December Arrives And So Did The Ice And Cold At The Susquehanna Wetlands

The snow, cold and ice arrived early this year. We had a very mild Winter last year,  with little snow, here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. This year we already had  temperatures in the teens and over 8  inches of snow near my home in Hazle Township in Luzerne County.  It was 20 degrees when I took my early walk on Sunday the first day of December.

I am not a fan of the snow, cold and dark of Winter anymore but I still get out on my hikes to look for any wildlife I can find during the cold months. Of course, I decided to visit the Susquehanna Wetlands and River Lands, a small private nature preserve and park along the Susquehanna River in Salem Township, about 20 miles from my home, 10 as the crow flies. There was no snow when I arrived but the temperature was 21 degrees and windy under clear skies. I parked near the Water Fowl Ponds near the acces road since the gate to the parking lot road is closed for the Winter.

I walked up to the ponds and noticed two things, a thin layer of ice on the ponds, and not a single duck. Usually I see large flocks of wood ducks, mallards, some green winged  teals great blue and green herons and other water birds. Not on Sunday, the ice will have sent them to the open waters of the river or further south. And, the bald eagles  I sometimes see, looking for fish or ducks on the ponds, will have to look elsewhere for their morning meal.

I left the ponds and walked the .4 mile access road to the parking lot of the wetlands. Thick frost formed on the garlic mustard,

blackberry

and autumn olive  leaves along the road.

I usually see  a lot of our Winter resident birds along the road, in the cover of the dense, withered  vegetation that grew in the Summer.

Green brier, poison ivy and winter  berries  in the woods along the road usually provide food for song sparrows, white throated sparrows, dark eyed juncos, tufted titmice, Carolina and winter wrens , hairy, downy and red bellied woodpeckers. Well on Sunday morning I didn’t see or hear a single bird on my walk along the road. I have not been having luck seeing wildlife lately. But  most of the fun of taking my long nature  hikes is the just looking for the birds, deer, bears,  snakes,  amphibians, wildflowers or mushrooms  in our woodlands and forests. I have been enjoying walking in the wood since my dad took me and my brother ou for wild edible mushrooms when I was three years old.

Well I saw nothing on the access road and, at the parking lot, walked down the the ancient, historic and scenic Susqehanna River, one of  the three rivers I am blessed to live near, the others being the Lehigh and Schuylkill. The river was a little higher after my last visit from the recent snows and rains we had but still low. It was also still ice-free.

I left the river and walked in the woods of the wetlands.  It is such a different feeling walking in the silence under the ancient trees now with their leafless branches exposed.

The woods were still very quiet.  There was some ice on the canals along the  Beaver Trail but I hoped  to see a muskrat, beaver, mink or river otter on the ice or in the open pathes of water, however nothing was stirring on Sunday.

I always start my hike in the wetlands walking west on the path, away from the rover lands area of the preserve. And I usually see some birds in the marsh and pond where the trail splits.  Both trails lead to the Water Fowl Pond but I followed the one to the right. Here I heard this Carolina wren burst into song,

and realized it was on a branch just above the trail.

It seems like the Carolina wren gave the singel to the other birds it was safe to come out and feed, I soon saw a small flock of song sparrows,

and swamp sparrows scurrying in the reeds and vegetation on both sides of the trail.

I also saw a few American goldfinches,

a northern cardinal,

and a flock of tufted titmice feeding on the poison ivy and other berries and seeds in the woods along the trail.

I walked over to the  Water Fowl Pond, I was on the other side of where I parked my Jeep. There were still no birds on the waters of the pond.

As I was leavin the pond, and heading east on the trail to the river lands, about a mile away,

I saw the deer crossing the pond,

and this pileated woodpecker rapping on a tree trunk.

I also saw a small flock of golden crowned kinglets  in the trees above the trail,

they usually don’t stay still long enough for a photo but this one did. They are pretty birds.

While watched the golden crowned kinglet I heard a rapping in a tree top.  I thought it was a hairy, downy or red-bellied woodpecker and was surprised to see it was a yellow-bellied sapsucker.  I didn’t see these birds  in the wetlands in the Spring or Summer. A few weeks ago  I saw a large flock migrating south. I thought they would all be gone by now. This one should be flying south soon and I hope to see it in Florida next month. I have seen them in Key Largo feeding on the sap of palm trees.

I continued my hike in the cold along the ice covered canal.

I didn’t see any more birds until I saw a flock of black-capped chicadees as I approached the river lands.

I walked into  the river lands and on the trail between a canal and Lake Took-A-While.

There was no ice on the lake which I thought was a good thing. I hoped I might see a belted kingfisher, a bald eagle or a great blie heron looking for fish on the open water. I didn’t,

and in fact, I didn’t see another birdas I walked along scenic Lake Took-A-While. I didn’t see any people either just two fisherman along the lake.

I walked to the end of the lake, and started my hike back to the wetlands. It was quiet and I didn’t see any wildlife,

until I saw this winter wren as I was leaving the wetlands Here is a link to a gallery of photos on my blog site of some more of the birds I saw on my hike. Susquiehanna Wetlands birds December 1 2024.

I finished my 5 mile hike in the cold December air. I didn’t see or hear the wildlife I would on a hot Summer day bit I enjoyed being outside and appreciating the beauty of nature. Here is a link to a gallery of photos on my blog site of some more from  my hike. Susquehanna Wetlands  December 1 2024.

“If the winter is too cold and the summer is too hot, you are not a hiker.” Anonymous 

fskokoski@gmail.com

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