It’s November, But Still A Lot Of Fall Color In Our Woodlands
Fall weather came late here in Northeastern Pennsylvania this year. The warm wet summer extended into September and the trees did not don their colorful foliage into mid October. I was out-of-town the past two weekends. I thought the Fall colors would be gone when I returned this weekend. I was surprised to see plenty of colorful leaves still on the trees on my drive back from Philadelphia yesterday
So today I decided to drive to the Poconos and hike in the State Game lands 119. I have been hiking out here the last two years but never visited in the Fall. 
I found that many of the birch, aspen and maple trees had already shed their leaves. However, the oak, beech and many of the smaller shrubs still had most of their colorful leaves.
I walked out the access road into the game lands under the November sun. The sun is much lower in the southern sky now and cast deep shadows in the woodlands. 
I followed the path that led down to the D & L trail. This path crosses a large stretch of wetlands,
and small streams that fed into the headwaters of the Nescopeck Creek. 
In the Spring and Summer there were many species of song birds living in these woods. Not now. However there still were a number of the usual winter resident birds including flocks of junco, some black-capped chickadees, 
and downy and hairy woodpeckers.
There also were still a few robins who still remained in the area. I also spooked a few deer and grouse on my walk. 
I followed the trail and it soon met up with, and paralleled with the fast-moving waters of the Nescopeck Creek. 
The trail soon intersected with the D & L trail and I was surprised to find I was the only one hiking the trail on this beautiful Fall day. 
I walked up the trail for close to a mile when I did find this fellow enjoying the beautiful waters of Moosehead lake. I had posted a few other blogs about the history of this area and they can be found by searching my archives plugin. 
I had a short, pleasant conversation with this gentleman and then moved on to the ponds and wetlands just a short distance from the lake.
Unlike the summer and spring there were no water fowl, blue herons or other birds on the lake or wetlands. 
There was a beaver lodge but no sign of any beavers.
I was out about four miles now and decided it was time to head back. This time a heard, then saw, in the distance , a kingfisher on the lake.
I walked back down to the trail near the Nescopeck Creek and decided to follow another trail back to my jeep.
What a good choice. I walked a narrow path through some beautiful woods with scattered oaks and beaches. Their leaves, reflecting the November sun, stood out among the other leafless trees on the trail.
The trail wound it way up, and then down, a hill and eventually came out near the parking area at the entrance to the game lands.
I may not have seen as many birds and other wildlife as I have on my walks out here in the summer and spring but it was still a great day to enjoy the Fall weather in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Here is a link to some more photographs from my hike. State Game lands 119 hike November 4 2018. 
“Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year.”
― Chad Sugg
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