The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society is sponsoring a field trip to Tannersville Cranberry Bog, a unique habitat in Monroe County, on Saturday, May 27.
The Tannersville Cranberry Bog is the southernmost low-elevation boreal bog along the eastern seaboard. As such it is the habitat to a wide variety of bird life, not to mention stunning native orchids, swamp azalea, bog rosemary and the state-endangered heart-leaved swayback.
Warblers, Wood Thrushes, Scarlet Tanagers, Eastern Towhees, Whip-poor-wills and Wild Turkeys are among the large number of year-round and migratory species seen at the bog.
The Cranberry Bog is a geological remnant of the last ice age in Pennsylvania. It soaks up rain and runoff like a giant sponge, then releasing pristine water into the heavily developed Pocono Creek watershed. The 78-acre bog was about to become the site of more than 20 homes until The Nature Conservancy and a dedicated landowner stepped in to preserve it. The bog was one of The Nature Conservancy's first preservation efforts.
Because of the fragility of the ecosystem, visits are limited to scheduled walks under the supervision of the Monroe County Environmental Education Center. A donation to support management efforts is requested.
Wear water-resistant footwear and dress appropriately. Be sure to carry some form of insect repellent. Bring a beverage and snacks as well. And don't forget binoculars or spotting scopes.
A side-trip to the Cherry Valley Wildlife Refuge, established in 2008 for the conservation of migratory birds, also is planned. The Kittatinny Ridge, which flanks the south side of the valley, is an Important Birding Area because of its migration flyway.
Meet at 6:30 a.m. at the Kmart parking lot in Wind Gap at 803 Male Road in Wind Gap, just north of the Route 512 exit off Route 33. Click here for the Google map. Terry Master will lead the trip.
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