Sunshine, Deep Blue Skies, Mountain Laurel And Song Birds At Tank Hollow In Carbon County

We finally had a Saturday with no  rain here in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  There has been at least  some rain every Saturday for weeks. I decided hike out to the overlook at Tank Hollow in State Game Lands 141 in Carbon County and check out the mountain laurel bloom.  Mountain laurel is our State Flower.  It may vary a little from year to year , depending on the weather,  but it usually blooms in mid June. The extent of the bloom may also vary from year to year.  Mountain laurel  may produce a  spectacular show one year and a sparser bloom the following  year or years. Location also affects the bloom. ( You can find my blog post from past year hikes in Tank Hollow by using the search tool in my blog).  I was hoping the mountain laurel would be putting  on a good show for us this year.

I arrived at the empty parking lot  at the Game Lands around 8 a.m.  A brilliant June sun shone in clear, deep blue skies. It was breezy  with  temperatures in the mid 60’s. It was perfect walking weather as I began my hike on the  gravel and dirt access road into the Game Lands.  During hunting season the gate is open and one can drive to the Tank Hollow trailhead. It is about  a one mile hike.   Oak, maple and my favorite, pitch pines grew along the trail.

Pitch pines are native to Pennsylvania and  they grew in the woodlands near my childhood home.  I loved their contorted shape and how their green branches contrasted the blue skies on clear days.  I love them even now in my older years, and have seen them along Walden Pond on a recent visit to Massachusetts,  and last week growing in sand dune along the Delaware Bay. They thrive in poor soils. I always enjoys seeing the tall pine  trees along this trail.

And where there are pitch pine trees I usually find pine warblers. I saw these pretty yellowish birds on my visits to Massachusetts  and Delaware and I  saw one singing in the trees on Saturday. This  bird was in an oak tree which is unusual. The usual nest and feed  in  the many different species of pine trees. They are a short distance migrant and  fly to the southern United States in the Winter.

I also saw another yellow warbler, this prairie warbler. This bird  migrates to the Caribbean in the Winter and returns early in  the Spring to breed in our woodlands.

While photographing the prairie warbler, a couple walked past me  and asked if I saw the snake on the trail.  I said no and asked what kind. They didn’t know. I walked back along the trail and came upon this beautiful  snake.

Well I am no  snake expert but  I believe it is a common garter snake.

I continued my hike on the trail and came to the area where there was some controlled burning by the State Game Commission a few years ago.

The burned area has grown in nicely and had became a great nesting area for migratory birds. I saw the same birds I have seen here the past few years , indigo buntings,

chestnut sided warblers,

field sparrows

an American robin

and many common yellowthroats.

The sheep laurel along the trail was now blooming, a sign Spring is coming to an end. This flower bloomed when we picked low bush blue berries , or “huckleberries ” on the pole lines near my house when I was a child. Good memories they always bring back to me.

The milkweed plants along the road were also  beginning to bud ,

as were the  Indian hemp plants . Both of these plants are native and are important sources of pollen for bees, wasps and butterflies.

Invasive hawkweed and,

oxeye daisies were also blooming.

Hay-scented ferns grew along the trail,

and I finally found what I  came for , mountain laurel blooming along the trail and in  the surrounding woodlands.

It has been a year since I have seen  these intricate, cupshaped flowers. The range in color form pure white to various shades of pink.  I already knew it was not going to be spectacular bloom this year. Some years both sides of the trail were white and pink, covered in blooming mountain laurel. There were still a lot of flowers in bloom and I hoped to see more  mountain laurel flowers near the Tank Hollow overlook.

As I continued on the trail I saw this oak “apple gall”. These “apples” are actually the nest of a species of wasp that lays it egg on  a oak leaf. The eggs hatch and larvae  and release chemicals and hormones that alter the shape of the leaf. It is another amazing wonder found in nature.

After about a mile the trail came  to a gate along a parking area and  descends down a steep ridge. The gate is open during hunting season and you can drive to the Tank Hollow trailhead. 

 It is a more mature woodland  here and I heard, and saw, the first of dozens of ovenbirds. These large warblers sing continually throughout the day and are very common in mature forests here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The got their name form their oven like nest they make  in the leaf litter on the forest floor.

It was about another  1/4 mile to the Tank Hollow trailhead. 

The trail to the overlook is  much narrower.  Some  parts of the trail  are  rocky and with exposed roots. Here, under the canopy of leaves many cinnamon ferns,

and bracken ferns grew along the trail.

As I walked through the woodlands I heard a train in  the Lehigh Gorge below ridge and overlook. I think it might have been the Union Pacific Big Boy that was visiting our area.

I continued my hike through the woodlands, and I heard the beautiful song of hermit thrush that was singing from a tree top,

and saw a few eastern towhees scurrying through the brush along the trail.

I came to the large thickets of mountain laurel which had created   almost magical  hikes in past years.  Not this year,

some of the mountain laurel was blooming, but not the spectacular blooms I had seen in some years. Some years the bloom is magical and  I have seen years when almost none of the laurel bloomed.  My past blogs contained more information on the blooming  of mountain laurel. 

I  reached the  rocky overlook and took in a partial view  of the spectacular  oxbow in  the Lehigh River below.

I didn’t want to climb and jump over the rocks to  get view of the entire oxbow  since I  was the only one there.  I don’t trust my older legs as much as I once did. On a Quest hike in college they called me “the mountain goat”.

Most times I have visited I run into a few other people admiring the breathtaking view of the gorge created by river and now part of Lehigh Gorge State Park.  I was still glad to be the only person at the overlook and enjoyed the solitude  of the spectacular view Sometimes there were a dozen people on the rocky outcrop.   I was glad I was alone.I took in the view and watched the river flow far below,

as turkey vultures  flew overhead or alongside the rocks of the overlook.

I also saw a black throated green  warbler.   I have seen one here now for almost 10 years.   It has to be the offspring of the first one I saw since they only have a five year life span.

After taking one last look at the beautiful view   began my hike back to the main trail.  On the way I saw, in almost exactly the same place as past years,  a black throated blue warbler.

I also saw a preview of the Mother Nature’s next show, a rhododendron was beginning to bloom. These  native flowers put on a show at the end of June.

On my hike back I met three groups of folks walking down to the overlook. It was going to get crowded at the overlook on this beautiful June afternoon. I walked back to the main access road trail and followed it out for about another  1/2 mile.

Here I found some pretty and delicate native yellow woodsorrel growing near stream along the trail.

It was getting late in the morning and there wasn’t much more  bird activity. I did see one more new birds a beautiful magnolia warbler. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web-site with some more photos of the birds I saw on my five mile hike. Tank Hollow Carbon County birds June 13 2026.

I also saw this red spotted purple butterfly resting on the trail.

The strong June  sun warmed up the cool morning air even under the shade of the trees. I had a 2 mile back up the ridge.  It gets a little harder walking back on my hikes each passing year, especially the steep climb up to the gate.

Once back up on the ridge I enjoyed  the June sunshine  as I walked under the pitch pine and oak trees.

Only a few of the many song birds I saw earlier where still active in the late morning. Snakes would now be active and I was hoping to see more snakes on trail. However I didn’t see any. I finished my 5 mile hike,  another great adventure. 

I love to hike and observe  the beauty of nature all over our country and our planet. But there is no better place to  enjoy in  it the in Penn’s Woods in my beloved Northeastern Pennsylvania. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web-site with some more photos from  my five mile hike. Tank Hollow Carbon County  June 13 2026.

My bonnie flower, with truest joy
    Thy welcome face I see,
    The world grows brighter to my eyes,
    And summer comes with thee.
    My solitude now finds a friend,
    And after each hard day,
    I in my mountain garden walk,
    To rest, or sing, or pray.

    All down the rocky slope is spread
    Thy veil of rosy snow,
    And in the valley by the brook,
    Thy deeper blossoms grow.
    The barren wilderness grows fair,
    Such beauty dost thou give;
    And human eyes and Nature’s heart
    Rejoice that thou dost live.

    Each year I wait thy coming, dear,
    Each year I love thee more,
    For life grows hard, and much I need
    Thy honey for my store.
    So, like a hungry bee, I sip
    Sweet lessons from thy cup,
    And sitting at a flower’s feet,
    My soul learns to look up.

    No laurels shall I ever win,
    No splendid blossoms bear,
    But gratefully receive and use
    God’s blessed sun and air;
    And, blooming where my lot is cast,
    Grow happy and content,
    Making some barren spot more fair,
    For a humble life well spent. 

MOUNTAIN LAUREL   Louisa May Alcott