Glen Onoco Falls Trail (7-Mar-2017)

It was over to Glen Onoco Falls for this trash hike. In my area the falls are a main attraction to tourists and locals alike. They are accessed through the Lehigh Gorge State Park, but are actually on PA State Gamelands. The trails up the falls really are not maintained and there are several areas that are washed out due to heavy usage. On the few trash hikes I have done at the falls since the start of Taking Out the Trash, I have always come back down with full bags. Too many people utilize these trails and too many do not respect the natural world around them, leaving trash where they should only leave footprints. 

Before heading up the trails followed the Lehigh around a bend and to the point where Glen Onoco Run flows into the river. This area too along the lower portion of the run can get pretty trashy as well. 

Most of the items along the lower portion were hidden. Either wedged into cracks between rocks or underneath Rhododendron, that lines the stream sides.  

The entire run is filled with waterfalls. Most venture here to see the large ones towards the top, but I prefer the much more natural looking smaller falls at the bottom. 

There were a lot of dog bags the last time I did this hike too. These I can't just throw in my trash bag. Most dog bags are made of thin plastic that photodegrades somewhat rapidly compared to other plastics. Often the bags are degraded enough they tear apart when picked up. So I have to use another bag, most of the time another dog bag, to pick these up. 

From the bottom I looped back to the main trail and started taking it up. There was recently rain and even this part of the trail was slick on the right rocks. There are warning signs along nearly the entirety of this trail because especially by the falls the trail can get really slick. Since I have lived in the area there have been a number of deaths and several serious injuries here, the warning signs are there for a reason. 

It would be much easier if people just left their trash on the trail, easier still if they just took it out with them. At several spots I had to climb down off of the trail to get items. In a couple places there was trash that I couldn't safely get, so some items that I saw did remain. 

More falls greeted me when the trail connected with the side of the run. Going up I not only had to make sure every step was secure, but I also had to check every space between the rocks for trash. Throughout this section people seem to like to shove their junk between the rocks, hidden mostly out of sight. 

Other items are just thrown up off the side of the trail. Everything I found was pretty common trail trash.

I got around half way up to the top and I ran into some ice patches. I decided it would be best to turn around and come back when conditions are a little more favorable. I did go around this patch and made it up to the falls that can be seen in the background, but this was my turn around point. 

My idea of Nirvana is not plastic bottles in what could be a pristine stream. 

On the way back down I did find some more trash, including this somewhat hidden diaper. I will never understand people who just leave behind diapers and dog bags. Part of being a responsible parent or pet owner is cleaning up after the little critter you are taking care of. 

Even with only making it half way up the falls I removed all of this. All of it too is new since I did a clean-up here last year. If you go to places like Glen Onoco Falls, please respect the area and take your trash out with you. 

I did one more short walk down by the river. I thought I might find some more stuff and I was right. 

A beer bottle and a diaper. Just like the dog bags I also bag the diapers up in an additional bag. 

Not far from the last one was another. 

I would have found this clean-up to almost be enjoyable if it wasn't for the diapers and dog bags. This was everything from the short walk along the Lehigh. Recyclables and trash were bagged separately and I was glad it was garbage night. The non-recyclables went right in the can on the curb when I got home. 

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Middle Creek (4-Mar-2017)

I had never been to Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area during the annual waterfowl migration. More than a couple people told me it was a sight to see and when I found out Rick Wiltraut from Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center was running a program there, I had to go. Most of the group drove down with Rick from Jacobsburg and some of us met them there. For me it was closer just to drive to Middle Creek. Above Rick is starting the program in Middle Creek's Education Center. He explained the importance of the Management Area and went over the species that we might come across while taking the tour. From the center it was down to the water! 

Tundra Swans were the first thing I saw. There large size and numbers at the first stop drew me right to them even though there were other birds around. Much of the management area has restricted access, but there are a few places, like this roadside stop where you can get up close to the birds. In total just off the road I would estimate that there were over a hundred Tundras that could be seen. 

These are shots of the group closest to the road. In the photo on the right you can clearly see the size difference between a Tundra Swan and a Canada Goose.

There were many good flybys throughout the day that started with this Great Blue Heron. Over the winter I do not get to see to many of these. Most migrate out of my area during the cold months.

A Canada Goose coming in for a landing. We did see a lot of Canadas on the water, but no where near the numbers of Tundra Swans and Snow Geese.

A small group of American Coots were swimming and feeding close to the road. None of the birds seemed to mind all of the people standing on the side with cameras, scopes and binoculars. 

The group from Jacobsburg taking in all of the birds. As you can see everyone is bundled up. Temperatures which had been unusually warm dropped sharply and it felt like we were thrown back into winter. 

At a stop on the driving tour of the management area, we had our closest look at Northern Pintail flying over head. 

At the same stop as the Pintail I got my favorite photo from the trip. Three Tundra Swans went right overhead!

The main flock of Snow Geese were on a smaller pond in a restricted area. Here the group is getting a very distant look at the birds that numbered in the tens of thousands. 

The geese blanketed much of the pond and some of the surrounding fields. This was really the best look we had at them all day. 

This Snow Goose was all alone in a field. It looked as though it may have a wing issue. With so many geese in one area there are bound to be some that get injured. If this goose couldn't fly, it most likely fed some of the other local wildlife.

As a result of the cold snap we weren't seeing as many species as we had hoped so the group decided to start heading back and bird another location where recently a rare bird had been sighted. Tyler Sacks and I did one more walk to a point on the lake before leaving. I was happy I stayed. Going out to the point we found the main group of Tundra Swans! There had to have been around a thousand! After walking back, both Tyler and I decided to try to catch up with the group.

We did find them and although we did not see the rare bird we were looking for we did make a stop to see a common bird with a rare coloration. This is a wild leucistic Red-tailed Hawk. It is amazing that this almost entirely white bird survived into adulthood and seems to be doing well. 

From this view you can see some red in the tail feathers. It was a cool bird to see and it was awesome that it flew towards us when we stopped. For such a cold day this was a great program. If you would like to see other programs Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center offers throughout the year you can visit: Jacobsburg's Calendar of Events.

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Firetower Road (1-Mar-2017)

It had been some time since I last hiked Firetower Road in Schuylkill County. This area is open to the public and has many trails to hike. However, it does have a major problem with ATV use. Every access is posted, but still there are many who go riding through. ATVs can have a harsh impact on an area, especially when riders take their vehicles through pools and streams, which happens a lot at this site. I set out to cover some places I have already been through and to find some new trails I have never traversed. I didn't know what to expect as far as trash. I always find something here, just never know how much there will be. 

Right away I started finding the normal trailside beer cans. Really, if you can carry a full beer can in, you can carry an empty beer can out.

Then there was this. I saw it last year. It showed up when several other piles of carpet did along the main road in this area. Everything along the road has been cleaned up, but this remains. When I first started this project I cleaned up another dump like this a little further down the trail. The gates need to be secured before I will clean up any more large dumps like this here. Very simple fixes could be done to prevent this from happening in this area. 

This is the spot I cleaned up in 2015. Someone had dumped a huge pile of rubber insulators into this pool. It took me over a week to get everything out, but I was able to do it and now it still looks good. 

Throughout the hike it was raining off and on. This trail going down the side of the mountain was partially a stream. 

This is a water supply reservoir. You can see that ATV have even been running through it. 

I found a new trail from the reservoir that led down to an old quarry. There I found someones campsite with a lot of junk around. I started cleaning up the area and piling up my finds. 

The quarry. I had been here before, but never at this specific location. Generally I come in on trails that take me down the left side of it. I was really hoping there would be waterfowl on the water, but there was nothing that I could see. 

All of the recyclables found around the campsite. 

With the rain Penny wasn't pleased. I grabbed her leash and the bags and it was time to head out. 

Before leaving I did affix one of the plastic chairs from the campsite to my pack. It made things a little awkward hiking out, but I got at least one of the two chairs removed. 

Back at the parking lot I did a final sweep around the edges for recyclables. 

This was everything. A pretty good haul for a hike in the rain. 

See my most updated posts on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Mauch Chunk Lake (28-Feb-2017)

On this day I only had enough time to make a short stop at Mauch Chunk Lake and couldn't get out for a clean-up. At the lake I was surprised to find six Tundra Swans on the upper end. I then got a real treat. Something on the other side of the lake scared them and they took off. Then they did a large circle in the air and flew right by the blind I was in. It was just awesome watching these huge birds pass by so close. They then landed and settled on the water a little further down the lake. 

Before this year I had never seen a Tundra Swan. Now because of the weather we have had I have now seen them on multiple lakes around the area. 

I also spotted these two Painted Turtles trying to catch some sun. 

See my most updated posts on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Bear Swamp and Lake Minsi (27-Feb-2017)

Hit the trails, with Leigh Ann Stratakos from 3 Moons Studio, at Bear Swamp and around Lake Minsi. Both of these properties are part of the Northampton County Parks System. The photo above is the start of the trail through the archery course at bear swamp. The other side of the road at this location has a boardwalk and study ponds. 

We made our way around the study ponds and boardwalk first, then we did the loop at the archery course. Found this lure in the first study pond. The sign on the other side clearly states no fishing. The rest of the trash around bear swamp was found on the trailsides and a picked up a few items in the swamp itself. 

We did not see much wildlife, this Fox Sparrow did come to take a look at us, never gave me an unobstructed shot though. 

Everything Leigh Ann and I collected from the boardwalk side of the road. 

Small bridges help to avoid the wet spots along the archery loop. 

This was it from around the loop at the archery course. Much less through this area and really we covered about the same amount of ground on both sides of the road. 

Then it was down the road to Lake Minsi for a lakeside clean-up. We parked at the main access and started walking the edge to the dam. 

Here Leigh Ann poses with a balloon she picked up. Please if you do use balloons make sure they are secured and disposed of properly. When released they end up in our environment and can be detrimental to wildlife. 

Most of the items we picked up were at the lakes edge within the cattails. 

From the dam looking out over the lake. What looks like a white line on the water is a group of Ring-billed Gulls floating on the surface. 

This frog lure made it so close to the trash can at the end of the dam, but didn't make it in until we put it there. 

As we were headed back to the parking lot this Bald Eagle flew across the water and landed in a tree on the opposing side.

All that we picked up along the lake. Special thanks to Leigh Ann for joining me on this clean-up!

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