This blog is not all about trash. It is also about environmental education and showing what is worth protecting. We need clean healthy ecosystems around us, to preserve biodiversity and for our own health as a species. For this post I took a trip back to Green Lane Park in Montgomery County, not for a clean-up, but to to see a species of bird I have never seen before and to show you just a small piece of the diversity in species we have in our own back yards. I was informed the day before that several Glossy Ibis had been spotted in Green Lane Park and I had some friends who enjoy bird watching who offered to show me the locations where the birds had been seen. I was happy to have the help, Green Lane Park is huge and just driving around I probably wouldn't have found the right areas.
In the morning we went to both of the locations where the Glossy Ibis had been seen with no luck. We did see a variety of other birds though. In this photo there is an Osprey perched on top of the roots of the downed tree, a flock of Canada Geese and the speck of white to the left of the Osprey and behind the Geese I was told was an immature Little Blue Heron. If you click on the photo it should enlarge so you can get a better look at the Osprey.
This TV and other larger items were spotted while we were scanning for the Ibis. Boats are restricted in this area and walking out to this wasn't an option. I may possibly be able to get permission to get back into this area and remove these items, it is going to take time though. To even launch a boat on the other portion of the lake it must first be dry docked at the site for a week and I would also have to plan the clean up around the time the least amount of birds would be in the area. I will be keeping this site in mind, yet it probably won't be a possibility until next year.
Every time I visit Green Lane Park I see at least one White-Tailed Deer. The area behind it that looks like a grassy field is actually the lake bed. The lake is lower than normal right now and I am told that this area is often underwater.
I am not good with identifying the smaller shore birds. I believe this is a Greater Yellowlegs. There were at least four different species of small shore birds and at first glance they all look very similar. My friends using spotting scopes were able to zero in on specific birds and show me the differences. This Yellow Legs was one of the few that was close enough for photos.
Seeing these birds was also a treat for me. These are Caspian Terns. When I think of Terns I don't think of a lake in Pennsylvania, I think of the coast. I have never seen Terns this far inland.
In the afternoon after a trip back to one of the sites, my friends gave up. It was hot and I don't blame them. They were kind enough to show me the areas and they put a lot of time in trying to show me the Ibis. I wasn't about to give up though. I had come to see the Ibis and I didn't want to leave until I did. I gave the first site of the day one last chance and I was glad I did. The Glossy Ibis was the first bird I saw when I walked down to the lake and it was close enough I could get a photo!
The Great Egrets and Green Herons were also still around so I snapped some shots of them as well. There are two Green Herons in the background behind the Great Egret in the photo on the left.
My last look at the Glossy Ibis before heading home. The trip was well worth it and I added another birds species to my life list. I am happy to report too that the trails that I did take in the park were very clean and I only had to remove a handful of trash.
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