Dreary November Skies And Some Snow At Community Park

I returned to   the Community Park near my home in Hazle Township in Luzerne County  for a couple of hikes last week. I didn’t see any wildlife on my hike the previous week. I  was hoping to see some   ducks, geese, birds, squirrel,s deer, or maybe even  a bald eagle when I returned. . And, even if I didn’t see any ,  it’s always nice walking around Lake Irena.

Unlike my last hike , there was no sunshine on these hikes. The  weather was more November-like, cloudy dark and  dreary. However, at lest on my first hike on Wednesday  afternoon,  it was   mild.  It was cloudy and dreary, but warm  for late November. The temperatures were  in the mid 50’s.

The warm temperatures brought out some fishermen. There were about  a dozen of them on the shores of the lake.

There were also  a few folks walking on the trails around the lake. As I wrote  in my previous blogs about  Community Park it opened in 1963  I first visited  the following spring with my dad and siblings. It seems like yesterday when we were throwing rocks in the lake and pulling the handle on the pump along the trail.

The water level in the lake was very low as I walked along the leafless trees in the woodlands around  to the lake.

Although it was warm, it felt more like winter because of the bare trees and  browns and grays instead of the lush greens of Spring and Summer.

I stopped at the bench near some rocks on the northern side of the lake to take in the somber scene,

and then continued through the pitch and white pine and oak woodlands.

 I came to the bridge over creek that enters the lake.

There is a small wetland here where I often see mallard ducks and Canada geese  in the warmer weather. There were no ducks or geese on the lake and no birds in the woodlands either. I was surprised I often see some late season migratory fowl on the lake including grebe, loons and different species of ducks. And usually there are some year long resident birds in the woods. There were none on this hike.

I walked around the lake twice before entering the trail through some woodlands that led to the ballpark.

Here the leafless , ancient oaks near the ballpark again reminded me that although it was warm it was late November and winter was fast approaching

I finished my 2 mile walk, surprised and  disappointed I didn’t see any wildlife, not even a squirrel.  I was still glad I returned tp enjoy the beautiful scenery winter  of the lake and park.

I returned the next morning. It was Thanksgiving morning .  I wasn’t expecting to see any wildlife, I just wanted to get some walking in in anticipation of  the delicious Thanksgiving dinner at my niece Kelly and her husband home. I t was much colder and windy . Temperatures were in the mid 30s. The lake and woodlands looked  even more gloomy and winteyr than on my previous hike.

I walked around the lake lifeless brown and gray wood lands.

The only green I saw where the pine trees along the trail,

some tea berries growing on the ground,

and  the endangered Hartford ferns growing along the trail.

Otherwise, only the brown , withered  steeplebush plants,

gray alder catkins,

and dried pearly everlasting flowers reminded me Winter was  near.

Like my hike on Wednesday afternoon ,  there were no water fowl on the lake. I walked around the lake  twice before walking into the surrounding woods.  I was now looking for some year-round resident birds.  And again, like on Tuesday,  I was surprised I didn’t see any birds or other  wildlife, not even deer or squirrels. It was windy and cold so I returned to the lake,

and as I was leaving the lake ,

  I finally saw some wildlife,  a small flock of black capped chickadees. I love these small and friendly  birds. I often see on even the coldest days of January on my hikes. And, usually when I see them,  they are traveling, and foraging , with other species of birds, But not on this day, they were the only birds, or wildlife, I saw on my three mile  walk.

I finished my hike and returned the next day, Thursday, Thanksgiving morning. The weather continued to get colder.Temperatures were now in the upper 20s.  It was even windier.    I returned for another hike at the park early Sunday morning.   A light snow began to fall when I arrived at the park  and walked  down to the lake

This American crow greeted me as I approached the lake.

 I used love snow in my childhood and younger days. I would sing the songs, White Christmas, Let it Snow, Walking in A Winter Wonderland. The Weather Outside is Frightful, and many others, to myself from Thanksgiving until Christmas in high school, college, law school and many years after I graduated. I loved the snow and cold. I  would  hike, ski , ice skate and build fires in the snow on the coldest days of the year.   I looked forward to it. Not any more, for a long time now I dislike the cold, dark and snow of  Winter. I don’t like walking or driving in it.

However, I still do walk in it and try to make the best of it, and I will have to admit. I enjoyed the swirling snow flakes on my walk.

AIn addition to the snow, nd I had another surprise . I finally saw some water fowlon the lake. There was a snall  flock of mallard ducks,

and a lone ring billed gull swimming in the snow on the lake.

It was windy and cold but I enjoyed my walk around the lake,

as the snow covered  ground.

It covered the mountian laurel creating a Christams like scene as I walked in the winter wonderland.

I saw the brave and cold mallard ducks again swimming in the frigid waters of the lake.

I

also saw a small flock of, dark eyed jucnos, also know as, appropriately , snow birds.

I  again walked around the lake twice and then followed the trail to the baseball fields. The snow let up as I returned to the lake.

However, enough snow fell to create some   pretty  Winter scenery in the park.

Alhough I am not a big fan of the snow anymore, walking in the snow was a nice way to start the holiday seasong. It was windy, snowy  and cold, not my favorite weahrter but I enjoyed my Thansgiving walk. I sawsome wildlife and the snow  brought back many warm memeories from my childhood. Here is a link to a photo gallery on my blog web page with some more photos from my hike in the park.   Community Park  hikes. November 2025

“November comes, and November goes. With the last red berries and the first white snows.”  Clyde Watson 

“I  am younger each year at the first snow. ”  Anne Sexton