Tag Archives: Cape Cod Hiking

Beautiful Little Wood Satyr Butterfly On Cape Cod!

I hadn’t seen a Little Wood Satyr butterfly in a couple of years and this one was stunning. It  landed on a leaf on the side of the Doane Rock Trail to Coast Guard Beach.

The Little Wood Satyr butterfly lives on woodland edges as well as salt marshes, which explains why we saw it there on that trail.

Gorgeous, isn’t it? I love its markings…

Scarlet Pimpernel Wildflower At Fort Hill On Cape Cod!

Fort Hill is always one of my favorite places to take a hike… it is ever changing daily. You never know what you are going to see. (Click on blog link to see other photos.)

Phil and I were just finishing a hike when I saw this tiny red-orange flower on the side of the road. It was a really tiny flower, only 1/4,” with 5 petals and a central purple circle. The plant only grows 2-6 tall inches so it is difficult to see in the grass.  I took a few photographs and went home to do some research. It is a Scarlet Pimpernel.

I wasn’t happy with my photographs as they were a bit blurry so I debated whether to go back and try again or wait until the next time I was there. Good thing I decided to go back that same afternoon as the next morning they had all been mowed down.

So pretty, don’t you think? They bloom from June to September so, if they grow back again,  you will have plenty of time to see it.

 

 

Lots Of Northern Bobwhites At Fort Hill On Cape Cod.

Yesterday was one of those days when it was cloudy and cool enough to take a nice walk at Fort Hill in the afternoon. Usually it gets too hot by then. I thought maybe we might see some new wildflowers or perhaps, a butterfly or two. We most often see birds in the morning or evening, not in the middle of the day. (Click on blog link to see more photographs.)

Little did we know that we would see six Northern Bobwhites walking on the trail. Two at a time in 3 different locations. What a treat! We haven’t seen one yet this year but have frequently heard their call, “Bob-white! Bob-white!” I learned this call from my Dad when I was a little girl, as he was an avid birder and I have never forgotten it. It is so clear and so distinct!

Most of the time they were on the trail in front of us running down the trail while we tried to get a photograph. They were pretty quick. And just when we were giving each other a fist bump, we would see 2 more walking along the trail. It was really cool!

Have you seen a Northern Bobwhite this year? There are obviously quite a few at Fort Hill and they do like to walk the trails… with us! 🙂

 

Beautiful Jack-In-The-Pulpit Wildflower At The Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary On Cape Cod.

I drove up to the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary the other day to see their new wildflower gardens and take some wildflower photographs. The gardens have just started to bloom so there were a few flowers to photograph, but peak season will not be for a few weeks.

After spending some time in the gardens, I decided to hike the Silver Spring Trail which is sometimes closed in the morning for bird banding,  and it was now the middle of the afternoon. Maybe there would be something new on the trail.

Wow! I certainly made the right choice! There it was… right on the side of the trail. I have not seen a Jack-in-the Pulpit since I was a little girl, so I was surprised to see one on the Silver Spring Trail. I had never seen one there before and  I almost missed it, as you can see looking at the 2nd photograph. It’s hard to see Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

A Jack-in-the-Pulpit gets it name because it looks like a preacher in a pulpit. It has a green and purple striped hooded tube the grows right beneath a large 3-part leaf. Within the tube is “Jack” (the preacher) that will be covered with miniscule flowers that become bright red berries in August. I will have to keep an eye on it this summer. So cool…

Have you ever seen a Jack-in-the Pulpit?

 

 

Delicate White Canada Mayflowers Are Blooming On Cape Cod.

The Canada Mayflowers are blooming all over Cape Cod. They are a small woodland plant with tiny 4-petaled flowers clustered on stems like miniature bottle brushes. They only grow to about 4.”

I saw this Canada Mayflower at Fort Hill. There were many around, especially along the boardwalk on the Red Maple Swamp Trail.

So pretty and delicate, don’t you think?