Back Home In Northeastern Pennsylvania, Where Nature Is Putting On A Show
It was a wonderful two weeks, as I had the opportunity to explore the beauty of Africa again. It was my fourth visit to the Dark Continent. Tanzania is a remarkable country. Hopefully I will get to some more blog posts from my visit soon. It is also great to back to my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania. There is so much beauty here in our own backyards. Anxious to return to the woodlands of my home I headed to one of my favorite hiking areas, the PPL Wetlands Preserve on Sunday morning. . It is located about 20 miles from my house. 
It was chilly and a fog had formed along the Susquehanna River . The fog was lifting as I began my walk under the tall trees that grow along the river. 
The wetlands are so quiet now. Most of the song birds have migrated southward, and the frogs and insects are gone. Nature is settling in for it’s long winter sleep here in the mid latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The ponds are still covered in the deep green growth of duck weed. 
The sun was evaporating the mists as I continued my hike. The sunlight revealed how much the leaves have changed since my last visit a few weeks ago. They are no longer green 
The reds, yellows and browns of autumn could be found on almost every tree and plant along the trail.
I did see some wildlife as I began my walk. I scared a few deer along the trail and a large flock of wood ducks on one of the ponds. However, I wasn’t able to get any photographs of these fleeing animals. I did see a large flock of what I think were song sparrows fluttering in the trees.
There were also large flocks of this bird flying through the wetlands. There must have been hundreds of them. 
I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to see any of the usual winter resident birds that stay here all year, including the nuthatches, black capped chickadees, woodpeckers, and juncos. There were still some wild flowers in bloom, including many wild aster, and daisy like flowers.
And were there are flowers there are butterflies. Well only one butterfly, this monarch butterfly was still here, Most of its kin have also migrated south to warmer climes. 
The mid October sun was shining brightly as I approached Lake Took-A-While on my walk.
The geese and kingfishers, which have lived on the lake all summer, were gone but there was still a great blue heron searching for fish along its shore. 
The milkweed pods along the trail have gone to seed and the delicate seeds were now being carried in the wind.
Along the lake I also saw a large flock of wrens that also must have been migrating south. 
I only walked five miles on Sunday , I had just arrived from my Africa trip late the previous evening. I had about four hours sleep and was experiencing some serious jet lag. It was time to head home. Africa was exotic and beautiful but so are the woods of Pennsylvania. There is beauty all over this wonderful blue planet we share. We must. all of us, work together to protect it. Here is a link to some more photographs from my hike. PPL Wetlands hike October 13 2019
“Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year.”– Chad Sugg
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