Butterflies today - E. Haddam Bog Coppers

Clay Taylor CTaylor at swarovskioptik.com
Wed Jun 27 20:40:48 EDT 2001


All -

    Returned from a trip to MI (got Kirtland's Warbler),and had a little time to do some scouting for the upcoming East Haddam Butterfly Count on the 4th (please let me know if you can help out).

    Haddam Meadows State Park was windy this afternoon and I saw few leps, but the center grassy meadow has not yet been mowed (hopefully they will hold off until the count is done), and the flower diversity seems good.  There are more Black-eyed Susans present than in recent years, but nothing like the glorious carpet of color that was present in the 80's.  Last year we kicked off the count with 20+ butterfly species at HMSP, so it looks promising.  

    I still can't figure out the management plan there - they mow the big Meadow too soon, and have never re-mowed the areas that were brush-hogged a few years back, so those spots are almost full of bushes and small trees.  Why not expand the Meadows by yearly cutting, and give Meadowlarks, Bobolinks, et al a chance there?  We used to see those species there on the 80's butterfly counts, but the last time a Bobolink was present was in 1993.

    Also stopped at the Mt. Parnassus Road Skating Rink, and the Bog Coppers are flying in small numbers, along with Peck's Skipper, Least Skipper, Red Admiral, Cabbage White, Unid. Sulphur, and a Spicebush Swallowtail.  The Bog Coppers may be in trouble there, as the cranberry plants are being crowded out by a lot of ferns.  I know that the town has been draining the "rink" in April the past few years, whereas they used to wait until May in past years.  Anybody know more about the steps necessary to keep cranberries flourishing there?  I am seriously thinking about approaching the Town of East Haddam with my concerns, but I want to go there with all my facts straight.  

    Also, the Calipogons are having a banner year there, but I did not see any Rose Pogonias.  Lots of odonates too, but I didn't have the book with me, so I had to make an effort to ignore them in order to keep my sanity.

Clay
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