Archive for December 2024
Guatemala Day Five. My Exploration Of the Jungle And Tikal Ruins Continues
I followed my same routine when I awoke on Tuesday morning during my recent visit to the Tikal National Park in remote northern Guatemala. I was up before the sun, eager to again explore the many trails and the Mayan ruins in the national park. I hoped to see more birds and wildlife then I…
Read MoreA Cold And Quiet Walk On A Sunny Last Day Of November On The Greater Hazleton Rails To Trail.
November, usually a dark and dreary month, ended with bright sunshine this year. November is one of my least favorite months. Each day it gets colder and we see less sunlight. Although December will be colder and darker, the shortest day of the year arrives on the solstice and on December 21 the days start…
Read MoreGuatemala Day Six. More Hikes And An Informative Guided Tour In Tikal National Park.
It was Wednesday , and I had been exploring the Tikal National Park from the Tikal Inn in remote northern Guatemala for almost a week. I enjoyed getting up at dawn and exploring the jungles and ruins of ancient Tikal on my own. I had taken one sunrise tour, which was excellent, but I loved…
Read MoreDecember Arrives And So Did The Ice And Cold At The Susquehanna Wetlands
The snow, cold and ice arrived early this year. We had a very mild Winter last year, with little snow, here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. This year we already had temperatures in the teens and over 8 inches of snow near my home in Hazle Township in Luzerne County. It was 20 degrees when I took…
Read MoreGuatemala Day Seven : My Last Hike In Tikal And On To The Villa Maya Resort In Flores.
I awoke early again my last day at the Tikal Inn at the Tikal National Park in northern Guatemala. . I was sad to leave this wonderful place. I didn’t see the jaguar, snakes and exotic birds I had hoped to find but I still loved exploring the lush jungle and the ruins of the…
Read MoreGuatemala Day Eighth: Clouds And Rain Spoil My Exploration Of The Villa Maya Resort
Heavy rain fell most of my first night at the Villa Maya resort near the airport in Flores during my recent visit to Guatemala. I enjoyed the sound of it falling upon the roof of my bungalow. My room was along the shores of what I learned is the Monifata lagoon . This smaller lagoon…
Read MoreNo Otters, Muskrats Or Minks But A Lot Of Birds At The Cold And Ice Covered Susquehnna Wetlands
The cold weather arrived early this year in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Temperatures dipped into the teens for the first time since last January. Temperatures in the teens mean ice on the ponds and canals in the Susquehanna Wetlands. And I have been fortunate to see minks, river otters, beavers, and muskrats on the ice in the…
Read MoreGuatemala Day Nine: More Rain And A Visit To The Flooded Island Of Flores.
The island of Flores is the second longest continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere. The Mayans settled here around 900 B.C. I was staying at the Villa Maya resort, only 4 miles from this historic island, 8 miles by car. I did not plan to visit the island and surrounding city on my trip…
Read MoreGuatemala Day Ten. Tropical Storm Sarah Changes My Plans On My Last Day At The Villa Maya Resort
The rains from Tropical Storm Sarah changed my plans on Sunday, my last day at the Villa Maya resort and in Guatemala. Torrential rains from the storm continued most of the night. It was still raining hard when I awoke. I had a late flight back home and I had hoped to spend the day…
Read MoreA Cold Hike And A Cool Hawk Along The Scenic Lehigh River In Historic Weissport.
I decided to hike along the Lehigh River on Saturday. It is one of the three major rivers that flow near my home in southern Luzerne County. The Lehigh, the Schuylkill and Susquehanna River watersheds are all within a few miles from my home in Hazle Township. I have hiked and explored many of their…
Read MoreMy Second Christmas Bird Count At The Montour Preserve
I returned to the Montour Preserve early Sunday morning to participate in my second National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. The Montour Preserve, obviously, is located in Montour County, and is part of the Bloomsburg Circle of the National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. A circle is an area where participants work under the supervision…
Read MoreAn Unplanned Visit To Riverview Park In East Penn Township And Another, Short, Hike Along The Lehigh River.
I was back hiking along the Lehigh River on Saturday morning, at the Riverview Park in East Penn Township in Carbon County. This was not were I planned to hike on the first day of Winter. During the week I planned to explore the Wild Creek and Penn Forest Reservoirs in Carbon County on Saturday.…
Read MoreSnow And Ice On MY First Hike Of Winter At The Susquehanna Wetlands
Winter arrived with snow and cold here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It was a frigid 8 degrees at my home in Hazle Township in Luzerne County. As usual. despite the weather, I decided to drive the 20 miles to the Susquehanna Wetlands and see if any critters were stirring in the artic cold. The weak December…
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