No More Snow At The Susquehanna Wetlands, And No Complaints From Me
It has been two weeks since I visited the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County. And, when I did the trails were covered in snow. We got anywhere from 6 to 12 additional inches of snow since then here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. And it has been cold, 10 degrees before average. Well, that was before a warm front, and rain storm, came through on last Thursday night, melting most of the snow in my yard. I wasn’t complaining. I don’t like walking in the snow anymore. I once did. in ny younger days, I would hike, ski, sled ice skate in the deepest snow and coldest days, and love it. White Christmas and Let It Snow were my favorite Christmas songs and I looked forward to the first snow. Old bones and muscles slowly ended my love of the white stuff and cold. 
So I was glad when I returned to the wetlands on Saturday morning and found no snow on the ground. I parked at the ponds near the entrance. The ponds were ice covered so there were no geese, ducks or herons waiting to fly off as I approached. The lush greens of Spring and Summer were gone, as were the colors of Fall. Only the dreary browns and grays of Winters surrounded the ice covered ponds. I was surprised the local Winter resident birds were not in the woodlands around the ponds. It was quiet.
I walked to the gated access road, and followed it for about a 1/2 mile. In the Winter I usually see sparrows, woodpeckers, goldfinches and other year long resident birds along the road. I didn’t see a one on this cold December morning. There was no green along the road either. The few surviving green leaves on the autumn olive, and Amur honeysuckle shrubs were gone. And the garlic mustard and Dames’ rocket leaves were shriveled form the cold spell. 
The sun broke through the clouds as I neared the parking lot and walked down to the Susquehanna River.
Regular readers of my blog would know this ancient, scenic , and historic river is one of the oldest on our planet and my favorite. Ice floated on the river , evidence of the cold weather we experienced earlier in the month.
I heard, and saw the first critter on my hike , this hairy woodpecker rapping in the trunk of a tree, looking for insects.
I walked through the sleeping woodlands in the wetlands. The silence was peaceful and relaxing but I’d prefer the noise of Spring and Summer, the songs of the birds, the buzzing of insects, and the croaking of frogs.
I came to the Beaver Trail, which followed the old canal.
The canal was frozen. I knew I wouldn’t see the wood ducks take off, whistling at me, and almost mocking me for not being able to photograph them.
As I walked toward the Water Fowl ponds I found some color along the trail, bright green winterberries, 
and blue green brier berries. 
The once green Japanese honeysuckle leaves were now a deep red and will soon fall to the ground. 
I finally heard , and saw some bird song, first a Carolina wren on the other side of the frozen canal, 
then a small flocks of American goldfinches,
song sparrows, a few swamp sparrows near the ground ,
and a red bellied woodpecker high in the treetops. 
I walked over to the Water Fowl ponds, of course I didn’t see the geese or ducks, but I was surprised there were none of the usual Winter denizens in the woodland and shrubs along the ponds.
I now walked back toward the river lands section of the nature preserve and park.
I was able to see some more green in the otherwise dreary and brown woodlands. A few garlic mustard plants, 
and intermediate wood ferns. Both of these plants could wither and die in severe cold temperatures. 
The Christmas ferns,
and ground or princess pine moss would remain green , even under the snow, all Winter. I was already looking forward for the first skunk cabbages to sprout through the mud or snow in late February or early March one of the first signs of Spring in the wetlands. 
The wetlands remained quiet as I walked along the ice covered canals and ponds.
I had hoped I would see the minks or river otters that often return to the wetlands in the winter. They weren’t around, the only living creatures in the frozen wetlands were few gray squirrels, and another Carolina wren singing it’s song in the cold morning air. 
I walked the mile or so into the river land,
and found these wooden planks on a swamp under a electic utility pole line.. I am not sure what they are there for. 
I then walked along Lake-Took-A-While. It is series of smaller lakes. The first large lake was frozen ,
but there was open water on the next lake. Here I hoped to maybe see a bald eagle perched over the open water looking for fish for breakfast. Once the lake is totally frozen they will be looking for fish in the river or, hunting for the squirrels and rabbits in the wetlands and river lands. 
A flock of Canada geese, probably still living on the river, flew overhead. 
I finally saw few other folks out and about on the trail in the cold morning air. I walked to the other end of the lake before starting my hike back. 
On my way I noticed the brown cattails,
withered common reeds,
and ice on the trail, all reminders it was the last day of Fall and three long months of Winter were ahead of us. 
Back in the wetlands,
I saw two more birds on my hikes, this tufted titmouse,
and this white throated sparrow. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web page with some more photos of the birds I saw on my hike in the wetlands. Susquehanna Wetlands birds December 20 2025. 
I finished my five mile hike., once again enjoying the peace and quiet of the sleeping wetlands. The wetlands are beautiful in there own way in all seasons, but I miss lush greens colors and the many sounds of the birds, insects and frogs in the Spring and Summer. I am counting the days until Spring. And hoping for many snowless walks until it arrives. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web page with some more photos from my hike in the wetlands. Susquehanna Wetlands December 20 2025. 
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December,
A magical thing,
And sweet to remember:
“We are nearer to spring
Than we were in September.”
~Oliver Herford
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