Abundant November Sunshine At Community Park In Hazle Township.

November sunshine is not common here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. November is usually our  cloudiest month of year . I remember  years when we didn’t see the sun all month.  Many of my November  memories are of  cloudy and dreary days. However, this past week we were blessed with abundant November sunshine.  And I took advantage of it, hiking four afternoons in the nearby  Community Park , which is located a short distance from my home. 

The skies were cloudless on Monday and Lake Irena reflected their blueness. It was also unseasonably mild with temperatures approaching 60 degrees.  More than a dozen fishermen  took advantage of the sun and mild weather, hoping to catch a late season fish. There were also a lot of people walking around the scenic lake. 

As usual I began  my hike by also walking around the lake. There were no wildflowers blooming, only  this lone dandelion. It looked beautiful without any competition. 

I was surprised to also see  a dragonfly dart through the air, and to see this red-spotted or eastern newt swimming in the cold water.  I seldom see them even in September many years, never in November.  

The mild weather  also encouraged this  painted turtle to enjoy  the November sunshine. 

Continuing my walk around the lake I saw these  mallard ducks on some rocks in the lake, 

a tufted titmouse in a tree,

and a downy woodpecker  on a tree trunk. 

I made three laps  around the lake three times and enjoyed  some of the Fall colors from the leaves remaining on many of the red oak trees surrounding the lake and finished my three mile hike. 

I returned to the park on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both days were repeats of Monday, clear blue skies and mild temperatures.  Tuesday I  saw a lone  bufflehead duck swimming on the cold blue water of the lake. . It stayed in the middle of the lake and this  cropped photo was the best  I could get. 

I left the lake on both days and hiked into the surrounding woodlands. The November sunshine lit up the red oak trees. 

I saw a few dark eyed juncos and,

this chipmunk gathering some acorns. 

I walked out past the baseball field before finishing my three mile walks on both days. 

I returned on Friday, after some torrential rains earlier in the day. The skies were clearing when I arrived at the lake. And I again got to walk in some  November sunshine. 

The creek that flowed from  Lake Irena was flooded from the heavy morning rains. 

The clouds in the deep blue skies  over the deep blue waters of the lake made for  a beautiful scene. 

I repeated my routine and walked  around the lake looking for some critters to photograph,

I saw a few chipmunks and squirrels scurrying on the liter of fallen leaves, looking for,

and hiding acorns for use in the cold weather they know will soon be here. 

I also saw a few  black- capped chickadees and this downy woodpecker high in the tree tops. 

There were no bald eagles, I heard there was one there late Tuesday afternoon, and the mallard ducks were gone. 

However there was  pied-billed grebe swimming, and diving, on the lake.

I had seen one a few weeks ago but I don’t this could be the same one.

I was going to continue my walk on the trails in the surrounding woodlands, but changed my mind when I saw the runoff and puddles from the morning’s heavy rains.

Instead I finished my three mile hike walking around the lake. I didn’t see anymore wildlife but enjoyed the beautiful views the clouds and lake provided.  I  was glad to be able to enjoy the November sunshine. As I write this post it is cloudy, with rain, and even some snow, in the forecast for the next few days. Our usual November weather is back. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photographs from my hikes at Community Park. Community Park hikes November 8 -12 2021. 

I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air. Nathaniel  Hawthorne 

fskokoski@gmail.com

This is my first post