A Naturalist's Delight

The morning was drizzly in Scranton, foggy along Interstate 84, and overcast on the way to the Pennal Run trailhead (part of the 30-mile Thunder Swamp Trail) on Snow Hill Rd. off PA-402 in the Delaware State Forest. This was a new hike for me and it was fantastic. There were pine trees with girths up to 14 feet! You could hear Pileated Woodpeckers and Barred Owls hooting and echoing across the forest as you walked along the at times very rocky path. While it is called "swamp" AND it is spring, the path was relatively dry with the muddy parts easily navigable with rocks and old wood. The wetlands were spectacular with Common Yellowthroat and some warblers passing through - Black and White, Chestnut-Sided, and Yellow to name a few. It was a naturalist's delight! There were 2 what I believe to be Cecropia Moth cocoons (photo below). This was certainly one of PA's most beautiful places. *Went to Pennal Run Loop at the Natural Area, but after walking the .5 mile to get there the Loop was impassable; trail marks difficult to spot (if they exist) and very grown over. It was burned at one point. (Total: 6.75 mi.)