A New Face In The PPL Wetlands: A Juvenile Bald Eagle
After seeing the pair of bald eagles last Saturday, I returned to the PPL Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne County on Sunday. It was partly cloudy and seasonably cold with temperatures in the mid 20’s. It was 9 a.m. when I arrived but the low December sun still cast shadows as I began my walk on the trail.
This time I didn’t see the pair of eagles near the entrance to the wetlands. However, I did hear, then observe a pair of crows attacking a red-tailed hawk. The crows won this battle and the hawk fled, perching on a tree branch. 
Unlike the previous day there was a lot of bird activity in the wetlands. There were flocks of yellow throated sparrows,
and dark-eyed juncos scurrying in the shrubs and trees along the trail.
A few blue jays were feeding on the poison ivy berries high in the treetops. 
There were also woodpeckers and flickers rapping on the tree tops looking for grubs and insects. 
As I continued my hike I noticed the ice was thickening on the ponds and canals in the wetlands.
Even as the cold weather settled in the wetlands, I still saw this robin that decided to remain in Northeastern Pennsylvania, for the present anyway. 
I left the wetlands and walked to the river lands section of the preserve and to Lake Took-A While. Here I saw a large bird in a tree, which, at first, I thought was a hawk. As I got closer I realized it was a juvenile bald eagle!
Fortunately it did not fly off at first. It let me approach allowing me to take some photograph before it finally decided to fly off. 
I am thinking it is the offspring of the pair of eagles that I have been seeing in the area the past few weeks. 
After it flew off I continued my hike along the lake. Ice had now formed over most of the lake. 
The large flock of Canada geese were now confined to a small area of open water.
They could not swim away as I approached and they took to the sky, probably to head south for the rest of the winter. 
The clouds thickened as I began my return walk.
I hoped to see the adult or juvenile bald eagles on the way but I didn’t The only bird I saw was a lowly, but still pretty mourning dove. All of the creatures that live in these wetlands and river lands are beautiful and I am glad I can still find, and share their photographs I am able to capture. Here is a link to some more photographs from my hike. PPL Riverlands December 8 2019
“Walk with wolves. Run with lions. Soar with eagles.”
―
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