Wood Ducks, All In A Row , Catbirds And Cicadas On A Hike In the Susquehanna Wetlands.

As usual I had a lot of choices where to hike when I awoke last Sunday morning. I enjoyed my long overdue hike in the State Game Lands 119 on Saturday. There were many other places I didn’t visit in awhile. But the Susquehanna Wetland called me back again. I know there were many wood ducks there and, although I’m usually not successful, I keep trying to photograph these beautiful birds. I got lucky and was ab le to photograph  some juvenile wood ducks last week .

So, after some coffee and my usual 2 mile morning walk through my neighborhood I drive to the wetlands arriving around 7:30 a.m. There was some fog when I stopped at the Water Fowl pond and saw this great blue heron perched on a small island in the middle of the misty pond. It reminded me of an illustration in the Tao Te Ching I had in college.

I watched as it flew off when it saw me.I didn’t see any of the wood ducks that are usually here.

I drove  to the wetlands parking lot and walked down to the mist covered Susquehanna River. I saw no wildlife on this cool morning but I enjoyed the sound of a passing train in the other side of the river.

I walked into the wetlands and heard, even on this cool morning, the first sounds of the cicadas

I saw a family of wood ducks on one of the ponds and ,

heard and saw a few swamp sparrows.

I walked along the Beaver trail to the Water Fowl pond seeing some mid Summer flowers including  native swamp milkweed and

invasive purple loosestrife

 Nightshade flowers, also invasive, also bloomed along the trail.

There were no wood ducks on the Water Fowl Pond

but I did see this gray catbird, it would be the first of many I would see on my 5 mile hike.

I also saw  a common yellowthroat near the pond.

As I walked toward the river lands section of the trail, more cicadas joined the chorus and got louder as the sun warmed the morning air.

I also heard a loud rapping coming from the tree tops and saw a pair of pileated woodpeckers.

I was lucky since they often fly off as I approach,

but these two flew from tree to tree as I watched.

Closer to the ground I saw a few song sparrows and,

blue-gray gnat catchers.A Carolina wren sang a cheerful song in a nearby tree.

A few eastern cottontail rabbits scurried across the trail

and this gray squirrel was feeding on the first hickory nuts of the season.

I continued on  my hike into the river lands and came to the deep green  duck weed covered canal where I saw the five female juvenile wood ducks on my hike the previous week.

And I saw them again, five  wood ducks all in a row. It was very unusual for these elusive ducks not to fly off. They usually are gone as soon as they see or hear me approach.

These ducks sat there while I watched and photographed them. I believe it was for two reasons. The first I don’t think mommy duck was around,

and they hadn’t fledged and obtained their ability to fly yet. Well not all of them, 

Two of them got nervous as I got closer and slid off of the log and into the water. They flew a short distance further down the pond.  The others followed but swam to safety in the vegetation along the canal. 

The two that flew off still remained on the canal when I approached them again, making me think they can’t fly far yet. It was a great experience to  see the wood ducks up close.

I walked  to the trail along Lake Took-A- While

where I met some folks walking along the scenic lake and fishing along it’s shore. I didn’t see any eagles, hawks, ospreys, kingfishers ducks geese  or herons.

The only wildlife I saw along the lake were insects, a few dragonflies and swarms of the large cicada killing wasps.

There were still plenty of cicadas and their song was now almost deafening as I walked along the lake. I loved it.

There were some wildflowers along the trail including while meadowsweet,

common evening primrose and,

early giant goldenrod, all native and all signs Fall was approaching.

I walked to the far end of the lake before beginning my hike back to the wetlands. It was a beautiful Summer day for a hike.

Unfortunately I didn’t see much wildlife in my hike back just the eastern phoebe. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the birds I saw on my 5 mile hike in the wetlands. Susquehanna Wetlands birds August 3 2025.

“It was August. The cicadas swarmed overhead, iridescent wings beating the air as they flew above the landscape, breathing fresh air for the first time in seventeen years. Each summer brought a new brood, erupting forth from the earth, like corpses rising on judgment day, a reminder of the never-ending cycle of life and decay.”   Jesse Stryker 

 

I walked through the lush green Summer foliage in the wetlands listening to the loud sounds of the cicada. It was another wonderful hike these wetlands I have come to know and love. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from  my 5 mile hike in the wetlands. Susquehanna Wetlands  August 3 2025.

After finishing my 5 mile hike I headed home stopping at some farms to purchase fresh corn, garlic and hot peppers. I love fresh produce . I love Summer.

“It was August. The cicadas swarmed overhead, iridescent wings beating the air as they flew above the landscape, breathing fresh air for the first time in seventeen years. Each summer brought a new brood, erupting forth from the earth, like corpses rising on judgment day, a reminder of the never-ending cycle of life and decay.”   Jesse Stryker