Frances Slocum State Park (7-Dec-2016)

I was in the area visiting family and decided to do a small clean-up at Frances Slocum. This was only my second time to this park and I still have a lot of it to explore. My first stop was at a boat launch access and from here I worked my way along the bank to a small dam where I picked up most of the trash on this trip. 

The lake is the biggest attraction this park has. I do plan to get out on the water here sometime for a clean-up, but it will have to wait until the spring or summer. On the lake itself there were several dozen Common Mergansers. In this photo the white dot on the right is one, I couldn't get close enough to any for a good photo though. 

This was all of the trash from the first stop. Most lined the base of the dam. As usual the recyclables were loaded into my car and everything else was deposited in one of the cans near the launch. It seemed as though fishermen were the biggest litter offenders at this location. 

In addition to the Common Mergansers, I also came across some common mammals. The Grey Squirrel on the left was chowing down on something on the log and the young White-Tailed buck was nibbling on some small plants. From the angle of the photo of the buck you may not be able to tell it is a male, but it did have two small spikes.

I made another stop in the main portion of the park and took some trails. For the most part the trails away from the lake were pretty clean. On the lake edge and around a picnic area is where almost all of this was found. The kids throwing toy has already found a new home and I can happily say that this specific piece of trash is being used again before it will eventually be discarded. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Middle Creek Reservoir (14-Nov-2016)

I picked up around a pack full of trash on this trip, but I am not including it in this post. I went to Middle Creek Reservoir in Lancaster County with, father and son, Joe and Jeff Greco. The Reservoir and surrounding lands are owned and managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Although it is State Gamelands a large portion of the area is not open to hunting. Migratory birds use this large waterbody as a stop on their long journeys and at times hundreds of thousands of geese and other waterfowl can be seen congregating on the water. By not allowing hunting here, the Game Commission has given these migratory birds a large safe haven for them to rest and feed. We were too early for the large migrations of Snow Geese, but on sections there were many Canada Geese. Our main goal for this trip was to see a variety of duck species and we managed to do just that.

Here Joe is scanning a smaller pond disconnected from the main lake by the road. All of the waterfowl here stuck to the far shore and nothing really came in close. Joe and Jeff did spot Canada Geese, Black Ducks, Mallards, Mergansers, Ring-Necked Ducks, Gadwall and an American Coot the first time we stoped at this location. 

The visitors center was closed on Mondays, but we did park at it and did some birding around it. If you are interested in going to the visitors center it is always closed on Mondays and during the winter from Thanksgiving to January 31st. Above is a Red-Bellied Woodpecker that was in one of the trees around the center. 

I walked down one of the access roads while Joe and Jeff were birding around a small empty impoundment. Somehow I spotted this Brown Creeper and by the time they caught up with me it was gone. They said this was hardest bird to find out of all that we saw on the trip. I wish they could have seen it too. 

This is a mammal that shouldn't be found in wildlife management areas. Feral house cats are very good at stalking and killing wild birds and other small wildlife. If you have a house cat please keep them indoors and never release them into wild areas. They really can do a lot of damage to our native wildlife. This was one of several we noticed around the management area. 

These deer looked like they knew they were in a protected area and didn't pay too much attention to us. We passed this small group a couple times and they didn't move far from where we spotted them in the morning. 

Canada Goose on the left and Ring-Necked Ducks in the middle and to the right. You can click on the photos to enlarge them for a better look. 

In this photo there are Common Mergansers to the left, a Gadwall with wings up in the center and in the back and to the left Canada Geese.

The only bird in focus and in flight in this shot is the one bird I wanted to see on this trip. It is a Northern Shoveler and this was only the second time I have ever seen one. They get there name from their wide, long bill which kind of resembles a shovel. 

I didn't take many photos of the main portion of the reservoir. There was very limited access at this time of year and most of the birds that were close on the water were Canada Geese. 

A Pileated Woodpecker flying over the reservoir. I have been trying for a long time to get closer photos of a Pileated. For me that seems to be impossible. 

A special thanks to Joe and Jeff Greco for letting me tag along. Before I left for home I got to see this Opossum in their yard. I hope that you, the reader, have enjoyed the photos. I would have done more trash collecting on this trip, had I been able to access some of the areas. I could see a lot of trash on the waters edge at least in the areas along the road. During the summer when there are not large numbers of waterfowl the reservoir is open to boating and I do plan on going back for an on the water clean-up. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Nesquehoning (28-Oct-2016)

Stayed close to home for this clean-up and hit some trails not far away. This is an area I have been to and cleaned up many times. It generally has the normal trailside trash and sometimes I will come across a party site.

Along the access road there were a number of Shaggy Mane Mushrooms. To my knowledge this was the first time I have come across this species and they were pretty cool looking and every one looked slightly different. 

This was one of two small reservoirs I hiked out to. The colors are already starting to fade and I think soon all but the evergreens will be bare. 

It was a cold and windy day, so I didn't think I would find any amphibians or reptiles out and about except for maybe a Red-Spotted Newt. This Green Frog was out and looked like it shouldn't be. Its exposed skin looked dried out and at first I wasn't even sure it was alive. It did burry itself under when I got too close though. 

I did think I would find Red-Spotted Newts. This is one amphibian I can find year round at a few locations. 

This moss was growing on a rock in one of the streams I followed. I don't know the species and there really isn't anything special about it, I just liked the photo. 

Came upon this young White-tailed buck walking across a small field. I watched it for awhile and it didn't even know I was there. Then Penny noticed it and started barking. It looked at us and must have decided it was best to run away because that's what it did next.

Hiking out one of the trails, two Golden-crowned Kinglets came in to take a look at Penny and I. They stuck around the trailside for a few minutes then flew off back into the woods. 

I was shocked to find this Black Racer on such a cold day. It was sunning itself on an exposed portion of the trailside. This snake allowed me to get closer to it than most Racers do. I think since it was so cold it just wasn't up for moving that much. 

By the end of my hike I had just over a backpack full of trash. Most everything picked up was new from this past year, like I said at the beginning of the post this is an area I have cleaned many times before. I will probably do more hiking in the surrounding area as winter approaches. 
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Nescopeck State Park (29-June-2016)

Took to the trails at Nescopeck State Park. Haven't been to this park since the winter and was wondering how clean it would be. 

There ended up being more wildlife along the trails that trash, something I am always happy to see. A Juvenile Green Frog is on the left and a Red Eft stage Red-Spotted Newt on the right. 

With it being such a hot day I tried my best to stick to the trails closest to the streams. Here beavers have turned one of the smaller creeks into a nice sized pond. 

If you are out hiking around any water source at this time of year be mindful of turtles laying eggs or hatchlings emerging from eggs laid last year. I came across two Painted Turtles digging nests right on the trails and one nest that hatchlings had recently emerged from. The remnants of the turtle egg shells are on the right.

It was slim pickings for trash, most of the trails were spotless and the streams were not too bad either.  Things can always be found though if you look hard enough.

In a couple places I was able to cover both sides of the streams. I stuck to the paths though so I had to skip some portions. What a beautiful area though. 

One of the many shallow ponds throughout the park. 

This was all for trash. Why can't all of our parks have this little. 

This buck was on the trailside and didn't seem to mind too much that I was there. For a time I stood and watched as it went between eating and watching me.

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Perkiomen Creek Sojourn: Preliminary Run (5-June-2015)

This past Friday I took a paddle down the Perkiomen Creek. Saturday the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy was running a sojourn and I was one of the guides. Creeks and rivers are ever changing, so before any trip it is good to have someone run the route to make sure there are no hang ups and to plan the best possible route. 

I set out in the afternoon and it was a beautiful day. Sunny, but not too hot and the water levels were low, yet still deep enough to get through most areas easily. 

This Northern Water Snake was the first animal I came across. This individual was not bothered at all by me paddling by and didn't move at all as I passed. 

Three Whitetail deer decided to go for a swim in one of the deeper sections at the start of the trip.

This male Painted Turtle was not quick enough and was caught for a shot. The sex of painted turtles can be easily distinguished by the size of the turtles front claws. Males have long front claws, females generally tend to have short ones. 

This water wheel still sits on the first dam on this section of creek. The dam is blown out in the middle and the wheel has not been functional for some time.

A lot of calm water.

Lots of painted turtles were sitting out basking. Almost every downed tree or log in the river in the sun had at least one on it.

This fawn seemed to be a little curious. It lifted its head and watched me as I drifted by.

One really nice thing was that there was not much trash. I did clean up most of what I could see.

At this point I ended up backtracking a little bit and taking another channel to see if there was a better way to make it around.

This mink wasn't bothered at all with me being there. It came running down the bank and jumped in the water in front of me. It stayed under water much longer than I expected it could and I snapped this shot when it re-emerged and ran back up the bank with a crayfish in its mouth.

This is the main reason to run a creek or river ahead of a trip. This channel was the best way around an island as far as depth, but a blockage like this could cause serious trouble with a group.

Another Northern Water Snake.

This little Red-Eared Slider is a non-native species here in Pennsylvania. It shows that these released turtles are breeding in our waterways. I collected two small sliders on this trip and found them new homes. I would like to point out it is illegal to release any reptiles or amphibians in this state. This species does make life a little bit harder for native species like painted turtles. The more Red-Eared Sliders there are in our waterways the more painted turtles have to compete for resources like basking areas and food.

Great Blue Heron in flight. There were many Great Blues on this section. None wanted to stick around for a photo.

This is some sort of old factory. It looks abandoned, yet isn't in that bad of shape.

A small construction project blocked the right side of the creek.

Up another stream to the take out point.

Finished at Hoy Park. The whole trip only took around 3 hours. It was an extremely nice paddle and it was good to see the amount of wildlife I came across on the trip.

This was it as far as trash. Not much, but still got some out of there!