Author: Swell

By guest blogger, Erika Hovland Bahij

The words “parks and trails” may conjure up an image of Gore-tex-clad athletes hiking up steep hills with full backpacks and trail mix in hand. Scratch that image. The newest trend in visiting Pennsylvania Parks is accessible for people of all ages, abilities, and fitness levels.

Forest Therapy, also referred to as Forest Bathing or Shinrin-Yoku, is a practice in which people walk short distances, slowly, while engaging their senses to connect with the outdoors. Frequently guided by a certified Forest Therapy practitioner, participants generally slowly walk a mile or less.

What is the experience of Forest Therapy like?:
The perspective of Certified Forest Therapy Guide

When we pause to reflect, we create meaning from what we see and experience. Our ancestors—before electricity, smartphones and 24/7 streaming services—spent time gazing at stars or dipping their toes into fresh water. There is still something inside many of us that yearns for that visceral connection and to make meaning of our experiences. What would happen if we allowed the forest, or a tree, or a flower, to guide us into remembering our connection with nature?

The practice of Forest Therapy is grounded in the belief that the earth has wisdom to share with humans when we slow down long enough to pay attention. Because of this, I describe a Forest Therapy walk as more of a saunter than a hike. The root word of the verb “to saunter” means to muse or to wonder, and that’s what people do when they participate.

As a guide certified by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, I follow the practices of the organization, which views the forest as the “teacher” and the leader of the program as a “guide” who opens space for people to experience nature in the way that is meaningful for them. This means it’s hard to describe what an experience would be like for a particular individual. Generally speaking, however, many people talk about feeling more connected, more peaceful or describe the wonder of seeing something they had never seen before.

A typical guided program includes:

• • an introduction to the walk
  • a series of invitations (guided prompts or questions) to support you in connecting with nature during the program
  • an ending sharing circle where participants gather, drink tea together and close the program.

We typically spend 1.5-3 hours exploring a natural setting, such as the woods, a park or arboretum.

The participants are supported by “invitations” which are prompts to notice the environment by engaging one or more senses. For example, a common invitation is to notice what is in motion around you. In one event, we paused to watch a squirrel leap from tree branch to tree branch while carrying leaves in her mouth, until she scurried into a hole high up in the tallest tree. We saw her tail twitch through the hole as she worked to build her nest. This sight may cause one person to think of squirrels in their home, another to wonder at the squirrel’s agility, and still another to feel they caught a glimpse into a previously-hidden world. Or, it may cause a person to make deeper meaning of their own life – wondering privately about their own leaping, clambering and foraging.

What benefit might I experience from Forest Therapy?

Forest therapy owes its roots in the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku. Surprisingly, the formal practice was established in the 1980s, after the government noticed a big increase in the incidence of cancer and autoimmune disease. They hypothesized that workers were spending more time inside working – perhaps overworking – and that these conditions negatively impacted their health. In response, the government sponsored research to figure out how to combat the health consequences. One of the questions they reinvestigated was “what happens when people spend time in forests?”

As you know, trees release oxygen, and we release carbon dioxide with our breath, which trees convert into food through photosynthesis. Excitingly, trees offer a benefit above and beyond this simple exchange.

Trees keep themselves healthy by releasing chemicals called phytoncides. These phytoncides seek out and kill fungus, so when a tree is attacked or invaded by an organism, it releases these chemicals. When we humans inhale phytoncides, our bodies begin to produce a special white blood cell, called a natural killer or NK-cell. NK-cells destroy cells that are stressed and could turn cancerous, so they work as a preventative measure to support our physical health. The Japanese saw this as an important finding and began to encourage people to go into the forest to “bathe” in phytoncides, which is why the practice is sometimes called forest bathing. Additionally, spending time in nature can help restore the ability to focus and pay attention – especially in people who have recently exerted significant mental energy at work or after studying.

Other benefits include lowered stress levels, lowered blood pressure and a boost of positive emotions, like peace, joy, and wonder,

How can I try Forest Therapy?
First, you may want to try a simple practice on your own. Visit a local park, sit beneath a tree and watch what happens around you. Ideally, spend 20 minutes just observing. If you can do it, you will usually be rewarded because more birds or animals will sense they can trust you and come into your line of vision.

However, “sit spot” can be challenging because it’s incredibly tempting to pull out the phone and start “doing” instead of just “being.”

This is why it can be helpful to have a guide offering prompts and gentle reminders to engage your senses. We help you slow down, so you can be fully present in the moment. We can also support you in feeling comfortable exploring a new park or unfamiliar trail, making it easier for families, those with physical limitations or people who feel a bit apprehensive of “the woods” to connect with nature. Guides are also certified in Wilderness First Aid, which provides another layer of safety for participants.

Many guides offer walks via Eventbrite or Facebook, or in partnership with local parks and preserves. Try searching “forest therapy near me.”

About the author
Erika Hovland Bahij is an award-winning entrepreneur and founder of Rose and Redwood LLC, which provides programs and products to nurture your true nature.® Programs such as Forest Therapy walks and Rose and Lion Leadership Programs for Children inspire people to connect to nature, unearth their strengths and feel inspired to share their gifts with the world. Certified through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) as a Forest Therapy guide, Erika is also certified in Wilderness First Aid. She grew up in Minnesota (the land of 10,000 lakes!) and has spent many hours camping, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors. She now resides with her family in Pennsylvania. You can learn more about Erika here: https://roseandredwood.com

The history of park service, recreation centers, and national park assistance is vibrant and effervescent, with a collage of people of diverse gender, race, and age – yet much of that history has been, throughout time, forgotten or ignored. Like most histories, while women played important roles, they often haven’t been credited – overshadowed by male counterparts and pioneers simply because of their gender. Yet women’s history and park service and conservation history are so intertwined, they are practically synonymous.

Within the heart of every park, there are female trailblazers who paved the way and continue to do so – many of whose work resonates throughout the local PA parks that we residents know and cherish. So, for the love of suitably named “Mother” Nature and in observance of Women’s History Month, let’s look at the impactful women who have made their mark on Parks and Rec history in a variety of ways.

Lady Bird Johnson

You’re on a drive through highways and turnpikes and, by the roadside, instead of decaying billboards and abandoned junkyards, there are blooming daffodils and large patches of grass. This natural beauty is in part thanks to Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, our country’s First Lady from 1963 to 1969. She was a huge proponent of conservation of natural life, and her love for the land played a huge part in her role as First Lady, using the position to make big changes in the beautification of everyday areas in America.

Lady Bird Johnson not only helped beautify struggling and industrialized areas, but she also played a part in the conservation and creation of many parks. Using her status, she’d visit national and local parks, paparazzi in tow, to raise awareness for their protection. So next time you stroll through one of the many parks she touched, note the azaleas and the dogwoods, the pops of shrubs and the occasional bench and thank Ms. Lady Bird for all her beautification work.

Barbara Ann Sutteer

Remembering the past can be just as important as changing the future. Education and history are just as vital to local and national park systems as conservation and beautification efforts. As the second Native American woman appointed superintendent of the National Park Service, Barbara Ann Sutteer’s work was all about making – and correcting – history. Within the early days of her superintendent career for the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument (formerly the Custer Battlefield Monument –a name she aided in having changed for historical accuracy), she doubled the number of Native American employees, allowing the door to open for all people to play a part in park service.

She also worked closely in making sure the park’s education accurately depicted the reality of the Battle at Little Bighorn. She saw this as an opportunity to teach about the Native Americans who suffered, endured, and still lived and survived close by. By introducing different pamphlets, books, and brochures to the park for visitors to see, she motivated the park systems to use their land as a chance to educate – something that is still prevalent in local and national parks today.  Sutteer understood the importance of Native American reclamation of land, and she even facilitated conversations between the park service and multiple tribes after her retirement.

Florence Bascom

Otherwise known as the Stone Lady, and not because of her stone-cold gaze, Florence Bascom was the first female geologist working in the parks system. She was a trailblazer in geological science, a route not taken by women at the time. Geology, while not a commonly talked about topic when it comes to local parks, plays a large part in understanding park landscapes and the efforts needed to properly care for and preserve them.

Bascom became most known for studying rocks in Pennsylvania’s own Piedmont region and even made a discovery about Piedmont’s cycles of erosion, which in turn helped explain its rate of occurrence and future efforts toward conservation. In 1896, she became the first woman to join the United States Geological Survey – a group dedicated to surveying landscapes (many of which are now modern-day parks) and studying the hazards that may have been threatening them. Bascom fought hard to ensure the field of geology could be a possibility for anyone to get involved in, including women. If you ever meet a female geologist, it is likely that the Stone Lady herself is one of their biggest inspirations.

Betty Reid Soskin

A park ranger knows no age. Betty Reid Soskin made history as the oldest active park ranger, starting her parks career at the young age of 84 and retiring at 100 years old! When she decided to help develop the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park, it was to eventually play a part in rewriting WWII history. There were untold stories of the home front, including the role that Black women played, and she felt these stories needed to be told to park visitors. She herself was a clerk in a segregated union during the war.

Reid Soskin’s goal was to not only help transform the historical documentation of the park by sharing her own knowledge of the time, but also to make the park more accessible and attractive to Black Americans. In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded her a presidential commemorative coin and in 2018, “Glamour” magazine named her Woman of the Year. A quick search of her name will show that her activism dates back to even before her time with the parks: a musician, and poet, Betty Reid Soskin is truly inspiring!

Celebrate women every day.

From protecting and preserving not only the parks’ natural beauty and geological importance but also their history, these women changed the dynamics of Parks and Rec for the better. While much of their work was not done specifically in Pennsylvania, it has transcended and affected the way Pennsylvania parks work today. By making park service more accessible to women, specifically women of color, initiating ways of keeping the parks clean and beautiful, and preserving their history, these women were trailblazers who should be celebrated this Women’s History Month.

If you’re looking for more direct ways to celebrate Women’s History Month in PA, there are parks to visit and classes to enroll in. Among other ladies-only classes offered at different local parks, Sinnemahoning State Park offers a Summer Women in the Wilds weekend jam-packed with environmental education and outdoor activities. Many parks in Pennsylvania feature monuments honoring historical women, like Bristol Lions Park’s Harriet Tubman monument. There are so many things to do and so many local parks to visit to celebrate herstory!

 

Roses are red, violets are blue, show love to PA parks, and don’t forget rec centers too! February is a great month to declare your love for someone, but it can also be an incredible reminder to spread love to your community and the environment. Maybe this year, show your love for your local park—and invite your partner so they don’t get jealous!

From fond memories of a playful youth to all the friends you’ve made on the trails since, there is so much to love about your local outdoor space. So, while the temperatures may still be low, there’s no way your heart won’t warm up hearing some real-life sentiments of PA citizens on what they love about their own Parks and Recs department. Love is truly in the air – the fresh outdoor air, that is.

Show yourself some love.
“Having a robust Parks and Recs department in a community is so important on so many levels. The fitness classes and the trails definitely made a very positive difference in my health and fitness – without them I literally don’t think I would have survived a sudden major medical trauma. Never doubt what a Parks and Rec department can do for a community.”
– Citizen of Upper Dublin since 2006

Water aerobics? Zumba? Goat yoga?! What’s not to love about all the activities and classes a recreation center located near you has to offer? Much more than a way to pass time, the variety of healthy outlets being offered can change the way you live your life, and sometimes, as you can see in the quote above, can even save it. According to the CDC, just two and a half hours per week of aerobic activity, such as swimming laps in the recreational pool, can decrease the risk of chronic illness. Yoga decreases stress and can be a huge help to eliminate factors that lead to heart disease, including intense inflammation. By taking a class or working out, no matter the intensity, you’re not only loving your rec center, but you’re also loving yourself!

Love the togetherness.
“I love gathering with my family and friends at beautiful Mead Park in Corry. The food always tastes better outside. If eating outside and it rains, you can choose a pavilion covered with a roof. With 50 acres of land and woods, there’s plenty of picnic areas with tables to sit and eat. It is a beautiful park to spend your day in.”
                                                                                                                 – Citizen of Corry

While spending time loving your park, you can also spend time loving the people IN it. Parks understand that reuniting, getting to know one another, or sharing laughter and stories over a meal is a necessity for how we live and how we love – which is why many PA parks offer specific spaces to do just that. With tables built for dining on hot dogs and burgers (and all those condiments you really love) and plenty of grassy space for throwing around a ball, unleashing your worn boards and bean bags for a game of cornhole, or even taking a stroll down memory lane, there are so many ways to experience nature while spending time with those you care about. Looking for a place where you can spend some alone time with that special someone? Beyond wide-open areas tailored for meeting in large groups, many parks have secluded areas and scenic lookouts that can make your heart melt. A picturesque picnic is a perfect date for nature lovers and nature newbies alike. Loving your community is easier when you’ve got a PA park to help you do it.
Love the little creatures.
“In a canoe on the Yellow Breeches, I saw 2 black minks playing and scurrying among some rocks. I really enjoyed watching them.”
                                                                                 – Citizen near Cumberland Valley

Birds chirping, frogs hopping, and beavers damming – the park is brimming with animals you just gotta love. And speaking of minks, did you know that humans are a mink’s deadliest predator? Around 100,000 minks are trapped every year in the United States. A state park can mean a second chance for any animal that risks danger in the greater outdoors. It becomes a refuge for them. In this way, the park that you love is loving the animals that inhabit it – and surely, without a doubt, you’re loving the animals that inhabit it too, because they are just that darn cute!

Find true love.
“My husband proposed to me during a hike to the statue of the Native American at Valley Green on Rosh Hashanah. We’ll celebrate our 30-year anniversary this May, and I can’t count how many times my children have heard that story and taken that same hike with us.”                                                        – Rachel in Montgomery County

Love for the park? How about love IN the park too? Whether you’re looking for your dream rom-com meet-cute, spending a first date on a trail, or wanting to spend time with a partner, there is romance to be found in a PA park. Just a few romantic ideas include ice skating, snowy hiking, a picnic in the grass, even people-watching from a park bench (one of the nation’s fondest pastimes). Maybe try picking bundles of wildflowers for one another as a thoughtful gift, or perhaps riding a tandem bike through one of the many bike paths offered. An outdoor recreational space can be an intimate way to nurture a relationship – the sweet soothing sounds of waterfalls and birds chirping and the sun shining through the leaves of the trees making your loved one’s eyes sparkle – let romance ensue!

Make this month about more than candy hearts and love letters. You just read a whole love letter to the Parks and Rec of Pennsylvania. From keeping such abundant troves of trees, flowers, and animals alive and healthy, to keeping your body and mind healthy as well, there is nothing PA Parks and Rec wouldn’t do to show how much it loves you! And don’t forget about your community. The people you meet in classes, on the playgrounds, or even just on a dirt path are people that make up your neighborhood. A new friend may be just waiting to be found. Take the time to make sure your friends, family, and partner feel loved, and always remember that your local parks and rec needs love too!

MLK Day is more than just a day off from work. While honoring Martin Luther King specifically, the day can also be an incredible reminder to do some good in your neighborhood and help those around you.

Let’s say you spend lots of time walking the dog on your nearby trail. Perhaps your child uses the recreation center for sports. Maybe you wish you spent more time in your local park, but wish certain aspects were improved. Whatever the case is, there’s a multitude of reasons to want to play a part in bettering an outdoor space or recreation center near you and, in turn, bettering the state of the planet as well.

Parks and recreation facilities in your area are constantly working to create good community between residents, a habitat for a plethora of wildlife, plants and trees, and tons of opportunities for exercise, activity, and learning. It’s time to give back! Use the day to consider ways that you can make a difference going forward, so that the places you love to visit will be places that everyone will enjoy visiting for years to come.

Remember, parks and recreation facilities also improve quality of life, can raise property values, and contribute to a healthy environment. All great reasons to get involved and do your small part.

Here are some doable actions that can be a great start to environmental activism.

Get Your Hands Dirty
A messy environment equals messy thoughts. A park should be a place to unwind, not stress, and visible trash can be detrimental to your state of mind – not to mention the damage it does to nature and wildlife. While making an effort to not litter is great, what about the litter already sullying your neighborhood and outdoor areas?

The “Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful” organization offers a “Pick Up PA” program (https://www.keeppabeautiful.org/programs/pick-up-pa/) open to the public with a huge selection of dates for group litter cleanups. Grab some gloves and trash bags and register today!

More into toughing it out on your own? Make a personal resolution to pick up at least five pieces of litter next time you visit your local park.

Meet With the Decision-Makers
You don’t have to be a council member to speak up for change. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or concerns about your recreational outdoor areas, there’s a meeting room just waiting to welcome you. If you’re more of an observer, that’s fine too! Showing up for your neighborhood can be extremely beneficial. Get to know your fellow park lovers and hear about issues that may be directly affecting you.

If you’re looking to make even bigger changes, the Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council of Pennsylvania hosts multiple meetings a year in Harrisburg that are open to the public (https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/CNRAC/Pages/default.aspx). Bring your concerns up to the big dogs!

Put Your Money Where Your Park Is
Can’t seem to find time to get out of the house? Life too hectic right now to make it to a park cleanup or board meeting? No need to move anything besides your fingers on the mousepad. Consider donating to different sources that work to better park education, nature, and communities. Even a one-time donation can make a huge difference. A few clicks and you’re done!

Want to see kids getting to play on a fresh playground without the fear of rust or splinters? Passionate about park visitors getting the opportunity to do some hands-on learning during their next visit? The People, Parks & Community Fund (https://tinyurl.com/5n99657y) of the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society is dedicated to supporting recreational and educational opportunities, creating and sustaining local parks, and envisioning and promoting vibrant, livable communities.

The options are endless, and the cost is usually minimal – but always worth it!

Put Your John Hancock to Good Use
What’s even quicker than donating money? Your signature! Simply signing a petition regarding something you care about can do more good than you realize. There really is power in numbers! A quick search on change.org or actionnetwork.org can not only show you a countless number of petitions to sign, but also keep you informed on some of the environmental and societal issues that could be occurring right outside your house.

Just one example of a Pennsylvania outdoor-based petition you could contribute to right now is the Coalition to Save the Meadows (https://www.savethemeadows.com/) initiated by a group fighting the destruction and privatization of the urban meadow in South Philadelphia’s FDR Park.

Feeling even more inspired? Want to become the direct source of change? Create your own petition based on something within your park system that you feel passionate about. Public outdoor areas are a great spot to collect signatures, by the way!

Whether the actions you take are more direct, like picking up litter or attending a meeting, or more virtual with things like petitions and donations, any kind of help makes a difference. Okay, we know you’re busy, but giving back some good to your local recreational grounds can make a big difference, no matter how small. Just think about all the times you’ve wandered through a park or swam in a public pool or found a great trail to hike or pushed your little one on a swing in a community playground. The parks and rec were always there for you. It’s a good time to be there for them. Thanks in advance!

 

 

National Bird Day is a day to celebrate the different species in your state. What’s the name of that red one that shows up on your lawn? What about that brownish-blackish-spotted one you saw on your hike? The more you learn about the birds you see, the closer you’ll feel to nature, even the nature in your own backyard. And did you know it’s scientifically proven that bird watching relieves anxiety? Just Google “ornitherapy,” and you’ll see what I mean.

Once named “Penn’s Woods,” it’s no surprise that our state abounds with wooded areas for birds to call home. If you’re a city dweller in Philadelphia, the only birds you may think about are “Eagles” (go Birds!). But the truth is, PA is one of the most species–dense states in America–home to more than 435 different species. Beyond their songs, they benefit our forests in ways you may have not realized. So, in honor of National Bird Day, let’s meet a few of the feathered friends in our state.

The Ruffed Grouse

Silly-sounding in name but prestigious in title, the Ruffed Grouse is Pennsylvania’s state bird. The grouse is related to turkeys and is a year-round resident of our brushy young forests.

The bird is brown-feathered with white and black speckles across its head. What really makes the grouse unique is the very reason for the name. Around the neck, a male will display feathers, fluffed and full. It is nature’s warmest-looking scarf. Grouse, when not strutting the runway with an elaborate feather display, can be identified by the tuft of hair on their heads, messy like a bad hair day.

If you’re a patriotic Pennsylvanian and want a glimpse of our state bird, a great place to start is Hillman State Park, in Washington County. The park is a restored habitat made for the Ruffed Grouse. Looking to do more than see the Ruffed Grouse? So enamored with its fanciful neck collar and toupée-esque hairdo that you’re dying to help? The Ruffed Grouse population has been severely low from hunting. Visit the Ruffed Grouse Society website (https://ruffedgrousesociety.org) and make a donation or read about the conservation done to keep them safe.

The Mourning Dove

Don’t cry! The Mourning Dove is called that because of its monotone call: “OoOh coo coo coo.” Sound familiar?

Unlike something elusive like the Ruffed Grouse, the Mourning Dove loves a good telephone line, backyard, or weed-covered highway. While they’re closely related to the pigeon, they have differences. They’re like the pigeon’s cooler older cousin. (Sorry, pigeons.) Mourning Doves have golden bellies and a black spot next to their beak, a la Marilyn Monroe. That bird call? The one that sounds like weeping? That’s made by males to attract females. The ladies love it!

Mourning Doves do more than just hum funeral dirges; they also help the environment. By eating slugs and loose seeds instead of eating the seeds from a plant, they do little damage to the environment. While you can spot these doves on your way to work, they can also be found in state parks. Audubon has incredible conservation efforts to keep the Mourning Dove safe. Make a visit to Redtail Park or the John James Audubon Center and you’re sure to see one. Looking to play a part in helping these doves survive? Take part in the Audubon Birdathon! https://p2p.onecause.com/audubonbirdathon

The American Crow

The crow is judged by most humans (or at least by some superstitious folks) as bad luck. They remember faces and hold grudges, so never cross a crow. With their black feathers and smart brains, they’re basically the Wednesday Addams of birds. And they’d never be caught dead wearing white after Labor Day.

Crows also have acute senses of hearing. As a sentry bird, a crow stands guard while others feed, waiting to alert others if a stranger comes for a bite. Crows are opportunists with food. They are fond of eating carrion. But they aren’t only interested in carcasses. They’re omnivores, delighted by the taste of grains and insects.

While this is one bird you may not be interested in watching besides the unplanned sightings that make you shudder, their qualities are intriguing to learn –so much so that you may want to see them yourself! Visit Natural Lands’ Crow’s Nest Preserve in Elverson for some great viewing and trails. Unless you owe a crow money, and in that case, never show your face to them again.

The Northern Cardinal

You catch a glimpse of an unnatural red – so bright against the snow, that you’re astounded. That red flapping through the trees is bound to be a Northern Cardinal. Crimson with a black face, these birds are conspicuous. And while the color is one of its well-known features, only the male is red. Females are brownish with red-edged feathers.

Be wary of reflective surfaces. Cardinals experience periods of looking to mate (or cuffing season, as kids call it these days) and get aggressive. So much so that they’ll fly into windows and mirrors hoping to attack a competitor, which winds up being their reflection.

While the cardinal is the official bird of seven states; the oldest cardinal ever found was in Pennsylvania at 15 years of age! You may not have to leave the house to see this celebrity of a bird. They’re found flocking to bird feeders left in your backyard. Get some seeds and try to catch a glimpse of that red.

If you’d prefer to head into the outdoors to watch, the Peace Valley Park Nature Center in Bucks County is a great option. Cardinals are seen in low shrubbery so be extra sure to check those on your trip.  https://www.peacevalleynaturecenter.org

Bald Eagle

We couldn’t possibly leave out the Bald Eagle (not just because of those Philadelphia Eagles, honestly!) Their eyesight is the sharpest of any animal in the world, including us! This vision comes in handy when waiting on a branch to spot a fish in a stream. Soaring down at lightning speed, they scoop up a trout just like that.

They tear apart prey, mostly consisting of scavenged carcasses, like unwrapping a present. And as the country’s emblematic bird, they have a superiority complex when it comes to food. As a pirate of the forest, they will attack another bird if it has dinner that the eagle wants.

In honor of National Bird Day and Save The Eagles Day (January 10), making a trip to witness a Bald Eagle can be an enlightening experience. The Promised Land State Park in the Poconos Plateau is home to wintering eagles looking to be near mountains and open waters. Take a peek at what this park has to offer and be sure to not make any loud noises! (https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/PromisedLandStatePark/Pages/default.aspx)

Participating in National Bird Day can be as simple as learning about the birds seen in your neighborhood. Push yourself to take a trip to the park and see what you can find from the list. A ruffled-necked turkey-like bird? A grudge-holding black specter? Or even a red-feathered friend chasing down your bicycle mirror? You can even grab a bird pic for a perfect Insta post. Grab your camera and a pair of binoculars and head into the outdoors to celebrate Pennsylvania birds in all their majesty!

Local parks are a great place to start doing some bird watching. Fly over to our local park finder here:  https://maps.dcnr.pa.gov/localparks/

All photos contributed by Rick Fichter @Rick168tattoo@gmail.com https://www.168wildlife.com/

Rick Fichter, an accomplished wildlife photographer. He began his journey with photography in 1996, shooting for the Philadelphia Flyers and Phillies, and eventually transitioned into a professional nature photographer. Right now, he is focusing his efforts on photographing predatory birds, occasionally branching out to snare some shore birds as well.  He has a talent for capturing the powerful emotions of these majestic animals in vivid detail. His photographs of the American Bald Eagles are some of the most breathtaking images in circulation today.

His Images can be viewed or purchased on all social media @ 168wildlife