Back Along The Susquehanna River: Another Hike And Some Thoughts About Travel And Cork Trees.

I was back along the Susquehanna River on Sunday,   in the Susquehanna Wetlands and River Lands   in Salem Township, Luzerne County. I was deciding where to take my last hike in Pennsylvania before  a  trip to Gibraltar and Spain on Wednesday  . There are so many great parks, game lands and trails  near my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania it is always hard to decide  where to hike.  I finally decided  to drive south to Walnutport. However,  as I was leaving my house,   I heard, for  the first time, a song by REM, Find The river.  I took it as a sign to take  my last hike before my trip in the Susquehanna Wetlands and along my favorite river on the planet.

I have come to love this small.  private nature preserve   near the Susquehanna River. I started hiking here about  1o years ago, when they woods I grew up on where lost to industrial and residential developments. So I drove to the wetlands and began my hike at the Water Fowl Ponds, as I did the previous day. As soon as I left my Jeep I was greeted by the cheerful sing of a Carolina wren perched on a branch along one of the ponds.

I heard them all along my hike on Saturday but wasn’t able to see or photograph any of them.

I also saw a few white throated sparrows,

and this , a first in the wetlands for me, a fox sparrow. The only other one I saw was in Canada near St. John’s Bay. You will only see these birds, which are very similar to a song sparrow, in our area in the Winter or in the Spring during migration. . They breed in the forests of northern Canada.

I walked over to the ponds and saw the flock of ring-neck ducks that has been there since last week.

They saw me too and quickly flew to safety on the other side of the lake.

The access road was still closed so I walked into the wetlands again,  and like on Saturday, I didn’t see a single bird or animal.

At the parking lot I walked down to the high and fast flowing Susquehanna River. I reflected on my exploration of this ancient, scenic and historic river last Summer. I visited it’s source at Lake Otsego and it’s end at Havre de Grace, Maryland, where it enters the Chesapeake Bay. I also explored and hiked a lot in between on it’s 444 mile course. It is  one of three major rivers bear my home the others being the Lehigh and Schuylkill.

I walked into the wetlands again, under ,the  large oak trees,  and reflected on my trip and the wildlife, plants and trees I hoped to see. One of them, the cork tree I learned is actually a species of oak. I remember first reading about it in my elementary school  geography class and always wanted to see one. God willing I will, hopefully, by the time  when I share this blog.

I walked back toward the Water Fowl ponds seeing only a few black capped chickadees,

song sparrows and

red winged blackbirds perched high on tree tops.

At the Water Fowl pond I saw the flock of ring neck ducks and a large flock of Canada geese, honking loudly as they looked for mates and places to nest.

I left the ponds and walked toward the river lands,

and I found this pair of Canada geese who look like they decided where they were going to nest and raise a family. It won’t be long until yellow fluffy goslings are swimming in the wetlands.

On the way to the river lands, I heard, then saw a belted kingfisher flying over the canal, the first since last Fall. . I don’t see them in the wetlands too often, they are usually flyoing, and chattering, over Lake Took-A-While in the river lands. I also saw a few northern cardinals.

blue jays,

blue birds,

a couple of red-bellied woodpeckers, and

a hairy woodpecker.  I have observed different species of birds traveling like this together for safety from predators.

A few high clouds rolled in over the wetlands,

as I walked into the river lands.

I took the trail along Lake Too-A-While. The March sun warmed the cool morning air and the temperature rose into the 40’s.  However there were no geese or ducks on the west end of the lake.

As I walked to the far end,

 I saw  the  large flock of Canada geese  I saw on Saturday , and a few hooded mergers,

and common mergansers.

There were also a few ring necked ducks. There weren’t as many  mergansers or ducks as there were  Saturday as they continue to migrate north.

I walked to the end of the lake and started back toward the wetlands. There were a few people walking along the lake  now,

and I saw a lot more male red winged  blackbirds in the trees along lake trail.

It was now much warmer  in the strong March sun. It was a quiet walk back into the wetlands. I would not be back here for three weeks and it knew it would be a lot different then. The spring peeper  and other wood frogs shoud but filling the wetlands with their mating songs. There should be some green plants and  buds on the trees. It is my favorite time of the year.

I also reflected on my trip to Spain where I hope to  observe photograph  some of the Spring migration of birds from Africa to Europe , and share some photos here on my blog.

I only saw a few more birds on this hike in the wetlands, a tufted titmouse,

a few more northern cardinals.

and a downy woodpecker.

I walked back to the  Water Fowl pond,and saw a few more ring necked ducks still  swimming in the deep blue waters.  Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web site with some more photos of the birds I saw. Susquehanna Wetlands birds March 9 2025.

I am finishing this blog looking at the New York skyline in terminal B at the Newark Airport. Hopefully I will soon be sharing photos of the flora and fauna of Gibraltar  and Spain. And crossing seeing  cork tree off of my bucket list.  Here is a link to an another gallery of photos on my blog web site from my five mile hike in the wetlands. Susquehanna Wetlands. March 9 2025.

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharial Nehru

 

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