iNatting on Roosevelt Island

I had a great time yesterday, May 21st, iNatting on my 75th birthday. Ed and I went to Roosevelt Island so that I could have what was only my third exploratory visit there, and my very good iNat friend Misha came too.

I wanted to visit the Roosevelt Island Community Garden. We took the free red bus to the Octagon stop which is the last stop not very far from the north end of the island. For the Community Garden stop you stay on that bus, because the stop you need is the first one on the way back, opposite the fire station.

Once we got to the main entrance of the Community Garden, I noticed there was a big, mostly empty, vacant lot at the dead end of that small street. We asked the young man who was presumably guarding the lot if we could go in to see if there were any interesting plants there, and he said yes.

It turned out to be a pretty good location with a lot of cool wild plants and some nice birds singing. The most exciting organisms we saw were a groundhog running across the gravel-covered center of the lot, and a very cute little Fowlers toad that Misha spotted sitting on the ground at the northeast end of the lot. We also saw four cats, all of which I think were feral.

After we had spent quite some time in the vacant lot, we went next door to the Community Garden. It is a very pretty garden, but I was surprised that there were not more insects there. The most interesting insect I saw was a Narcissus Bulb Fly. The only butterflies were two or three Cabbage Whites. As for mollusks, there were Physa acuta freshwater snails in the nice little ponds there and two Cepaea nemoralis land snails in the cuttings basket. There were lots of gorgeous fragrant roses and peonies in full flower in the garden plots.

As for plants, the best thing I found was a really huge Bukhara Fleeceflower creeper growing wild at the entrance to the vacant lot and completely covering a young American Elm Tree. I had never seen Bukhara Fleeceflower before, and indeed, it is somewhat rare in NYC. I also saw, but did not photograph, Miguel's Mazus (very pretty and new-to-me) growing rampant in some of the garden lots, and it turns out that is invasive here in the northeast, so I need to go back soon and photograph that, as I assume it counts as wild in NYC.

The three of us walked back to the tram along the western coast of the island, and Misha rode with us on the tram to the Upper East Side. Having had a very late night the day before, Misha was tired and went home, but Ed and I went up to Hummus Kitchen (2nd Ave between 83rd and 84th) for dinner with our friend Tom Kleh to celebrate both Ed's birthday (which took place while we were on Nevis in March) and my birthday too.

Posted on 22 May, 2023 13:42 by susanhewitt susanhewitt

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Russian-Vine (Fallopia baldschuanica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 12:07 PM EDT

Description

This big creeper is new to me. but it sure looks like a Fallopia.

Photos / Sounds

What

Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 12:13 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 12:30 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

White Clover (Trifolium repens)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 12:40 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 12:40 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 12:41 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Black Bean Aphid (Aphis fabae)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:36 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Garden Pea (Pisum sativum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:36 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Silvery Bryum (Bryum argenteum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:37 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Japanese Mazus (Mazus pumilus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:38 PM EDT

Description

Plants growing along the water's edge path.

Photos / Sounds

What

Candleflame Lichen (Candelaria concolor)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:39 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Procumbent Pearlwort (Sagina procumbens)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:49 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Inkberry Holly Leafminer (Phytomyza glabricola)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:51 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:54 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 05:00 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 01:56 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pineapple-Weed (Matricaria discoidea)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:03 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:04 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Field-Speedwell (Veronica persica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:17 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Ferruginous Tiger Crane Fly (Nephrotoma ferruginea)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:18 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Russian-Vine (Fallopia baldschuanica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:18 PM EDT

Description

A huge example of this creeper was growing right at the entrance to the vacant lot, mostly covering American Elm branches.

I have never seen this species before, but it certainly looks like a Fallopia.

Photos / Sounds

What

Woolly Elm Aphid (Eriosoma americanum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:19 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Elm Agromyzid Leafminer (Agromyza aristata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:21 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Yellow-flowered Strawberry (Potentilla indica)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:23 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Creeping-Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:30 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 02:30 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:19 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Rockweed (Fucus distichus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:24 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Reed (Phragmites australis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:28 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Black Medick (Medicago lupulina)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

May 21, 2023 04:29 PM EDT

Comments

Happy Birthday Susan !!!

Posted by cindyoleary over 1 year ago

Thanks Cindy!

Posted by susanhewitt over 1 year ago

Happy birthday Susan! It has indeed been a sadly sparse season for insects. But at least the groundhog showed up to wish you a happy day.

Posted by steven-cyclist over 1 year ago

Happy birthday Susan! And thank you for your beautiful pictures and words (and expertise) shared with the iNat community.

Posted by ahaislip over 1 year ago

Happy birthday! It sounds like it was indeed a good one. I momentarily forgot you are in NY when I read "Roosevelt Island", and was confused at the mention of community gardens, as we have an island by that name here in DC, too. I had the same experience upon first encountering Miquel's Mazus, as I found it in large patches full of those pretty purple blooms. I recognized right away that it was probably invasive, given the way I found it growing, but I could see why it had come here. Thanks for sharing your day here!

Posted by ashley_bradford over 1 year ago

Thanks @ahaislip!

Posted by susanhewitt over 1 year ago

And thanks @ashley_bradford; glad you enjoyed my account of the other Roosevelt Island.

Posted by susanhewitt over 1 year ago

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