview: Enjoy hiking with Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi beneath towering sandstone cliffs rising above Bedford shale and the boulder strewn rapids of Tinker’s Creek. This includes exploring the area around Bedford Glens and The Arch where we will learn about the history of each. We very much enjoyed this cold day that included a few flurries. The major topics included geology and the history of The Arch and Bedford Glens Dance Hall. Thanks again for Frank for providing some beautiful images for us to appreciate from the day.
Overview: We will hike to the site of Virgil Allen’s home on Wight Oaks and explore the surrounding area, including Burnt Ridge Cabin and two sandstone quarries. Bring water and dress for the weather on this autumn hike lead by Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi. We had a great program visiting the two quarries, Burnt Ridge Cabin and the Allen House! It was excellent fall weather to explore. We also were distracted by trees (Red Mulberry and Asian Chestnut) and mushrooms (Chicken Fat Mushroom and Shaggy Mane). Here are some links to content related to the day.
Overview: Vibrant autumn colors of our forested floodplains and uplands will be appreciated during this hike led by Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi. We will discuss how trees are beginning to adapt to the colder conditions leading to dormancy. A camera is recommended to capture the beautiful scenery. What a beautiful fall day that we had! The weather was perfect and we certainly don't get a chance this late in the season to venture out into Tinker's Creek directly due to the low water level. As a result, we had many autumn hikers on this fine day. Thanks to Frank for sharing his excellent photos. I especially enjoyed the shot of the CCC wall beside the creek. We examined many trees including Osage Orange, Sugar Maple, Eastern Hemlock and Black Walnut. I looked up black walnut fruit and discovered that although it is edible and high in flavor, the English Walnut is the one we buy in stores. This is due to the difficulty in husking the nut. I hope to see everyone next month, when focus is on history, including learning a bit about a Cleveland family homestead.
Overview: Join Volunteer Naturalist Fred Losi on a hike to examine beautiful fall wildflowers while walking along and in Hemlock Creek. Bring wettable shoes, water and snacks. Optionally bring your favorite wildflower field guide and a camera. We had a great day exploring the wildflowers of Hemlock Creek. It was a great day to be in the creek due to unseasonably hot conditions. It was hard to believe that it was the first day of autumn!
Thanks to everyone for a great time! I can't wait for October, when we will enjoy the fall color of Bedford Reservation. |
Fred LosiThese blog entries will be related to my interest in nature. Archives
February 2020
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