Wood Ducks, Wildflowers And A River Otter At The Susquehanna Wetlands

It’s hard to believe, it’s early September.  Summer went so fast. This blog is  about my visits to the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County the past few weeks. On my first visit,  a few weeks ago, in late August,  I already noticed the first  signs of  the end of Summer and the approaching Fall.  Some of the  leaves on  red maples along the ponds near access road  were already turning yellow and red.

The common buttonbush,

and spicebush plants along the ponds had produced their nutlets and berries.

It was cloudy and seasonably cool as I approached the ponds. A few  wood ducks flew off of the green duck weed covered waters.  I saw this great blue perched on a tree.

As it was flying off, I heard a loud  splash in the pond.  I thought it was a snapping turtle.  When I looked I saw the head of a river otter pop out of the murky waters. It looked at me and being chattering like a chipmunk or squirrel when their nests are approached, as if to scold me for getting to close to it’s territory. It did this a few times before diving and swimming away under the water. I have been seeing river otters return to the wetlands in the Fall the past few years. 

After seeing the river otter, I drove into the wetlands parking lot and trail head and took my  usual walk down to the Susquehanna River. The river was low since we did not get a lot of rain in late August. I  love  this ancient river.

I walked into the wetlands, and although there was some yellow colors on the red maples on the oak and sycamore  were still mostly green.

However, there were more signs of the end of Summer everywhere. The bright red berries of the jack-in-the- pulpit,

and bittersweet nightshade plants had appeared on the plants.

Native  wildflowers of late Summer, great blue lobelia and

early goldenrod bloomed along the trails.

The woods were a lot quieter than in the Spring and early Summer. Many of the migratory song birds had already begun their southward journeys . I did see the first of a few gray catbirds,

and eastern phoebes that are still here, and

this female American redstart,

and  juvenile or female magnolia warbler probably passing through the wetlands on their  migration. It is always a sad time of the year for me when the song birds leave our area.

I continued on the trail to the Water Fowl ponds, there were no water fowl on this pond,

but there were a few species of other birds in the shrubs and trees around the pond.  In addition to more gray catbirds and eastern phoebes I saw some still colorful American goldfinches feeding on American burnweed seeds,

and a noisy blue jay chartering  in the trees. Both of these birds will remain here for our long, cold Winter.

This  Baltimore oriole,

and warbling vireo I saw will soon be migrating south.

Walking to the second pond, I saw the large flock of wood ducks that have been here for most of August. I believe these are juveniles, perched on a log.

I was hoping to get a photo of them flying off as I approached but, instead, they plopped into the water and swam away. They may not have fledged yet.

I then began my walk along the canal towards the river lands, about a mile from the ponds,

on the way I saw a few mushrooms growing along the trail including,  I believe, a green cracking rusulla,

a parasol mushroom

and some colorful, but poisonous jack- o-lantern mushrooms.

Another sign of the end of Summer, and the growing season were the withered and brown bracken ferns along the rail.

The hay-scented ferns also had faded from the lush green of Spring. As the cool nights arrive they will turn a bright yellow and give off a wonderful aroma. Sadly, this beautiful  aroma always reminds me the cold dark Winter days are  near. 

Two more late Summer native wildflowers bloomed along the trail, NewYork ironweed,

and white wood asters.

I saw a 3 of the 7 species of woodpeckers that nest in Pennsylvania. A downy woodpecker,

it’s larger cousin a hairy woodpecker,

and this red-bellied woodpecker.

I also saw a female scarlet tanager in the tree tops. I usually see the colorful red males singing loudly  on my hikes more mature forests. I believe this female was migrating  south through the wetlands.

I walked back down to the Susquehanna River where I always hope to see a bald eagle, an osprey, a hawk or a belted kingfisher perched on a branch overlooking the river.

There were none but  I saw one of the  three great crested cormorants I have been seeing perched on a log in the river.   

I walked under to large oak trees  along the river,

and on the new trail cut through the old farm fields,

where I found  native white snake root and,

American hog-peanut flowers blooming along the trail.

There wasn’t much bird activity, but I saw a few painted turtles in the canal , and as it warmed up I heard the whirling of the annual cicadas.

I walked into the river lands area of the private nature preserve. Here fishing and pets are allowed. These activities are prohibited  in the wetlands.

I walked along scenic Lake Took-A-While,

seeing only the same four Canada geese that remain on the lake while the large flock forages for food in the surrounding farm fields during the day.

The were some breaks  in the clouds as  I walked almost another mile along the lake to the other end.

Along the way I saw some more late Summer wildflowers blooming including cutleaf coneflowers,

biennial bee blossom flowers

and prairie fleabane flowers, all three are native to Pennsylvania.. 

The smooth Solomon’s seal flowers, also native flower, I had seen in the Spring have produced their  dark blue berries.

Pearl crescent,

and small white butterflies were now fluttering near the wildflowers around the lake.  Here is a link to a gallery  on my blog website with some more photos of the wildlife is saw on  my  hike in the wetlands.  Susquehanna Wetlands wildlife August 30 2026.

I ended my hike on the far side of the lake and began my roughly 2 mile walk back to the wetlands parking lot.

It was near noon and there was not much bird activity but the cicadas were loud reminding me although Fall is approaching it was still Summer in the wetlands.Here is a link to a gallery  on my blog website with some more photos from my  hike in the wetlands.  Susquehanna Wetlands August 30 2026.

During the following week, I again hiked along the Susquehanna , but this time 100 mile down river near Havre de Grace Maryland, where the river ends in the Chesapeake  Bay. More on the adventure in my previous blog.  I returned to the wetlands in Luzerne County the following Sunday. It was overcast and much cooler with temperatures in the 50’s.   There was a definite touch of Fall  in the air.

I didn’t see the river otter on the ponds near the entrance road this week.  A few wood ducks and a great blue heron flew off as I approached the pond, before I could get any photos.   I did see a few gray catbirds and this Cooper’s hawk perched in a tree top.

I left the pond and followed the same routine as the previous  week, walking down to the Susquehanna River, which was covered in a mist,

and then into the wetlands.  There were more reds and yellow  colors in the wetlands on the red maple and other trees.

I saw a few of the same birds, downy woodpeckers, goldfinches and this warbling vireo as I walked on the wet grass on the trail.

The sun began to break through the clouds as I approached the Water Fowl ponds again.

Here I saw what looked like the same juvenile wood ducks perched on the same log as where I saw them a week ago. This time, however, they were able to fly away as I approached.  It won’t  be long until they leave the wetlands for the Winter.

I continued through the wetlands, noticing  the more color on the trees, plants and ferns along the trail.

I soon came  upon another group of juvenile wood ducks perched on a log,

and I was able to creep up on these colorful birds,

and get some photos before they finally flew off.

There were some more mushrooms growing in the wet grass on the trail including this, I believe , a russula mushrooms,

 this amanita mushroom, I believe it is a deadly destroying angel,

and  white coral mushrooms.

I walked down to the river again where I found the log where the great crested cormorants would perch had been washed way.  One of their cormorants was still here, swimming in the river.

I walked into the fields again and, as I was leaving, saw this solitary sandpiper wading in the canal along  the trail.  This bird is often seen in May and August in the wetlands when it is migrating to it’s breeding grounds in northern Canada, or returning to it’s Winter home in Central and South America and the Caribberan Islands.

I continued my usual walk into river lands, and, as I approached Lake Took-A-While there were some breaks in the clouds, creating some nice scenery near the lake.

There was not much wildlife activity along the lake but I did see a few bald faced hornets,

and this great blue heron  along the lake.   Here is a link to a gallery  on my blog website with some more photos  of the wood ducks and other wildlife from my  hike in the wetlands.  Susquehanna Wetlands wildlife September 6 2026.

I walked to the far end of the lake again, taking in the beautiful cloud formations,

and then headed back to  the wetlands.

Here,as I finished my 5 milehike,  I heard the cicadas again. It may be the last I hear them until next August. It is sad our Summer is ending.

I will enjoy the Fall, I love the beauty  of the foliage but I will be honest, I don’t like the shorter days and cooler temperatures. And I don’t look forward to our long,  cold, and dark  Winters anymore. I will make the best of the cold months and continue my visits in the wetlands but I will be waiting for my favorite sound, the songs of the Spring peepers next March.  Here is a link to a gallery  on my blog website with some more photos from my  hike in the wetlands.  Susquehanna Wetlands September 6  2026.

“Around a bend, a pair of wood ducks makes squeaking calls and rises with splashing and then whistling wings. You do not see the male’s brilliant garb of red, purple, green, and blue. But you know you are hearing the jewels of the marsh.”  — Bernd Heinrich