The first 4 landscapes have sky replacements.
Mt Loretto Landscapes
Staten Island
Mt Loretto Plants
There was a lot of goldenrod but I didn’t try to ID it all. Here are a few plants that I did ID using iNaturalist, my books, and the internet.
Mt Loretto Crustaceans
There is a small beach at Mt Loretto with shells, sponges, and lots of other things.
Mt Loretto Birds
The first birds that I saw at Mt Loretto in Staten Island were two kingfishers whizzing by. I missed photographing them. Unfortunately, the camera didn’t focus on the Phoebe. The palm warbler was on paved path. So I created a nicer background for it.
Mt Loretto Insects
In September we went to Mount Loretto Unique Area – NYSDEC. Here are some insects form that visit.
High Rock Park Fauna
I got help from BugGuide.Net on the first one. I misnamed it as a fly. It is a wasp – Evaniidae – Wikipedia. I also found a few insects while looking at plants. The last two are of an Oak apple – Wikipedia. It is festinating how a wasp lays and egg in a plant then the the larvae makes the plant create a dwelling for it.
High Rock Park Flora
I signed up for a wild plant trip with the New York Botanical Garden to study plants at High Rock Park – Greenbelt Conservancy. Our leader, Marielle Anzelone, is very knowledgeable. She pointed out many endemic species.
The plant list that she shared with us is impressive: Acer rubrum, Aegopodium podagraria, Alliaria petiolata, Aralia elata (seedling), Aronia sp. (seedling), Boehmeria cylindrica, Cabomba caroliniana, Carex cf. Ovales, Carex stricta, Carpinus caroliniana, Carya ovalis, Carya tomentosa, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Chimaphila maculata, Cirsium sp., Clethra alnifolia, Cornus cf. amomum, Danthonia spicata, Decodon verticillata, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Desmodium paniculatum, Dichanthelium cf. dichotomum, Elaeagnus angustifolius, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana, Hibiscus moscheutos, Hypericum mutilum, Juncus spp., Lindera benzoin, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Luzula multiflora, Lycopus virginicus, Maiantheumum canadense, Microstegium vimineum, Monotropa uniflora, Nabalus cf. albus (Prenanthes alba), Nuphar lutea, Nymphaea odorata, Nyssa sylvatica, Onoclea sensibilis, Osmunda cinnamomea, Peltandra virginica, Pilea pumila, Plantago major, Poa cf. palustris, Prunus serotina, Pyrola americana, Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, Quercus velutina, Rhododendron periclymenoides, Rhododendron viscosum, Rosa multiflora, Rubus cf. enslenii, Rubus cf.allegheniensis, Sassafras albidum, Smilax rotundifolia, Thelypteris noveboracensis, Trifolium cf. repens, Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium pallidum, Viburnum acerifolium, Viburnum dentatum, and Viburnum prunifolium,
Butterflies: Sachem? Fiery? Skipper, Silver-spotted Skipper, Spicebush Swallowtail, and Cabbage white.
Staten Island Wildlife
The Linnaean NY group saw 62 species of birds. I saw 53 of them. We had a lovely day touring the Conference House Park, Wolfe’s Pond, Blueberry Park (shore only), and Great Kills Park. It wasn’t a great day for me for taking photographs.
