Francis E. Walter Dam (28-Nov-2016)

Francis E. Walter Dam is part of the same network of reservoirs as Beltzville Lake, this network is utilized when water levels in the Delaware are low. There purpose is to keep the Delaware River with enough flow to push saltwater away from Philadelphia's drinking water intake. For some reason I was under the impression that they also kept saltwater out of power generating facilities intakes and they are not. With Beltzville so low, I thought I would go check out Francis Walter and see what I could find on the lakebed there. At Francis Walter when the water level is low a road is opened that allows you to drive through and park on the lakebed. When the water level is high the same road acts as a boat launch. After parking I headed to the right in the photo above. As you can see the left side really is not that accessible for hiking. 

I began finding items right away. This was something different. The coffee cups, placed under a rock, that contained corn cans. Was there a point to this or was it just a failed attempt to hide the trash?

There were no large piles of trash. Everything was spread out and some items were hard to see, even with this barren environment.

There was a good number of older cans. Pull tabs haven't been sold for decades and are a testament to the longevity of these items in even aquatic environments. When something man made is thrown out, it just doesn't disappear. 

Picked up a couple clumps of line. I think if I walked the high edge of the lake at the brush line I may have found more. 

For this find I could just imagine two hikers taking a break, enjoying the view across the lake, then leaving these two full bottles behind. The bottles showed the lake has been low for some time. The labels were sun bleached and the way they were set they were placed, not washed up. 

This is something I do not want to find anymore. Lakes, rivers, streams and their banks are not the proper place to dispose of diapers. These items take a long time to biodegrade and fresh ones can potentially be health hazards. 

On my way out the sun was angled right over the tower on the dam. It was an interesting sight. 

Before making it to my car I picked up this not. Procrastination, Anxiety, Jealousy, Anger, did I pick up someones thrown away bad habits. I think Procrastination at least rubbed off on me because this post is going up over a month late. 

The last view of the lake before I headed out. 

This was everything. I was hoping there would be a trash can at one of the parking lots around the dam. There was not, so I had to take and dispose of everything for this trip. 
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

Beltzville State Park (20-Nov-2016)

It was a dramatic change in temperature from the day before. A cold day with light rain in the air and I decided to go work on another section of the lakebed at Beltzville State Park. There is an unbelievable amount of trash that can be removed now that the lake is at lower levels. I know I am only going to be able to cover a small portion of it all, but every little bit does help. 

When I first got down to the lake, I could hear a Belted Kingfisher on the opposite side of the cove I was in. It landed next to the waters edge and I was able to snap this photo of it. 

On the lakes edge, just above the normal water line there were the usual items. Bottles, plastics and one of these...

Another diaper. I have found too many of these this year. Beltzville is one of the areas that I have frequented that has had a lot of them. I believe I have found one now at every access of the DCNR access to the lake and at some of the Game Commission accesses as well. 

After walking half the channel, I hit a portion of the main lake. I was really starting to get cold and I didn't go too much further past this point. 

I also didn't pick up too many items in this area. There were a few items, but everything was pretty spread out here and it didn't seem like much actually get caught up in this area. 

Penny is with me on almost every single hiking clean-up. I do pick up after her and I have never felt the need to toss her waste in a little plastic bag off of the trail or place it along the trail for others to pick up. I find dog bags along trailsides in many places, this is one left atop a coal waste deposit station. I don't know why people find this acceptable, they are still leaving their dog waste behind and they have added to it by also littering with plastic.

I had only taken my backpack with me and completely filled it. I will be back again soon to work on more of the lakebed before it fills up again!
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

Recycling Day! (18-Nov-2016)

I had been wanting to do a recycling day for a couple weeks. The conditions have to be right, with no chance of rain or wind. Finally I got a nice clear day and piled everything in the yard for the sort. There were 14 bags, one sack and a bin full of items to sort through and count, all of which was collected since my last recycling day on September 8th. 

Since I started doing these recycling sorts I have come up with a couple tricks to quicken the process. Not stopping for as many photos is one of them. The process still takes a lot of time though and with the shorter days I still wasn't sure I would finish before the sun went down. Luckily it did go fairly quick and it was just getting dark when I took the last load down to the recycling center.

In total on this sort I had 3,243 recyclable items. This broke down to 1,625 aluminum cans, 1,190 plastic bottles, 388 glass bottles, 30 plastic jugs, 6 plastic oil containers and 4 steel cans. 

The grand total for the year now stands at 15,779 recyclable items this project has taken out of our waters and off of our trails here in Eastern PA. I have not done all of this alone and have had help on multiple clean-ups from Leigh Ann Stratakos, Tyler Sacks and Jeffery Greco throughout the year. The clean-ups will continue and I am pretty sure I will at least top 16,000 removed recyclable items by the end of the year! 
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

Locust Lake State Park (17-Nov-2016)

Locust Lake State Park is close and I go there often. I have been trying to hit every trail and side path around the camping areas and lake. Although I haven't been finding much on walks there lately, I always find something. Nearly all the leaves are off of the trees now and soon colder weather will be here. 

The first items I found were a pair of shoes, not far from the visitor parking area. I am not sure how I missed these on previous trips, but they looked like they had been there at least a little while. 

I dropped the shoes off in the nearest trash can an took a trail below the dam to a small pond that the lakes overflow runs into before entering Locust Creek. I was hoping to see birds or other wildlife, but on this day I had no luck.

From below the dam I worked my way up and around the lake. I didn't gather much trash, but with the amount of times I have walked around this area I was surprised with the amount I did collect. 
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

Nescopeck State Park (12-Nov-2016)

On this excursion I went back to Nescopeck State Park to hike trails I haven't been on before. I parked at an access off of Honey Hole Road where the bridge above can be seen from the entrance. Before hitting the trails I took a side path up stream on the creek the bridge crosses. 

From the bridge itself I could see a beaver dam and that is what drew me to take the side path. 

Before getting to the dam I found a fishing spot that had a bit of trash around it. This would end up being the trashiest spot of the day.

The beaver dam looked like it still had beavers maintaining it. When I got to it I could see that the trail continued, but it was on the other side of a small channel that was filled by the dam. I couldn't go any further and headed back to the main trail.

Back on the main trail I met a hunter who had just arrived and walked with him for until we made it to the Wood Frog Way Loop. I always try to talk to hunters that are in the areas I am cleaning up. When I do I ask what direction they are headed in so I can respect their space and take a path away from where they plan to be. He was trying to harvest a turkey and when we got to the loop I wished him the best of luck and took the path away from him.

I found no trash along the loop and on the way out decided to take the smaller path down the stream. There I found a few items, but also found myself surrounded by small game hunters. It was then that I decided it was time to leave the woods to the hunters and head back to the car. I have no objection to hunting and I believe it is necessary without large predatory species which we have lost in Pennsylvania. When there are too many hunters in the woods though, it is not a place I want to be.

Got to take some new trails and found that the area is relatively clean. It was a good day, a little shorter than I wanted to do though. I probably won't be back to this area for at least a year for a 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

Locust Lake State Park (11-Nov-2016)

This was just a short walk at Locust Lake State Park. Since I have been here so many times I didn't expect much trash, but almost always there are some new items. I stuck to the trails closest to the lake and for those of you who haven't been here before there is a nicely paved path all the way around the lake. It is nice for those who may have trouble with trails.

 Only did find a few items on the walk around. These are the only bottles I found and removed.

The fishing pier. This also has paved access down to it and allows those who might not be able to get out into a boat a better cast into the lake for fishing. 

From the dam to the moon. Just days before the moon was closer to the Earth than it had been in over 60 years. I did try getting shots of the super moon, none turned out to be the greatest. 

A small pile for a short walk around the lake. Every little bit makes a difference, when you are out on a trail or at a local state park I really hope you decide to make a difference when you come across litter!

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