River Talk

TRR photos by Sandy Long

Our great niece, Sophia Gromalski and our new puppy, Raven enjoyed a recent hike at Shohola Recreation Area despite the chilly day. Children and canine family members can all benefit from adventures outside. Give your favorite young ones the gift of greater outdoor time together this holiday season. You will find yourself gifted with a healthier holiday season rich with priceless memories of your shared outdoor adventures.

TRR photos by Scott Rando

This male turkey is very prominent in the sunlight with hints of blue in its iridescent plumage and red head and neck area. This male has a beard from its breast; a turkey’s beard grows about three to five inches per year, but starts wearing down as it gets longer due to the end dragging on the ground during feeding.

TRR photos by Sandy Long

Look for this marker to locate the trailhead along Watts Hill Road, which can be found by following Church Street through Honesdale and turning right just after crossing the bridge where Church Street concludes. Straight ahead, you’ll spot the trailhead marker. The trail, along with several side trails, provides a good challenge to one’s cardiovascular system. There is also a paved road leading to a parking lot atop the cliff. Access that location via Gibbons Park Road.

TRR photos by Scott Rando

Cardinals can be found year-round in the region and also are attracted to feeders.  In the wild, they can be found near fields and shrubby forest edges.  They also like many backyards, and at the feeder they favor sunflower seeds.

TRR photos by Sandy Long

As its name implies, the variable oakleaf caterpillar feeds on all species of oaks, with a preference for white oaks. It will also consume species such as beech, basswood, paper birch, American elm, and occasionally walnut, black birch and hawthorn.

TRR photo by Scott Rando

The lower of these two sub-adult bald eagles is R27, a New York radio-tagged eagle captured two years prior. New York State is also experiencing issues concerning lead toxicity in bald eagles. A 22-year study where 300 bald eagles were screened for lead has shown that about 17% had high levels of lead, high enough to be lethal.
 

TRR photos by Sandy Long

This wood frog was resting under the leaf litter in my yard, where it will eventually overwinter. Due to their light tan coloration, wood frogs are well camouflaged by fallen foliage. An easily identifiable characteristic is the dark mask that stretches from the frog’s eye to just behind its eardrum.

TRR photos by Scott Rando

This monarch was caught by the camera in mid-flight after stopping for a rest as it checked out some goldenrod. This individual, like many others of its species, is on its way south to Mexico. Migration counts are still ongoing at hawk-counting sites, but the numbers are above average compared to the last three years.