Wildflower Walk WrapUp

The 2019 Wildflower Walk was held under clear and windy skys at Birchbank Mountain Saturday.

Red Trillium were up.  As were some of the Dutchman's Breeches.  The Trout Lilly's were just getting started after a cold and wet spring.

There were two test plots surrounded by deer exclosure fences that had many more wildflowers and bigger wildflowers that the surrounding woodlands.  A high deer population impacts other areas of the park due to overgrazing.

Click on the photo and zoom in on the Trilliums inside the fence.

All the brooks were running due to the recent rains.  The drainage channels put in the scouts were holding up.

Checking out some Jack-in-the-Pulpits that were coming out.

Blue Cohosh and ferns were also visible near Upper White Hills Brook.

The brook was really running.  Everyone stopped and took pictures at the Lower Bridge.

The Brook looked more like something from the White Mountains than Shelton.

The flume was really running fast.  Only Bailey went in for a swim.

We had some familiar friends show up unannounced.  People come from far and near for the Wildflower Walk.  Rich and Luis checking out the Upper Bridge.

Upper White Hills Brook was very scenic.  New construction is beginning nearby.

There were good views of the Housatonic River from the overlook with the hills just starting to green up.

Bailey jumped right up on top of the boulder once the snacks came out of the pack.  She probably slept well that night for all the back and forth walking along the trail.

There are a few trees down along the trails that can be cut up.  Some had been up high enough to walk under, but have now gotten low enough to block the trail.  Now if only we could find someone who knows how to cut trees.....

It was another good hike.  Everybody did some exploring and had a good time, saw some wildflowers, and no one fell into a brook.