It’s Been Awhile, A Couple Of June Hikes In Community Park

A lot has changed since my last visit to the Community Park near my home in Hazle Township Luzerne County. I was away for a couple of weeks. The last time I was here many of the trees still were leafless. When  I returned Monday afternoon I found all of the trees covered with lush new leaves. 

It was good to see pretty Lake Irena again. It was a mostly sunny afternoon. Cumulus clouds floated above  the lake in the deep blue skies.   The temperature was seasonable, in the mid 70’s. A perfect day for walking. 

It was hard to believe the mountain laurel, our  State Flower, and

the sheep laurel were already blooming. The Spring  goes by so quickly. 

I walked on the trail along the lake, under the canopy of new leaves

A few chipping sparrows sang in the treetops. 

There were other wildflowers blooming along the trails including  blue-eyed grass, 

St. John’s Wort and 

and meadow buttercups. 

The  were also many cinnamon ferns along the trail. 

I left the lake and walked into the woodlands where I saw some more wildflowers including meadow hawkweed,

Philadelphia fleabane flowers ,

daisies. I love this time of year.

As I was returning to the lake, I was surprised and delighted to see a scarlet tanager,,

I have never seen one in the park before. 

Back at the lake I took some photos of the many dragonflies that are now darting and hovering  near the lake. 

I love seeing these ancient insects,

that were flying in our skies before the dinosaurs roamed the earth. 

I also saw a few bullfrogs in the waters of the lake. 

The are usually sitting,

in the pickerelweed that is now sprouting in  the waters along the shore of the lake. 

I saw another cute critter, I thought the frog was cute, this gray squirrel, as I was walked closer to the picnic area. 

I finished my three mile hike Monday and returned on Tuesday.  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and Lake Irena reflected the deep blue sky.

As I was taking   my first walk around the lake, I saw this critter staring at me near the beaver dam on the northern shore of the lake.

I am not sure if were a beaver or a muskrat. I know it was near the beaver dam but it’s narrow tail  makes me think it was a muskrat. 

I also saw another furry critter checking me out as I walked along the lake, this whitetail deer who was chewing on some leaves. 

Of course their were more dragonflies,

and this butterfly. 

I again took the trails into the surrounding woodlands and I saw a lot of robins in the trees

and a few ovenbirds. 

This time I was also delighted to see a pretty red-eyed vireo ,

singing in the trees. 

These birds have a wonderful song. 

 Here is a link to  a gallery with some more photos of the birds I saw  on my hikes in the park.  Community Park birds June 13 to 15 2022. 

I returned to the lake  and walked around the lake again, enjoying the pretty mountain laurel flowers blooming along it’s shore. I just traveled to Europe to visit Slovakia, the native land of my maternal grandfather’s parent, my great grandparents.

I loved the mountains of Slovakia, (you can follow my trip in my blog archives) but there are no more beautiful woods than then here in Northeastern Pennsylvania in June. I am enjoying my almost daily hikes in Community Park, and hope to take them, and share the beauty of Nature I find, for many more years. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from my hike. Community Park June 13 to 15 2022

June the month of months / Flowers and fruitage brings too, / When green trees spread shadiest boughs, / When each wild bird sings too. Christina Rossetti

fskokoski@gmail.com

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