April 2017 Saturday Drive | The Beauty Around Us

Posts tagged ‘April 2017 Saturday Drive’

A Saturday Drive: Tidioute Overlook

From Lake Wilhelm (see previous blog post), we began our drive back home via U.S. Route 62. We left Route 62 in Tidioute, where we took Route 337 to Warren.

We stopped at Tidioute Overlook., where there is a short, easily walked, loop trail that passes by two overlooks.

Tidioute Overlook of the Allegheny River

The River Overlook is above the Allegheny River and provides a scenic view of a narrow valley surrounded by steep hills. The river stretches off into the distance. Courson Island, one of seven islands in the Allegheny Islands Wilderness, is directly beneath you at this overlook.

Tidioute Overlook of the Borough of Tidioute

The Town Overlook features a view of the borough of Tidioute.

While at the Tidioute Overlook a couple woodpeckers were making us crazy. We heard their tap-tap-tap sound but couldn’t spot them. After quite some time, we finally spotted one.

a Downy Woodpecker (or is it a yellow-bellied sapsucker?)
If you look closely, you can see a little red color on its head.

We had hoped it was a Pileated Woodpecker that was making all the noise.

I took one last picture before continuing our drive home.

Bob and I at Tidioute Overlook

I think it was around 5:00 pm, when we returned home. We left home at 9:00 am. It was a long, but very nice, day. The day started out chilly with a temperature of 26 degrees, when I awakened. Temperatures climbed to the lower 50s by early afternoon. A very pleasant day. I am happy that we had the opportunity to enjoy the sunny Spring day.

This post concludes our April 2017 Saturday Drive.

A Saturday Drive: Lake Wilhelm

After lunch (see previous blog post), we drove to Maurice K. Goddard State Park. Specifically, we went to Lake Wilhelm in search of birds.

Our first stop was at Boat Launch No. 4 on the north side of the lake. We saw several tree swallows and enjoyed watching their acrobatic twists and turns. Of more interest at this boat launch, though, was the family whom we met.

Pastor Tim and his family

Tim is pastor for a small church in Meadville. His family moved to that area a couple years ago. What a very nice family! We talked a little bit about Lake Wilhelm and our plans while there (looking for birds), as well as the Allegheny National Forest, near where Bob and I live. Tim and his wife, Dana, expressed interest in visiting Kinzua Dam and points of interest in the Allegheny National Forest. After I took this photograph of Pastor Tim and his family, we exchanged Facebook information. Before we made it back home, we were friends on Facebook. We hope that our paths cross again one day!

Leaving Boat Launch No. 4 we turned left onto Lake Wilhelm Road, crossing a bridge over Lake Wilhelm. At the end of the bridge, on the right, we stopped near a waterfowl observation area.

Lake Wilhelm Waterfowl Observation Platform

From this observation platform we saw a great blue heron, geese, a red-wing blackbird, an osprey and an eagle.

Osprey

I focused my attention on the osprey for some time, hoping that it would dive into the water and catch a fish. I turned away briefly. The osprey flew off! I managed to capture a photograph of its tail feathers!

Osprey Tail Feathers

What held my attention the longest, though, was the eagle.

Eagle on a Nest

The eagle’s nest was WAY across the pond. It did not move from the nest during our entire stay at the waterfowl viewing platform.

Leaving Lake Wilhelm Road we turned left onto Creek Road and drove along the southern shores of Lake Wilhelm. We stopped at the dam, where we once again enjoyed watching the acrobatic twists and turns of tree swallows.

Tree Swallows

To be continued

A Saturday Drive: Warren PA to Fairview to Sandy Lake

We drove to Fairview, PA this past Saturday (April 8th), arriving at the John V. Schultz warehouse shortly after 10:30 am. We passed through Edinboro, en route Fairview, and stopped briefly at Edinboro Lake.

Edinboro is in the snow belt.

When we left home, there was a little bit of snow on the ground. There was more snow on the ground in Edinboro.

According to a Wikipedia article, Edinboro “is a small college town [and]…a resort community”. The centerpiece of the town’s resort community is the 245 acre Edinboro Lake.

Edinboro Lake (east side of the lake)

A short walk from this view is the Mike Ondo Beach, which is adjacent to the old Edinboro cemetery..

Old Edinboro Cemetery

See that little bit of sand in the forefront of this photograph? That is the Mike Onda Beach, a very small unguarded beach on the east side of the lake.

Old Edinboro Cemetery

A pair of geese at Mike Onda Beach

I took this picture just before the goose at the back stretched its neck, looking straight at me, and the goose in front stepped into Edinboro Lake. This pair of goose didn’t like that I was walking on the beach!

On the walk back to the car, this pair of Mallard ducks wanted a handout. As I readied to take a picture, the ducks kept walking into my shadow. I was able to capture a photograph of the ducks, when they must have realized I had nothing for them and walked away from me toward the lake shore,

A pair of Mallard Ducks at Mike Onda Beach

The purpose for today’s drive was to pick up a chair side table that we purchased a few weeks ago. At the John V. Schultz warehouse we picked up a chair side table that we purchased a few weeks ago. The man, at the John V. Schultz warehouse, who brought out the table and loaded it into our car said he thought it was the smallest pickup he has ever had. The table fits nicely between our new recliner chair and sofa. The end table that we have had for many years was too large for that spot.

Our new chair side table

From Fairview we drove to Grantham’s Landing Restaurant (Sandy Lake, PA) for lunch, arriving there shortly before noon.

Grantham’s Landing Restaurant

We ordered burgers and fries and shared an apple dumpling with ice cream for dessert. This is the second time we have eaten at this restaurant. The first time was last year for breakfast. We would eat here again, as we were not disappointed with either breakfast or lunch.

***To be continued***

***To be continued***

To be continued

To be continued