The First Day Of Fall At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It has been three weeks since I hiked in one of my favorite places, the Susquehanna Wetlands and River Lands, in Salem Township, Luzerne County. it is the first time I hiked here since I visited Havre de Grace and observed where this ancient river flowed into the Chesapeake Bay. I have seen both the source and final destination of the Susquehanna, one of my favorite rivers.
It was the first day of Fall when I arrived at the wetlands early Sunday morning. A lot has changed since my last visit. The most noticeable was the quietness. There were no song birds singing and very few other birds. No frogs, crickets, or cicadas were heard and there was a somber silence in the wetlands. One thing that didn’t change was the large flock of wood ducks that was still on the Water Fowl Pond near the entrance to the wetlands,
and they still are very good at flying away long before I can get close enough to get photos. 
On my drive on the access road to the wetlands parking lot I was greeted by this doe and her fawn, the fawn had lost already lost it’s spots and was almost as large as it’s mother.
I parked my Jeep and, as usual, walked down to the Susquehanna River. I was surprised to find the river was as low as I have ever seen it. Large areas of dry land were exposed in the river bed.
As I surveyed the low river a juvenile bald eagle flew from a tree over my head. The majestic bird soared right over me as I adjusted the settings on my camera. Unfortunately is was already on the other side of the river before I got this photos. 
I walked back up to the trailhead of the wetlands,
and found a lot of the colors of Fall appearing on the trees. A carpet of fallen leaves already began to cover the trail. 
Many of the leaves on the Virginia creeper vines had already changed into their bright red Autumn colors.
The bracken ferns along the trails were now withered and brown. 
In the hot days of August not many wildflowers bloomed in the wetlands, but now in the cooler days of September there were as lot of Fall flowers in bloom along the paths in the wetlands and river lands, including. white wood asters,
New England asters,
calico asters,
blue-wood asters,
white snakeroot flowers,
ironweed flowers, and 
great blue lobelia flowers. All of these flowers are native to Pennsylvania. 
The sun began to occasionally break through the clouds warming the cool morning air as I walked through the wetlands. It awakened a few frogs and crickets but their calls were somber and Fall-like and not the joyful songs they sing in Spring. 
I now saw some bird activity in the shrubs along the trail including a few song sparrows,
northern cardinals 
Carolina wrens,
gray catbirds, 
and common yellowthroats. The sang their cheerful songs in the morning sun.
In the tree tops I saw a small family of northern flickers,
and an American robin. 
The migratory warblers and vireos have left the wetlands and I was surprised to see this brown thrasher still here. It and the common yellowthroats and American robins will soon also head south. 
There were also large flocks of female red-winged catbirds flying overhead, also heading south, and occasionally landing in the tree tops. 
few gray squirrels scampered in the trees too. 
I walked over to the Water Fowl pond,
were I again encountered the large flocks of wood ducks,
and again watched as the flew away as I approached. 
I began my hike toward the river lands area of the private nature preserve walking along the tree that are gradually changing into their Fall colors. I also enjoyed the wonderful aroma of the hay-scented ferns along the trail.
I walked past the yellow jacket nest I had seen on prior hikes and discovered it was now abandoned. Not a yellow jacket stirred when hit with rocks I threw. 
I walked back down to the Susquehanna River, and, perched on a branch above the river was a beautiful broad shouldered hawk . We looked at each other for a few seconds while I focused my camera, but, as often the case, I missed a perfect photo opportunity and only got the tail end of the hawk as it flew away across the river. 
Before entering the river lands I came upon another small flock of wood ducks perched on a log,
and was able to get some better photos of these colorful birds. 
I walked into the river lands,
and walked along Lake Took-A-While.
As I began my walk I saw this petite pied- billed grebe swimming on the waters of the lake. The small diving bird did not seem to mind my presence. 
I continued my hike along the lake and noticed that much of the shrubs and plants along the lake was removed. I believe they are trying to eradicate invasive plant species. 
There were more signs of Fall along the trail including the bright red berries of the native spicebush,
and the delicate seeds of the milkweed pods. 
A belted kingfisher chattered as it flew over the lake and I saw a few more birds, including
an eastern phoebe, 
a few blue jays, 
and this great blue heron perched in the waters of a the canal on the others side of the trail,
I watched this graceful bird,
until it decided to look for a better fishing ground and flew away over the duck weed covered pond.. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the birds I saw on my first hike in the Fall at the wetlands and river lands. Susquehanna Wetlands birds. September 21 2024., 
As usual I walked to the far end of the lake. This week the large flock of Canada geese were not on the lake. I would geese they would be feeding in the surrounding farm fields.
I began my hike back to the wetlands under the cloudy September sky. I missed the songs of the warblers, vireos. thrushes and other migratory birds which have flown south, and the sounds of the frogs and insects that echoed in the wetlands and river lands during the Spring and Summer months.
I do enjoy the fall colors and the mushrooms that grow this time of year. There will be some birds will remain here in our woodlands in the Winter, and I will enjoy seeing them on the coldest and snowiest days of January, but I do not like the cold and dark of Winter anymore. It is a sad time of year for me and I am looking forward to flying south for a few weeks to accompany the migratory birds. I am already looking forward to, God-willing, another Spring. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from my first hike in the Fall at the wetlands and river lands. Susquehanna Wetlands. September 21 2024., 
Autumn is a season followed immediately by looking forward to spring.
– Doug Larson
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