A Hike Around Leaser Lake In Lehigh County On A Cloudy And Chilly May Morning.

On Saturday I decided to hike at Leaser Lake in Lehigh County. Once again it was a hard decision. We have so many great hiking trails here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I decided to hike at the lake since it was cloudy and  cold with a light rain falling at my home in Luzerne County. Leaser Lake is located about 20 miles south of my home and is on the other side of the Blue Mountain.  There was supposed to be some clear skies and sunshine further south.

There wasn’t . It was cloudy when I arrived at the northern parking lot. And it was windy and cool. But, it was May, and  May is always magical regardless of  the weather here in Pennsylvania. Everything is green and alive.

I walked to a cove in the lake where I usually see water fowl. And I did again, I saw this double crested cormorant perched on a log . It was drying its wings which means it must have dived into the waters of the lake and caught a fish for breakfast.

I walked under the lush green trees along the lake and heard a chorus of bird song. It was beautiful. So many migratory song birds joined in this yearly sound  of nature. in the Spring  I was able to photograph a few, including this magnolia warbler

this house wren,

a few cedar waxwings,

an American robin and

this pileated woodpecker which landed on a tree trunk but quickly took off. It was dark under the trees and hard to get better photos.

I walked to the Leaser Lake Trail on the west side of the lake and saw some flowers blooming along the way including Dame’s rocket flowers,

Philadelphia flea bane flowers and,

wild geranium flowers.

I came to the trail and into the mixed harwood and consider woods. The trail was muddy with puddles from the recent rains.

There were lush green Christmas and

New York ferns growing along the wet and muddy trail.

We had a lot of rain the past few weeks and the trail were soaked and the streams on the trail were flowing fast.

I walked in the main trail, and took a side trail to the shore of the lake. There were some breaks in the clouds and the early morning sunshine lit up the woodlands.

There were no water fowl or ducks on the lake but I did see a few blue grass gnat catcher,

a red eyed vireo in the trees near the shore. .

I left the lake and followed the trail through the woods, over a bridge and  then came to some open field above the lake.

Here I saw this indigo bunting singing in a tree.

I walked through some woodlands along the shore of the lake.

I saw  few folks on small boats and canoes fishing on the cloud covered lake.

On the trail I found some daisies in bloom, and despite the cool weather, a sign the Spring is passing and Summer is approaching.

I also found some , what I believe, are wine cap mushrooms growing along the trail. They are edible but , as I often note, please don’t try any wild mushroom without a 100% positive identification.

There were some mire birds singing along the trail including colorful eastern bluebirds, and .

yellow warblers.

I also saw this eastern kingbird and

dozens of red winged black birds in the reef and cattails growing along the lake.

Lake Leaser is a 117 impoundment lake built in 1971 and owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and operated by the Fish and Boat Commission.There is a small island in the lake, and the lake has four, or maybe five fingers or coves. I followed  the trail up one of the coves that created a small wetland .

I often see birds here and did again, mostly tree swallows living in the bird houses along the trail.

I also saw this willow flycatcher  in the tree along the wetland.

I walked to the  willow trees at the end of the wetlands,

where I saw Baltimore orioles,

orchard orioles and  in the surrounding fields.

The trail continued along the wetlands,

with blue,

and yellow flag irises blooming along the edge of the water.

The trail took me to the west side boat launch and parking lot. There was a small picnic area here and a lot of fishermen along the lake.

I walked over to the purple martin towers,

There were  dozens of these long distance migrants perched in the towers. This is a female,

and this a male. They were not very active, probably because of the weather and their eggs not hatched yet. Once the chicks hatch they will be busy gathering insects to feed their offspring and get them ready for the long journey to South and Central America in late Summer.

I walked over the dam and outflow creek, taking in the view of the cloud covered Blue Mountain.

The trail  now took me up a small ridge,

where I saw this Carolina wren singing loudly along the path.

I then walked through a pine woodland,

to the east side boat launch and picnic area. Here there a monument honoring  Frederick Leaser, the local farmer who helped bring the Liberty Belk from Philadelphia to Allentown during the Revolutionary War. There is more of my information  on the history of the lake in my previous blogs, which can be found using the search tool.

The trail now took me along some farm fields. Last year this field was planted with soy beans. I’m curious to what will be planted here this year.

I walked through the fields, with the cloud covered Blue Mountain in the distance. I reflected on the first Native Americans and settlers who saw this beautiful mountain ridge for the first time.

In the fields , I saw this brown headed cowbird ,

and a few more indigo buntings.

The clouds contrasted the lush green leaves making for some beautiful scenery,

as it took me along another finger or cove in the lakes .

The trail then took me on an other with open fields on one side and some old oak trees on the other side. I have seen hawks and eagles in these fields and many song birds in the oak trees but it was quite this Saturday morning.

The trail took me above the last cove or finger along the lake,and here I heard and saw a few gray catbirds

and this Louisiana water thrush.

The trail now took me along Ontelaunee  Road  and then entered  a wetland along the creek that feeds the lake.The trail was wet and muddy from the rains.  Lush green skunk cabbages grew along creek near the trail.

False Solomon’s seal and

Canada mayflowers also bloomed,

along the muddy,and sometimes rocky trail.

The trail took me back to the northern shore of the lake. There was another purple martin tower here but  I didn’t see any purple martins at this tower.

I did see one last bird before  I fisnished my five mile hike at the parking lot, a great crested flycatcher, Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the birds a saw on my five mile hike around the lake. Leaser Lake birds May 25 2025.

It was chilly, windy and mostly cloudy on my five mile hike,  but  it is May, and despite the weather nature always puts on it’s magical Spring display of beauty. It did again at Leaser Lake, flowers, birdsand scenery .  I was glad to enjoy it,  and glad I could share some of  the beauty  here on my blog. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos  from my five mile hike around the lake. Leaser Lake  May 25 2025.

“Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake.” – Wallace Stevens

“A lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable.” – William Wordsworth