July 12 Work Day Report by Connie Ghosh
Volunteers’ efforts were very productive today! In the Pavilion garden, in the triangular section that was recently stripped (NOT by us!) and then replanted (by us), a replacement trellis provided by Cobb Parks was installed, with concrete footings. Down along the creek, Japanese Chaffweed (Achyranthes japonica) was removed. At far side of parking lot, selective sapling / seedling removal of young pines (Pinus taeda) & tulip poplars (Liriodendron tulipifera) was done to give that area a tidier appearance. Patches of returning Microstegium (M. vimineum) and English ivy (Hedera helix) were dealt with too. Finally, several new-to-us vines, a fern, and a grass were noted — to be identified so we can manage them properly.
Weather was sunny, in high 80’s to low 90’s but very tolerable since we were in shade. It is now high summer so plants are all fully leafed out, and the wet weather has made everything very lush. Late-season blooms, tho, have not yet appeared.
Wildlife: we saw/heard a number of birds, but uncommonly, a number of species that typically are present, were not noted today. Odd. We also noted a blue-lined skink, a large, coiled-up millipede in woods along far side of creek; and a number of butterflies: gulf fritillary on Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) — drab-brown butterfly with finely patterned wings in leaf mold at the far side of the parking lot — & another drab-tan one but with bolder pattern of scrolls & silver spots on wings & tips of antennas, in wetland area.
Come & join us on August 9 for the next workday! Workdays are second Saturday of the month, from 9-11 a.m. (summer hours).
Luna moth at Heritage Park July 2025
