May Sunshine At The PPL Wetlands

May Sunshine At The PPL Wetlands

PPL Wetlands (13 of 49)
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I think May sunshine is the best sunshine of the year.  I love sunshine throughout the year. But there is something about the angle of the sun here in Northeastern  Pennsylvania in May that makes it special. Especially when filtering through  a canopy of the newly sprouted green leaves of Spring. I took advantage of the May sunshine yesterday  and visited the PPl Wetlands in Salem Township here in Luzerne County. 

It was a perfect day for a hike. I arrived in mid-afternoon and the temperature was around 70 degrees. It has been two weeks since my last visit and  leaves had now  appeared on most of the trees in the wetlands.

There is nothing like the color of the first leaves of Spring. A light green that just radiates new life.This includes all of the plants and ferns that are now sprouting everywhere including the pretty cinnamon ferns. 

Walking beneath the trees, with the sun filtering through and the deep blues skies above was like walking in heaven. The smell  of the blooming honeysuckle made it even more heavenly. I love the Spring!

It was afternoon so there was not a lot of birds fluttering about,  but I still a few including this American redstart, 

and this yellow warbler. 

And of course the catbirds and red-winged blackbirds continue their noisy chatter irregardless of the time of day. 

Wildflowers blooming along the trail added to the magic of the May woods, they included the wild phlox or dames rocket,

and the pretty and delicate flowers of the native  pink azalea or honeysuckle. This flower is  not related to the Japanese honeysuckle that  fills the wetlands with its. wonderful fragrance. It is one of the flowers my dad loved, and would search for every Spring. It was these flowers, the lady slipper orchids and the “red top” mushrooms in the fall that he would tell me and my siblings to “keep our eyes peeled” as we searched for them in the woodlands near our home. 

There were quite a few people walking in the wetlands. Unfortunately I knew this before i saw many of them from the fleeing wood ducks, great blue and green herons as they approached.  This pair of Canada geese  stayed around as I walked by. 

As did this chipmunk.

I left the large old trees of the wetlands and hiked into the riverlands and  Lake Took-A-While. The waters of the lake reflected the deep blue skies.  Many fishermen took advantage of the lovely weather and lined the shores of the lake. As did many other folks walking along its shores. The  crab apple trees were in bloom and in one I saw a Baltimore oriole, 

and another yellow warbler. 

This new Canada geese family was lounging in the late afternoon sun. 

I walked to the end of the lake and decided to head back to the wetlands. It was  beautiful afternoon but I had already walked a few miles in the morning. On my way back I found the Canada  geese family decided to take a swim in the lake.

The riverlands and wetlands took on a different look in the late afternoon sunshine. I usually hike in the morning and rarely in the afternoon. I never stayed until sunset but made a promise to myself to do it this summer. I am sure the woodlands here  will take on a different beauty in the glow of the setting sun. 

I saw a few sparrows, robins catbirds and red-winged blackbirds on my walk back. This one was taking a bath in one of the canals.  I enjoyed the sunshine on the new green leaves of Spring. It is a wonderful time of year.  It is always good to be outdoors but especially in May on a sunny afternoon. This is a link to a gallery on my blog site with more photographs from my hike. PPL Wetlands hike May 21 2020. 

“Ô, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth.”
 ― Roman Payne

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