A Late Afternoon Hike In The September Sunshine At The Susquehanna Wetlands

September is mushroom season here in Northeastern  Pennsylvania. Usually I would be roaming the woodlands looking for hens of the woods ( we call them ramsheads in the hard coal region) chicken of the woods, honey mushrooms (also know popinkies or stumpies in the hard coal region) and the boletus I learned to identify as a young child. This year shoulder injures kept me from foraging in some of my favorite spots in the deeper woods where they are no trails.  However, I was still able to find these honey mushrooms and ramsheads this past week.

I also found this chicken of the woods.

In addition to my injuries we had little rain and the dry conditions were not the best for mushrooms.  So, late Friday afternoon,  instead of foraging for mushrooms,  I decided to return to my favorite hiking trails in the wetlands along the Susquehanna River in Salem Township Luzerne County.  It  mostly sunny with some cumulus clouds floating in the blue skies. Temperatures were in the mid 70’s when I arrived at the Water Fowl ponds near the entrance road to the wetlands parking lot and trail head.

It was quite in the woodlands when I left my Jeep. It was late afternoon and I didn’t expect to hear many bird sounds. Most of the migratory birds have flown south already, but I thought I may still hear the cicadas. They weren’t singing and the quiet reminded me Summer is ending.

I did see the wood ducks sitting on the same log they always do,

and, as always, the quickly flew off as I approached.

I drove to the parking lot and walked down to the banks of my favorite river, the ancient Susquehanna. It is one of the oldest river on the planet. It flows over 400 miles from its source at Lake Otsego in New York and ends when it entered the Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace. I just visited this quaint town last week and it’s where I injured my shoulders. The river was very low since we have had little rain this past month.

Again it was quite as I left the river and walked into the wetlands. No bird or insects were making any sounds. As I approached the abandoned canals I did here the whistling sound of some wood ducks as the flew off before I could get a photo.

I walked along the quiet canal, observing the late Summed flowers now blooming , including, white wood asters,

and white snakeroot flowers.

Most of the leaves on the trees and plants were still green, many illuminated by the September sun filtering through the trees,

but some had already changed into their autumn colors, especially the blueberry shrubs.

I walked to the other side of the Water Fowl ponds and here I saw a few more wood ducks,

and a great blue heron that flew off as I approached.

I usually see many migratory sing birds, woodpeckers and other year long resident birds here but on this hike I only saw this juvenile song sparrow.

I began my one mile hike toward the river lands section of this private park and nature preserve. I again noticed the already wither bracken ferns along the trail, and now the hay-scented ferns were also turning yellow and brown. After the first frosts their sweet fragrance will fill the air.

I sill saw no birds but I did see this bumble bee visiting a yellow jewelweed  flower.

I walked to the new trail cut along the canal,

that took me into old farm fields and meadows.

Here many species of goldenrod bloomed , this is tall goldenrod,

as well as other species of wildflowers including, sneeze weed flowers,

cut leaf coneflowers, both native to Pennsylvania,

purple loosestrife, an invasive species,

and one of my favorite, the native New England asters.

I was surprised their were no butterflies or bees visiting the flowers. However I was glad to hear the sound of some cicadas in the trees.  I also saw this eastern chipmunk scurrying along the trail,

and this gray squirrel perched in a tree.

There were also a few painted turtles  soaking in the September sunshine.

I left the meadows and continued toward the river lands,

as I approached the canal before the river lands I saw the green heron perched on a log,

it remained motionless, watching me as I walked past.

I entered the river lands as some clouds moved in over Lake Took-A-While.

I saw no birds over or on the lake, not even the large flock of Canada geese. I often see heron, cormorants and ducks on the lake and bald eagles, hawks and an occasional osprey flying over. Nothing on this September afternoon.

I did see more wildflowers blooming along the lake, including evening primrose,

hairy asters, and

orange jewel weed flowers.

I did finally see some insects, a few common eastern bumblebees visit  great blue lobelia flowers, 

I also saw a few dragonflies perched on the reeds along the lake, including this eastern amberwing,

 this blue dasher and,

this widow skimmer. They may be the last dragonflies I see this year.

I also saw  this small white  butterfly.

It was now near 6 p.m. so, after I had walked about 1/2 way to the the end of Lake Took-A-While  I decided to head back .

I saw only one more bird along the lake an eastern phoebe. They are one of the first migratory flycatchers to arrive in the Spring and the last to leave in the Fall.

 

As I left  the river lands I saw the green heron still perched motionless on the log.   Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos of the birds and insects I saw on my 5 mile afternoon hike. Susquehanna Wetlands birds and insects September 12 2025.

 

I noticed one more species of wildflower on my hike back to the parking lot,  these pretty New York ironweed flowers.Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos of the flowers and plants I saw on my 5 mile afternoon hike. Susquehanna Wetlands flowers and plants  September 12 2025.

I walked through the wetlands as the late sunshine filtered through the leaves. It was a magical time to be in the woods. I walked back to my Jeep at the parking lot  as the earlier setting September sun neared the western horizon.

The slanted rays illuminated the  trees along the trail. I didn’t see the many species of birds I see in the Spring and Summer,  and I didn’t see any snakes, muskrats, otters or the many other critters I often do, but it was still a  wonderful hike enjoying the lesser seen beauty of Nature. There is always something to see in this special place along the ancient Susquehanna River. ,Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from  my 5 mile afternoon hike. Susquehanna Wetlands  September 12 2025.

The sultry summer past, September comes,
Soft twilight of the slow-declining year;
All mildness, soothing loveliness, and peace:
The fading season ere the falling come…
~Carlos Wilcox