Nature
My First Visit To The John James Audubon Center. It Won’t Be My Last
During my recent stay in King of Prussia I was planning to hike in the Valley Forge National Park. However, in researching hiking trails near the hotel I learned of the John James Audubon Center. It was located only a few miles from my hotel. Of course, I had heard about this famous illustrator of…
Read MorePanama Day 6: My Last Hike At The Canopy Tower And Off To Explore Panama City
It was my last morning at the Canopy Tower ecolodge in the Soberania National Park in Panama. As on the previous mornings during my stay , I was up early, 6 am., hoping to watch the sunrise from the roof of the tower. Once again it was cloudy. But the views of the misty hills…
Read MorePanama Day 7. Panama City: A Morning Hike in Metropolitan Natural Park
I awoke early Sunday morning on my recent visit to Panama . I was staying at the Marriot Panama Hotel near the Albrook Mall. I chose this hotel since in was within walking distance of the Metropolitan Natural Park. This almost 600 acre park has the largest rainforest in a city in Central America. . …
Read MoreLate November At Community Park In Luzerne County
I returned to another one of my “go to” hikes on Friday, the Community Park located only a mile or so from my home in Hazle Township Luzerne County. It was “Black Friday” so I wanted to get my hiking in early so I could head to the Malls and do my Christmas shopping, Just…
Read MoreThere Were Still A Few Critters In Cold And Quiet November Susquehanna Wetlands
November passed so quickly this year, for me anyway. It was hard to believe it was the last weekend of November. December, and it’s usual cold and snow begin on Friday. But it wasn’t a bad November, weather wise. We had no snow and there still wasn’t much ice on the ponds and canals in…
Read MoreA Leafless, Lifeless, Quiet But Pleasant November Walk On The Greater Hazleton Rails To Trails.
I returned to another one of my favorite hiking trails, close to home, last Sunday, the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails located in Hazle Township in L:uzerne County. I began my hike on the eastern trailhead, near the village of Hazle Brook in Foster Township. I always hope to encounter one of the bears that…
Read MorePanama Day 7. Checked Off Another Bucket List Item On A Visit To The Panama Canal
Followers of my blog would know my desire to travel the world started in elementary school. As impossible as it seemed at the time ( my family was very poor), I wanted to see the Great Wall of China, Ayers Rock, the Pyramids, the Acropolis , the Panama Canal, and so many others exotic and…
Read MoreA Mink On Ice At The Susquehanna Wetlands
Once again the Susquehanna Wetlands surprised me with an unexpected, but wonderful wildlife sighting this past weekend. This time it was an American mink frolicking on the newly formed ice on one of the canals in the wetlands. The sun was rising in partly skies when I left my home in Hazle Township. However ,…
Read MorePanama Day 8. A Peaceful Morning Hike And Then Some Afternoon Chaos On My Last Day In Panama
It was partly cloudy with rain in the forecast when I awoke at the Panama Marriot Hotel on my last full day in Panama. I had planned to hike one more time in the beautiful Metropolitan Natural Park . I had learned during my short stay, there is always rain in the forecast in Panama…
Read MoreIce, (And A Very Little Snow) Arrive At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was foggy at my home in Hazle Township in Luzerne early last Saturday morning. However, this week when I drove to the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, about 15 miles away, it was mostly clear. This was just the opposite of the previous Saturday when it was clear at my home and foggy in…
Read MoreAnother Weekend At Susquehanna Wetlands. This Time The Muskrats Put On A Show
As usual, I returned to the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne County last Saturday. There were no minks or otters in the wetlands, but a pair of muskrats put on a show for me this week. I arrived at the wetlands around 8:30 and once again had to walk in since the access road…
Read MoreMy First National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count At The Montour Preserve
I visited the Montour Preserve in Montour County for only the second time last Sunday. I was here once before, about ten years ago, to visit the Fossil Pit at the preserve with my niece and nephew. I was invited to join a group of birders on Sunday participating in the 124th annul National Audubon…
Read MoreA Quiet And Mild Christmas Morning Hike
It wasn’t a White Christmas this year here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Last year we had snow and below zero temperatures on Christmas. . Not this year, it was an unseasonably mild 40 degrees when I awoke on Christmas morning. In the past I would always visit my parents and aunts early on Christmas morning. They…
Read MoreFinally, A Bald Eagle Sighting On A Dreary Day At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was another cloudy and dreary late December day here in Northeastern Pennsylvania last Saturday. And once again I decided to hike in the familiar Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township Luzerne County. I enjoy my hikes here since I know where the wildlife usually can be found, I just got to be either lucky, or…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day One: A Scenic Drive Through The Cloud Mountains To The Arenal Observatory Lodge
My flight from Newark to San Jose Costa Rica arrived about a half hour early. After my unexpectedly quick exist through immigration I was a little worried my driver to the Arenal Observatory Lodge and Trails may not have arrived. I walked past the long line of drivers and tour companies holding signs for their …
Read MoreCosta Rica Day One: Back On The Road And Up In The Sky Again
It’s 5 a.m. as I begin writing this blog 0n Friday January 5 . I am back on the road again, at the Wilkes Barre-Scranton International Airport in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is a lot less stressful flying out of this airport. It is a 40 mile drive from my home in the Green Ridge section…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Two: A Morning Exploring A Few Of The Many Trails At The Arenal Observatory Lodge
I was up before dawn on my first morning in Costa Rica. I was staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge at the foot of the Arenal Volcano. After a cup of coffee in my room I walked to the observation deck and found the volcano was still shrouded in clouds. I had not yet scene…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Two: Arenal Observatory Lodge: An Afternoon Walk With An Anteater After the Rain.
After my morning walks at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica on Saturday I was going to spend some time on the observation deck watching the many species of birds attracted to the fruit that is put out by the guides. However the skies clouded and rains came and continued into the afternoon. The…
Read MoreCosta Rica: Day Three. Arenal Volcano Observatory Lodge. More Rain In The Rainforest
My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. It didn’t take me long to remember I was in Costa Rica and in a rainforest. It was raining again. And this time it was a torrential downpour. Even though I was staying at a lodge on the lower slope of the Arenal volcano it was again shrouded…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Four: Arenal Observatory Lodge. More Rainy Walks, Some Mushrooms, And A Waterfall
It was my third morning in Costa Rica, where I was staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, at the foot of the Arenal volcano. And, for the third morning, it was raining when I awoke. It was a steady rain but there were still some folks on the observation deck, dressed in full rain gear.…
Read MoreA Return To The Bleakness Of Winter At The Susquehanna Wetlands
Last Sunday morning it had been three weeks since I last visited the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County on Christmas morning. And one of those weeks was spent in the lush and green tropical rainforest of Costa Rica. It was cold and cloudy when I arrived early in the morning. The stark contrast between the…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Five: Finally, A Clear View Of The Arenal Volcano And A Long Hike At The Lodge
It was my fifth day at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica when I awoke early Tuesday morning. And it wasn’t raining! It had rained much of the last five days. I still had not seen the summit of the Arenal volcano even though t he lodge is located only a few miles away,…
Read MoreTrudging Through The Snow On the Greater Hazleton Rails To Trails
December and early January were mild here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. There was little snow and almost no ice on our ponds, lakes and rivers. I missed the snow storm last week when I was away in Costa Rica. However when I returned it had already melted. This is very unusual and I knew we would…
Read MoreCosta Rica: Day Six. Arenal Observatory Lodge. Birds, Butterflies And Spider Monkeys
I had seen many beautiful tropical and migratory birds, wildlife, exotic flowers and plants during four day stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica. I am sure I would have seen more if we didn’t have the daily steady rains. And it was difficult to discover where the birds were in the many…
Read MoreFinally, Snow And Ice At The Susquehanna Wetlands
Anyone who knows me, or follows my blog or social media, knows I don’t like the cold, snow and ice anymore. I used to. I once loved the snow and cold but that was a long time ago. So I wasn’t real excited about my hike Sunday when I awoke to a 13 degree temperature…
Read MoreCosta Rica: Day Seven. More Rain, And A Change Of Plans At The Arenal Observatory Lodge
One of the main reasons for my stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica was the many hiking trails that were accessible from the lodge. I would be able to explore the surrounding gardens, ranch lands and rainforest whenever I wanted, without relying on transportation. This certainly was helpful with all the rain…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Seven: My Last Afternoon At The Arenal Volcano Observatory Lodge
It was my last full day at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica. I had wanted to do some hiking in the nearby Arenal Volcano National Park during my seven day stay. The closest trails were about a twenty minutes drive from the lodge, but because of the almost daily rains, I didn’t get…
Read MoreA Few Birds, A Bald Eagle And No Snow At The Susquehanna Wetlands .
Last Sunday I trudged through the snow for the first time this year at the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County. It was windy and cold and there was ice on the river and ponds in the wetlands and river lands. We had a warm up this week and the snow and most of the ice…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Eight: A Last Hike At The Arenal Volcano And On To San Jose
I was up early again, before the sunrise at 6 a.m. , on my last day at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica. My ride to San Jose was scheduled to leave at noon. I wanted to get in one more hike before I left . There are so many trails on the lodge’s…
Read MoreHalf Way To Spring: Sunshine, Squirrels And Skunk Cabbage At The Susquehanna Wetlands.
The weather forecast called for clear skies and sunshine this past weekend. Clear skies and sunshine on both Saturday and Sunday. This was exciting news for us folks here in Northeastern Pennsylvania since we haven’t had a sunny weekend since last August. So I was a little disappointed when I awoke to mostly cloudy skies …
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