Tuscarora State Park and State Gamelands (2-Feb-2017)

With random snow showers through the day I chose to just do a hike at Tuscarora State Park. I knew I would not find much trash and I didn't know if everything would be covered in snow by the time I was done. 

A few times during the hike the snow was coming down somewhat heavy. Not much was accumulating on the ground though. I stuck to the trails on the back end of the lake and went along the field edges and through one of the old pine groves. 

The rows make it very clear that this isn't a natural pine forest. Pine tree farms are very common in the area and this grove was probably planted well before the state purchased the land. 

Hiking out I passed by a flock of Cedar Waxwings and American Robins off of the trailside. Several times now I have seen these two species flying together. The interesting thing to me is although they seem to go together as a group the two flocks stay separated. The only thing I can think of is that they may feed off of the same food sources and this separation prevents conflict. Has anyone else observed this or know the answer to why they don't seem to mix in together? 

When I approached passed on the trail the majority of Robins moved further away and the Waxwings stuck around.

One of the American Robins. 

This was it at Tuscarora and it was about as much as I anticipated finding. From there I went to a local gamelands for another short hike and to try to pick up a few more items before heading home. 

This winter the Game Commission has done a lot to this gamelands. It may look bad, but this is part of how they manage their lands for game species. This area will either be left to grow in as grassland habitat or it will be planted with feed crops for game species. The areas that are left to grow as grasslands also benefit non-game species as well providing nice field habitats. If you are wondering why there is no snow, the sun did break through for a short time and was enough to melt the open areas like this. 

Like Tuscarora there wasn't much trash at this location. I enjoy areas like this where I can cover a good amount of ground and not find much. 

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State Gamelands (19-Jan-2017)

Since on the 13th I found a good amount of trash at one of the gamelands accesses near Beltzville, I decided to go back and see what some of the other gamelands were like around there. I first started at one away from the lake that I have never found a whole lot of trash at. I walked the field edges, picking up shotgun shells mostly and found a flock of Cedar Waxwings and Robins. Two of the Cedar Waxwings are above. 

On the edge of a high grass field I found this larvae that I believe is a Sawfly. It is not the first time I have come across larval stage insects in winter, but it is not often I find them at this time.  

This was all I picked up at the first stop and is about what I expected to find. Hunters, please pick up your plastic shell casings after you take a shot. 

I then stopped at another gamelands access, this time next to the lake. Above are a few Black Ducks swimming in one of the coves on the lake. 

Wherever trails meet the water I always seem to find trash. This time the majority of it was fishing items. 

This was everything at the second stop. I was happy I didn't find piles like I did on the 13th. 
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