Another Glorious Spring Day In Northeastern PA: A Hike In The PPL Wetlands
We finally got some sunshine on a Saturday here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Once again I decided to drive to the PPL Wetlands in Salem Township. I think it is like the Everglades of Northeastern Pennsylvania. I love the Everglades in Florida. It is so alive. You will always see some sort of critter, from alligators to birds. The PPl Wetlands are as close as you get here near my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania. . I always find some wildlife on my hikes, from bears and beavers to birds and bees. And A lot of beautiful trees and flowers too. My opinion anyway. 
And I wasn’t disappointed on Saturday. I arrived early, around 8;30 a.m. , and encountered this deer shortly after I started my hike. We stared at each other for a moment and she, I think it is a she, ran into the woods.
I saw a few wood ducks, mallard ducks, a lot of other song birds and a beaver but, unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough with my camera to take any photos. Every hike I see far more critters than I am able to capture with my camera. I was able to photograph this female red-winged blackbird. These birds are everywhere in the wetlands. The males are more noisy than the females. They both are very defensive of their nesting territory. And this mom was letting me I was getting to close. 
Once again I heard the beautiful songs of the yellow warblers that are also very common in the wetlands now. 
Song sparrows were also common in the wetlands joining the other birds in singing in the sunshine..
I heard the sound of the first cicadas of the season and they added their loud buzzing to the croaking of the many frogs I saw on my hike. To me there is no finer chorus than the sounds of nature on a spring day in the wetlands. 
The aroma of the many honeysuckles flowers filled the morning air. It is one of my favorite scents. It really was a glorious day to be outside.
The wetlands also provided an abundance of other attractive and exotic wildflowers such as the wild violets spread throughout the trails
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And the rarer but unique jack-in-the-pulpit flowers. 
I walked from the wetlands area of the nature preserve and into the riverlands area. Lake Took-A-While is in the center of this area. it has a picnic area and was once again crowded with fishermen, walkers and folks enjoying the beautiful scenery while having a picnic. 
Along the canal I saw this beautiful black-billed cuckoo. I didn’t realize what is was until I got home. I thought it was a catbird when I photographed it. 
I walked past the lake and continued my hike of the Susquehanna Warrior trail. 
Here I saw a pileated woodpecker but couldn’t get a photo of this splendid bird. I was able to photograph an American redstart singing loudly perched high in a treetop. 
I came to the old lake and picnic area along the river. I stopped to watch the two Canada geese families that are living here. 
There were many songbirds in the woods along the trail. I was frustrated that I could only photograph a few of them. It took me ten minutes to finally get a photo of this bird, I think , some type of vireo. 
I wish I could have hiked all day., But I had hiked out 3 1/2 miles, and when added to my daily two-mile morning walk, I was getting tired. On my hike back to my car in the wetlands I saw this critter along the trail, a groundhog. 
I also saw a few Baltimore orioles in the trees near the lake. 
And this great blue heron. Here is a link to some more photographs of the birds I saw on my hike. PPL Wetland hike birds May 18 2019. 
I walked back under the now intense May sun enjoying the deep blue skies and the light green colors of the trees. I enjoyed seeing so much wildlife activity on my hike. And I am glad I could share some of this beauty with all my followers of my blog website. Thanks again for coming along. Here is a link to some more photos from my hike. PPL Wetland May 18 2019. 
The world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May. Edwin Way Teale
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