Mother's Day At The PPL Wetlands.

Mother's Day At The PPL Wetlands.

PPL Wetlands geese-2
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            <![CDATA[It started out rainy and cool again here in Northeastern Pennsylvania but the forecast called for clearing so I headed down to the  PPL Wetlands where I hoped to find some cool stuff to photograph.  And as usual the wetlands didn't disappoint me. Even before I parked my car I saw  this   proud mommy goose, above,  taking  her young goslings for a swim on the river.  Daddy followed closely behind. A perfect way to start Mother's Day. Here is a link to some more photographs of the goose family celebrating Mother's Day.<a href="https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/birds-of-pennsylvania/nggallery/birds-of-pennsylvania/geese-and-goslings-may-8-2016"> <span style="color: #ff0000;">https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/birds-of-pennsylvania/nggallery/birds-of-pennsylvania/geese-and-goslings-may-8-2016</span></a><a href="https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/PPL-Wetlands-geese-6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-49725" src="https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/PPL-Wetlands-geese-6-300x226.jpg" alt="PPL Wetlands geese-6" width="300" height="226" /></a>

The sun was breaking through the clouds soon after I parked my car and brightened the lush new growth of leaves. that sprouted in the last week. PPL Wetlands -2

And it wasn’t only the trees that have come to life. So many native plants and flowers could be found along the trails including the  beautiful flowers of the mandrake or may apple. The fruit of this plant are edible and will ripen in late summer.PPL Wetlands -11

I also saw some of the he unusual jack in the pulpit plants which, like the mandrake only grow in rich moist soils.PPL Wetlands -16

And the pink azalea were now in full bloom adding  contrast to the light greens leaves. PPL Wetlands -22

The air was filled with the fragrance of the honeysuckle which bloomed throughout the wetlands and riverlands adding to the heavenly feeling of walking under the lush new growth of the tall and ancient trees in the early morning sunshine. PPL Wetlands 128

Although it is early for them, the  rainy weather brought a lot of mushrooms. PPL Wetlands -4

And, of course, the trees and bushes echoed with the songs of so many species of birds, including these beautiful yellow warblers. PPL Wetlands critters -4

As I walked from the wetlands to the riverlands I encountered this wading bird, one I never saw before, which, with the help of a friend, I learned was a solitary sandpiper, a shore birds  that is sometimes found in our area. Here is a link to some more photographs of this beautiful bird. https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/birds-of-pennsylvania/nggallery/birds-of-pennsylvania/solitary-sandpiperPPL Wetlands sandpiper -9

The noisy catbirds returned to the wetlands and they were making all kinds of noises  as the fluttered in the brush along the paths. PPL Wetlands critters -12

They are almost as noisy as the red winged blackbirds which is one of the most common birds in the wetlands. I caught this female appearing to feed on some water plants on one of the old canals.  Here is a link to some more photographs of  her on the water. https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/birds-of-pennsylvania/nggallery/birds-of-pennsylvania/red-winged-blackbirdPPL Wetlands red winged blackbird -2

And there were so many others, including  cardinals, robins, nuthatches, woodpeckers,  mallards, sparrows and grackles. PPL Wetlands critters -14

In the trees along the old canals in the riverlands I found a few of the colorful baltimore orioles  perched high above in the new leaves. PPL Wetlands baltimore oriole -7

On my way back I saw another new bird I never saw before the yellow throated vireo. And as I photographed this beautiful little bird I realized it was have an insect for breakfast. I was able to take photographs of the meal and here is the link to see them. https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/birds-of-pennsylvania/nggallery/birds-of-pennsylvania/yellow-throated-vireoPPL Wetlands yellow throated vireo -14

There was so much to see today. I ran into a blue heron wadding in the water and watched it slowly search for it prey, a fish or frog. Unfortunately it didn’t catch anything while I watched but I am sure it’s  patience paid off.  Here is a link to some more of this bird wadding in the water. https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/birds-of-pennsylvania/nggallery/birds-of-pennsylvania/blue-heronPPL Wetlands blue heron-6

As the sun warmed it up the  logs, rocks and banks of the ponds filled with frogs and turtles who also missed the warm rays of the May sun.  Here is a link to some more of the many critters I saw at the wetlands today.https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/photographs-page-2/nggallery/photographs-page-two-blog/ppl-wetlands-critters-may-8-2016PPL Wetlands critters -5

There was  just so much to see today. I could go on for hours relating the many wonders of nature that I saw. I wished I could have stayed out all day but I was hungry and tired from my hike yesterday, and I had to go visit mom, so I decided to  head out of the wetlands. but on the way, I had one more treat from Mother Nature, a sighting of one of my favorite birds. a pileated woodpecker. I have always loved this large and elusive birds. pileated woodpecker -1

 

It was the perfect way to end a perfect day. Here is a link to some more photographs from my hike in the wetlands.https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/photographs-page-2/nggallery/photographs-page-two-blog/ppl-wetlands-may-8-2016PPL Wetlands -38

 

“Mother Nature is our teacher—reconnecting us with Spirit, waking us up and liberating our hearts. When we can transcend our fear of the creatures of the forest, then we become one with all that is; we enter a unity of PPL Wetlands -33existence with our relatives—the animals, the plants and the land that sustains us.”
Sylvia Dolson,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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