Nature
Didn’t Take Long. Snow Arrives At The Wetlands
In my last blog, from my Saturday hike, you may recall me complaining about the snow and ice that accumulated on the mountain ridge where I live in Luzerne County in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I don’t like ice and snow. So I hiked in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, at a much lower elevation, where…
Read MoreBitterly Cold Arctic Air Arrives For Christmas. A Couple Of Frigid Walks in the Wetlands
Frigid arctic air arrived here in Northeastern Pennsylvania on Christmas Eve. It was -4 degrees on Saturday morning with a steady 25 mph wind with higher gusts at my home in Hazle Township in Luzerne County. There were wind-chills warnings but I had to see how the frigid air affected Susquehanna Wetlands and the critters…
Read MoreWhitetail Deer And A Ring-Neck Pheasant. Some Year-End Visitors In My Back Yard.
As many of you who follow my blog know, I have many whitetail deer, birds and other critters visit my backyard in Hazle Township in Luzerne County. I am blessed to have acquired, and live on 90 acres of land that I grew up on, and explored, as a child. I have many species of…
Read MoreFog, Mild Temperatures And Lots Of Ice: A Year End Hike On The Greater Hazleton Rails To Trails.
It was a mild 46 degrees on New Year’s Eve morning here in Luzerne County. Almost all of the ice and snow had melted near my home in Hazle Township. A thick fog had formed. It was hunting season again so I decided to be safe and hike on the local Greater Hazleton Rails to…
Read MoreAn Icy Hike Along The Beaver Creek In The Penrose Swamp Barrens In Carbon County
The mild Winter weather continued here in Northeastern Pennsylvania on New Years Day. I awoke to clear skies and temperatures in the low 40’s. After my morning walk in my neighborhood I drove to historic Beaver Meadows where I decided to continue my exploration of the Penrose Swamp Barrens. This 2700 acre tract of land, located…
Read MoreWhat A Difference Two Weeks Make. A Couple Of Mild Hikes in the Susquehanna Wetlands
When I last visited the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County two weeks ago, it was more of a survival challenge then a pleasure hike. Temperatures were near zero and an arctic wind howled through the wetlands. The canals and ponds were frozen and the ice floated on the Susquehanna River. It was not a pleasant…
Read MoreKey West, It’s Been A Long Time Since I’ve Visited Florida’s Southernmost City. Too Long.
I started writing this blog after having spent about 7 hours on Key West, Florida’s famous southernmost key. And what an sensory overloading experience those seven hours were. So much to see and do. And I saw a lot on my 8 miles of walking through the busy streets of Key West. It’s been 33…
Read MoreFlorida Day Two: A Morning Walk And Sunrise In The Conch Republic
I was up early my second morning in the Conch Republic, as the locals like to call Key West. It was about a mile walk to Higgs Memorial Beach where I planned to watch the sunrise. I have learned on my travels, that as you get closer to the equator there is less twilight. Unlike…
Read MoreMy First Visit To Big Pine Key, The First Of Many, I Hope
After my breakfast at the Duval House in Key West I was on my way to Big Pine Key. It is located about 30 miles north on Route One also know as the Overseas Highway. I love driving this scenic and historic highway. This time I was driving a black Ford Explorer. I enjoy driving…
Read MoreFlorida Day Three: A Morning Exploring Big Pine Key. And My First Key Deer!
I awoke early my first full day on Big Pine Key. I was a little disappointed not seeing any key deer the previous day. Key deer are an endangered smaller sub-species of the North American whitetail deer. If you follow my blog you would know that their larger relatives visit my back yard in Northeastern…
Read MoreFlorida Day Three. A Manatee Sighting! And A Visit To Nearby Bahia Honda State Park.
After my morning walks on Big Pine Key , I spent some time relaxing and editing photos at the Barnacle Bed and Breakfast. In the afternoon I walked over to the canal again, and, this time I saw two manatees! They were barely visible floating in the water of the cove. Only small parts of…
Read MoreAn Awesome Day On Big Pine Key: A Sunrise Walk , A Lot Of Birds, Key Deer And An Afternoon Storm.
I was only there for less than two days , but I had already fallen in love with Big Pine Key. I loved the seclusion, the desolate beaches, and the wildlife. I didn’t think it could get any better, but it did! I awoke early again on Friday morning. I returned to my now favorite…
Read MoreA Cold Front, A Farwell to Big Pine Key And A Slow And Scenic Drive To Key Largo.
The weather had changed when I awoke on my last morning at the Barnacle Bed and Breakfast on Big Pine Key. The cold front only dropped the temperature into the low 60’s but there was a 25 mph wind blowing out of the northwest. I drove to back to the nearby trail along the deserted…
Read MoreFrozen Iguanas? A Familiar, But Frosty, Hike At Dagny Johnson State Park In Key Largo
I have been visiting Key Largo for a few years now. I have hiked in the Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park many times and have come to love this park located on the northern end of the key. . A failed land development was turned into a State Park. The park contains…
Read MoreAlligators, Anhingas, And Cormorants, , Despite The Cold, A Lot Of Wildlife At Royal Palm In The Everglades
After my cold morning walk in Key Largo, and seeing the frozen iguana, my expectations of seeing alligators in the Everglades that afternoon weren’t great. I love visiting the Everglades National Park, I have been visiting here in the Winter for about 10 years now. It was always so alive always so alive and even…
Read MoreFlorida Day Seven: A Frosty First Hike To Lucky Hammock And The Old Aerojet Road
I awoke early on Monday morning in Florida City. I wanted to watch the sunrise and then hike on the old Aerojet Highway and visit Lucky Hammock. This would be my first hike on the Aerojet Highway. I had hiked along the the Aerojet Canal last year. This wide canal was built to transport massive…
Read MoreAnother Mild January Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands
The mild January continued here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It was 8 degrees above average for the month. It was mostly sunny and 32 degrees on Saturday morning. I decided, as usual, to hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township in Luzerne County. Last week there was no ice on the Susquehanna River or the…
Read MoreAn Early Drive To Flamingo , A Crocodile And My Last Sunset In South Florida
I was on the road early Tuesday morning on my recent visit to South Florida. It was my last full day in the Everglades and I was driving to Flamingo, the southernmost point in the Everglades National Park. It is about an hour drive from my hotel in Florida City. As usual, I try…
Read MoreA Mild, But Dreary Hike On The Greater Hazleton Rails to Trials.
It was another mild day here in Northeastern Pennsylvania last Sunday. Cloudy and dreary, but mild. Temperatures were near 40 degrees when I decided to hike close to home on our local Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails near my home in Luzerne County. Once again I drove to the east side trail near the village…
Read MoreMy Last Hike on The Anhinga Trail At Royal Palm Visitor Center And My First Visit To Dania Beach
It warmed up a little on my last day in South Florida. I picked a cold week to visit the Keys and Everglades this year. The morning temperatures were in the 40’s for most of my visit. The morning temperature was 56 degrees on my last full day in the Sunshine State, but much warmer…
Read MoreFrigid Arctic Weather Returns To The Susquehanna Wetlands Stranding An Out Of Luck Duck
I may have spoke too soon about our mild Winter in my last blog. Frigid arctic air returned to Northeastern Pennsylvania last Friday. A bitter wind, over 25 mph, plummeted temperatures into the single digits. It was 2 degrees at my home in Hazle Township, Luzerne County on Saturday morning. I decided to see how…
Read MoreMilder Temperatures And Mallard Ducks On The Weissport Canal Trail
After a sudden, but brief, two day frigid arctic cold wave, milder temperatures returned to Northeastern Pennsylvania on Sunday. It was 24 degrees at my home in Hazle Township Luzerne County , 22 degrees warmer than the frigid 2 degrees a day earlier. I decided to drive south to the Weissport Canal in Carbon County.…
Read MoreSkunk Cabbage And A Wood Duck! The First Signs Of Spring At The Susquehanna Wetlands.
It’s not the robin, but the lowly skunk cabbage, that I consider the first sign of Spring here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I know it it blooms early, usually popping up through the snows in late February or early March. However, I was surprised to find one on my hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands on Saturday. …
Read MoreIt’s Been A Long Time, An Overdue Visit To Beltzville State Park.
While on my hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands on Saturday, I met a nature photographer friend who told me about seeing a lot of ducks in Beltzville State Park in Carbon County. I also have heard reports of of bald eagles sightings there too. Although Beltzville State Park is the same distance from my home…
Read MoreThe John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. A Cloudy, Rainy But Interesting Hike In South Philadelphia
I first saw what I now know is the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Philadelphia in the early 1990’s. It was shortly after the “Blue Route” or Interstate 476 was opened to traffic. We used this route as a “short cut” to travel to Phillies baseball and Eagles football games from my home in…
Read MoreA Quick Five Mile Hike In The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge In Philadelphia
I was up early Saturday morning during my recent overnight stay in Philadelphia . I wanted to hike and continue my exploration of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge located in South Philadelphia. I also wanted to enjoy the breakfast at the Gables Bed and Breakfast where I was staying. And, to see some…
Read MoreA Close Encounter With A Great Blue Heron At The Susquehanna River Lands.
I enjoy hiking in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County because of the abundance of wildlife I often see there. I have seen bald eagles, river otters, cinnamon bears, bobcat’s red foxes and many species of song birds, frogs, insects, snakes and turtles on my hikes here. I always hope to see one of the…
Read MoreExploring The University City Neighborhoods Of Philadelphia.
I had a meeting to attend near Philadelphia last Friday and I decided to stay in the City for the night. I stayed at the Gables Bed and Breakfast, located in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia .I wanted to be near the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge located in South Philadelphia. I enjoyed my…
Read MoreMy First Winter Walk In Leaser Lake in Lehigh County
It was just last year when I first visited Lesser Lake in late March . I enjoyed my hike around the scenic lake situated below the Blue Mountain in Lehigh County. I also was fascinated by the local history and it’s connection to the Liberty Bell. I hiked there again last Summer and Fall. I…
Read MoreFebruary Ends With No Snow And Little Ice At The Susquehanna Wetlands.
It was the last weekend in February and there was still no snow on the ground or thick ice on the rivers and lakes here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The mild weather continued most of last week. A cold front had came through the area on Friday night dropping the temperatures into teens on Saturday morning…
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