Back In The Wetlands Along The Ancient Susquehanna River In Pennsylvania

As those of you who follow my blogs would know I love wetlands, swamps and marshes. Every Winter I travel to Florida and I roam the vast wetlands in the “ river of grass ‘ in the Everglades.

This past month I visited and explored the wetlands near Concord Massachusetts on my visit to Walden Pond.

Last week I visited fresh and salt water marshes and wetlands  on my trip to the Delaware  Bay to  watch the annual  spawning of the horseshoe crabs.

I love hiking in all kind of woodlands and habitats.   And I love  observing the beauty of nature and, now, for the past 10 years, sharing that beauty with photos I take here on my blog and social media. But wetlands have become my favorite places to hike.

So what is a wetland and what are they important. Books are written about their importance but I’ll use this definition from the National Park Service     “Wetlands are highly productive and biologically diverse systems that enhance water quality, control                                         erosion, maintain stream flows, sequester carbon, and provide a home to at least one third of all                                                threatened and endangered species.”

After the destruction of much  of the woodlands and wetlands near my home in Hazle Township in Northeastern Pennsylvania,  around 15 years ago, I discovered the Susquehanna wetlands.   I have been hiking there almost weekly ever since. It was created as a private nature preserve by  PPL ( Pennsylvania Power and Light) an electric utility .  I have seen an amazing variety of flora and fauna in those wetlands the last 15 years . I have seen cinnamon bears, red foxes families, river otters, snakes , frogs , turtles, many species of birds, and my favorite a bobcat.

I have not been in the wetlands for over 3 weeks, which is a real long time for me.  I was looking forward to return and drove the 10 miles, as the crow flies, to the wetlands late Friday afternoon. It was sunny and hot with temperatures in the 80’s so I did not expect to see much wildlife. But you never know, and the Susquehanna Wetlands always seems to surprise me.   As usual I will share my observations of my hike here on my blog.  I stopped at the Waterfowl Pond along the access road. It is not covered with algae and duck weed.

A red-eyed vireo greeted me with an afternoon song as I walked up to the pond.  I  saw two families of wood ducks across the pond, too  far to get any good photos.  Mommy duck soon  led the duckling into the safety of the reeds along the shore.

I also saw the first of many eastern phoebes in the  red maple tree along the pond.Red maples are a common tree in wetlands and  both year long resident and migratory birds nest in them. 

I drove to the parking lot and trailhead of the Beaver Trail. Before hiking into the wetlands I walked down to the Susquehanna River as I always do on my hikes here.  And, as I have observed in many past blogs,  I reflected  on the long history of this ancient river. It is one of the oldest river on the planet and flowed here before the Appalachian mountains formed.

Near the river I saw a few more eastern  phoebes and this female  American redstart. I would hear and see a lot more redstarts on my hike.

I walked into the wetlands under the now lush green canopy of leaves created by the  large sycamore, oak and more red maple trees.

So  much had changed in the 3 weeks since  I last hiked here. The spring ephemerals wildflowers are gone. Only a few flowers now bloom under the shade of the trees. These are native Philadelphia fleabane.

It looked like I missed  the pretty native blue flag flowers. I only saw withered flowers until I found this one still blooming along the canal. 

Invasive multiflora rose also bloomed throughout the wetlands. This invasive species is displacing  native wildflower and shrubs.

One could  tell the Spring is ending by observing the once lush skunk cabbages and

mandrakes or May apples. Both have withered and are already decaying. As I get on in years the Spring and Summer seem to  speed by faster and faster each passing year.

I walked past the ponds and the canal that was once the North Branch or Pennsylvania Canal that was built in 1828.  I have included a lot more history on the canal in previous blog posts which can be found  using the search tool on my blog.

Here I saw  one of the most common migratory birds in the wetlands, a norther  yellow warbler,

and I also saw a Baltimore oriole and heard it’s cheerful song.

I walked to  the other side of the Water Fowl pond I visited on my drive in. I again saw a family of wood ducks across the ponds.

I left the pond in  the late afternoon sunshine and started my usual one mile walk to the river lands area of the nature preserve.  This is  more of a picnic area where dog walking and fishing are allowed. Both are prohibited in  the wetlands.

I walked through the lush green woodlands on  the old  canal path between the canals and some ponds and wetlands.

Here I saw delicate partridge flowers blooming along the trail,

an eastern pond hawk dragonfly,

and one of the few painted turtles I would see on my hike. Earlier in  the Spring there were dozens of turtles along the banks of the canal or on logs in the water. They are cold blooded so would leave the cold waters and soak up the heat of the sun. Now the waters have warmed so the remain under water where they are safe from predators.

In the trees along the trail I saw this eastern warbling vireo,

and a male American redstart,

and some blue gray gnatcatchers. . 

I walked beneath the tall oaks along the trail

and back down to the river. Here perched on the dead branches overhanging the river I have seen bald eagles, belted kingfishers, red tailed hawks and wood ducks.  There was nothing around on this hot afternoon.

I walked  beneath more  large oak trees along the river,

and through a new trail through some old farm fields.

I then walked to the river lands and along long  Lake Took-A-While, a series  of connected ponds stretching almost 3/4 of a mile.

The only wildlife activity I saw in the late afternoon heat and sunshine was a gray squirrel,

and  three Canada geese families. It is amazing how quickly the  goslings have grown. Here is  a link to a gallery  on my blog webpage with some more photos of the  birds I saw on  my Friday afternoon hike.  Susquehanna Wetlands birds June 5  2026.

I walked to the end of the lake and began my hike back to the wetlands parking lot.

It was hot. In my younger days I never minded the heat and would walk 12 miles on the hottest day without water. I am not young anymore and this year I minded the heat and was looking forward to a drink of water, which I was very glad I had in the Jeep.  I finished my hike without seeing another person in the wetlands or Riverlands.  It was nice being in the wetlands again but an afternoon hike isn’t the same as an early morning hike. There is so much more bird and wildlife activity in the  morning. So I decided, on way home, I’d be back in the morning.  Here is  a link to a gallery  on my blog web-site  with some more photos from  my Friday afternoon hike. Susquehanna Wetlands  June 5 2026.

After   my usual 2 mile morning walk through my neighborhood I was off to explore some more of the wetlands. It was partly cloudy and a pleasnt 63 degrees when I arrived around 7:30 a.m.  There were two families of wood ducks  on the Water Fowl pond but to far to get any good photos.

I wasn’t going to photograph the same birds I saw the previous day but this northern yellow warbler  landed on a branch along the pond almost as if it he was showing off his morning meal.

I drove to the wetlands parking lot and followed the same route as I did the previous afternoon. After walking to the river I followed the beaver trail through the lush green woodlands,

seeing this white tailed deer, who was taking a long look at me, before running off,

and a yellow throated vireo.   After visiting the Water Fowl pond again, and seeing the wood ducks in he distance I headed to the river lands.

Along the way I came across this snapping turtle.  It was slowly  crossing the trail when he/she  saw me.

It immediately stopped and retreated into it’s shell. I approached to take a look, knowing not to get to close their jaws,which  could easily snap off a finger or inflict a deep wound. I wanted to get some photo of it in motion, so I left the turtle along the trail, to try and photograph a wood thrush I heard.  I wasn’t gone long. I thought I would see the large snapping turtle slowly moving across the trail. Well. it was gone. It sure moved faster then I thought it would or could.

I continued  my hike through the wetlands, and following the same path as on Friday , walking back down to the river, along the river, and into the former farm fields.

It had been quiet as far  as bird activity but I did see another friendly white tail deer,

and this eastern chipmunk.

And, finally, in the farm fields, I saw a lot of birds, including a common  yellowhroat,  a migratory bird, and

some song sparrows,

a red bellied and,

a Carolina wren, all year long residents in the wetlands.

I walked into the river lands, and I was walking a little faster than I usually do. I wanted to get back for my niece’s graduation party in the afternoon.

The only critters I saw  were the flocks of Canada geese  on Lake Took-A-While,

and, another snapping turtle, this one  was a female. She was laying her eggs on the banks of the canal.

Clouds moved in as I walked back to the wetlands, and

on the way is excited to hear, then see a beautiful scarlet tanager across an access road and near the entrance to the wetlands. I had seen it here in previous year and hoped it, or it’s offspring would return. Here is  a link to a gallery  on my blog webpage with some more photos of the  birds I saw on  my Saturday morning  hike. Susquehanna Wetlands birds June 6

One of the  two reasons I am able to photograph so many different birds in the wetlands is I know were they nest and feed . Many of the same species are seein the same area, and some in the same trees year after year. The other reason is patience, it sometimes takes me 4 hours on  a 5 mile hike. Back in the wetlands I saw a few wildflowers, including yellow salsify,

 moth mullein and

Japanese honeysuckle. All are invasive in Pennsylvania. Although harmful to our native wildflowers and plants I will concede the Japanese honeysuckle does provide wonderful heavenly fragrance in the wetlands.

I also found this platterful mushroom, a good find  for me. I  now love learning to identify birds and wildflowers on my hikes. ( I am no expert and rely on my iPhone apps and Google for identification, so please correct me if I am wrong).  Mushrooms are still my first love and I will soon be foraging for the many edible species I love to eat. It was late morning when I finished my 5 mile hike.  There were severe thunderstorms and rain in the forecast in the evening. Rains often bring out wildlife in the wetlands. I had seen red fox scat on my walk and was thinking their could be more snapping turtles laying eggs after a rain.    I was considering returning to the wetlands on Sunday .  Here is  a link to a gallery  on my blog web-site  with some more photos from  my Saturday morning  hike. Susquehanna Wetlands  June 6  2026.

And we got the thunderstorms on Saturday night. It brought in some cooler weather and clouds Sunday morning. Once again, after my 2 mile hike near my home,I drove back to the wetland,  visiting  the Water Fowl again.  Once again I saw wood ducks on the far side of the pond.

I drove to the wetland parking lot and trail head  and took the same route I did the two previous days.

The woodlands were still wet and muddy from the rain. This time I observed and the took photos  of the four species of ferns that grow in the wetlands, sensitive  ferns,

cinnamon ferns,

evergreen ferns, and

hay scented ferns.  Ferns have been growing in wetlands before dinosaurs walked the earth.  As Spring is ending , Summer will pass quickly too, and the bracken ferns  will wither and decay . And the sweet smell of the hay-scented ferns will fill the air with the arrival of the cool days of late Summer and early Fall.

I walked to the other side of the Water Fowl Pond.

This time I observed four different wood duck families. All of them scurrying with the ducklings to the safety of the reed when they saw me approach.

As on Friday and Saturday, I  walked through the lush wetlands, seeing many of the birds I saw on my previous hikes,including a yellow throated vireo,

and eastern warbling vireo.

 I also a few new ones including this veery, one of the first I have seen in the wetlands,

 in the former farm fields I saw an indigo bunting,

a female common yellowthroat,

a cedar waxwing

and this brown thrasher. 

I walked into the river lands. On the way I passed by what my be the destruction of this and many other wetlands and natural habitats.  The construction of data and AI centers and the utility lines needed to supply the massive amounts of electricity  they consume. A expansion of a utility line that passed through the wetlands resulted in the cutting of many trees and wetlands.

It was sad to see this ancient  red maple tree where  I have observed so many migratory and year round resident birds was cut down. Many ancient oak trees were also removed. Sad that we place so little value on what is left of our precious natural resources.

The sun appeared as I walked along Lake Took-A-While. There were a lot of folks on trail in the river lands on this Sunday morning.

Here I saw some of the results of the severe thunderstorms that passed through on Saturday evening, one being this crabapple tree being  blown down along the trail.

I saw one more new bird, this colorful orchard oriole.  Once again it took a 5 mile hike, this one took 3 1/2 hours to see and photograph these beautiful birds.Here is  a link to a gallery  on my blog webpage with some more photos of the  birds I saw on  my Sunday morning  hike. Susquehanna Wetlands birds June 7 2026.

After walking to the end of Lake Took-A-While,

I walked back through the wetlands.

In addition to the birds I saw earlier I treated to my first sighting of a doe and her fawn thisyear.

I love to travel, and explore the beauty of nature and wildlife around our Nation and our planet. But I enjoyed  my weekend finding the beauty of narture  in my local wetlands just as much. Sadly I may be one of the last generations who has this opportunity.  Here is  a link to a gallery  on my blog web-site  with some more photos from  my Sunday  morning  hike.   Susquehanna Wetlands  June 7  2026.

“Thoreau known as  the “Patron Saint of Swamps” because he enjoyed being in them and writing about them said, “my temple is the swamp… When I would recreate myself, I seek the darkest wood, the thickest and most impenetrable and to the citizen, most dismal, swamp. I enter a swamp as a sacred place, a sanctum sanctorum… I seemed to have reached a new world, so wild a place…far away from human society. What’s the need of visiting far-off mountains and bogs, if a half-hour’s walk will carry me into such wildness and novelty.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden and Other Writings

“Conserving our wetlands is as important as conserving our art. It is our history, our inspiration, our
life and our future.”
Abigail McIntyre, age 14, Kansas, 2018