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The author's vintage 1999/2000 Simms Bootfoot Waders.

As I begin with the words for this column, I’m not sure I am writing them for informational purposes or out of a sense of complete frustration. Perhaps both? Anyway, every so many years, fly … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 4/21/21

Beore teaching him how to use a hammer, I was sure to clear the immediate area of any potentially appealing-looking targets.

Teach ‘em young

A part of most young boys’ upbringing out here is to acquaint them with various tools as they become capable, training them how to be responsible with those tools and, of course, what they can … more

By HUNTER HILL | 4/14/21

The Delaware River is the longest free-flowing river east of the Mississippi and a waterway of great majesty that calls to countless hearts, soothes many a ravaged spirit and sustains innumerable life forms. As a unit of the National Park System, its many features can be enjoyed by the public. Learn more at www.nps.gov/upde/index.htm).

Pick your park and celebrate!

As a child, I was taken to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia on a family camping trip. The impactful experience helped to launch my lifelong love of the natural world as I plied a small camera to … more

By SANDY LONG | 4/14/21

This young-of-year spring peeper, photographed in July 2019, has already gotten a chance to grow somewhat. Spring peepers are close to full size at the end of their first summer and become mature in one year. The “crucifer” in the last part of their scientific name is named for the “X” or the cross that appears on their back. It can be seen faintly on this individual.

Springtime serenade

We’ve had some mild days, enough so that several species of reptiles and amphibians have been making appearances. Some of their favorite areas this time of year are small ponds and wetlands. … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 4/7/21

A Hendrickson mayfly—our best early season hatch.

Trout-stream fishing, 2021

As a columnist who writes about fly fishing for River Reporter, it has been my tradition to include a piece about the opening day of trout season each spring. Unfortunately, here in the Eastern … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 4/7/21

Have you heard the singing in the trees?

The night peepers

If you’ve lived here in the woods of the Upper Delaware River region for long, you’ve likely heard the night peepers. Every spring, they emerge as voices, rarely to be seen, in the … more

By HUNTER HILL | 3/31/21

$Who would want to protect the Delaware River and the natural resources of its watershed? With the reversal of the Delaware River Basin Commission’s recent fracking ban, the pressure to leave a healthy legacy for future generations has been lifted. What a relief!$

Free to frack, what a relief

Rumor has it that fracking can now proceed at full force following the Delaware River Basin Commission’s (DRBC) remarkable reversal of its decision to ban hydraulic fracturing for natural gas … more

By SANDY LOAM | 3/31/21

This wood duck pair was one of a few on a spall pond in Shohola, PA. As with many bird species, the male is more colorful. Wood ducks nest in abandoned woodpecker nest cavities or in the tops of broken off trees. They sometimes find their way down chimneys due to this behavior.

Winter wildlife viewing opportunities

March 12 was promising to be a somewhat mild day—at least milder than we have had during the last week or so. Temperatures were forecast to rise into the 50s. It was about 7:30 a.m. when I went … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 3/24/21

The turbid waters of the upper basin of the Ashokan Reservoir. Will the upper basin remain turbid indefinitely if the proposed pump storage facility is approved?

Prattsville rides again?

I don’t remember the exact date that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) became aware of the Prattsville pumped storage project proposed for the Schoharie Reservoir. The project … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 3/24/21

Seize your power when it comes to social media. The Pike County Conservation District (PCCD) has launched a new series using the hashtag #ResourceSaturday to raise awareness of Pennsylvania’s rich natural resources. The initiative supports the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP), which collects information regarding the Commonwealth’s biological diversity and develops County Natural Heritage Inventories (CNHIs). Every other Saturday, PCCD will feature inventory sites such as Egypt Meadow Lake (shown here) on its social media, using the posts to link to the inventory. The public is invited to explore the state’s natural heritage and to participate in the conservation of Pike County’s ecological resources. Post your photos of these sites with the hashtag #ResourceSaturday, and PCCD may share your pictures on its page. Visit www.facebook.com/pikeconservation, www.instagram.com/pike_conservation or www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/Resource.aspx to learn more. Then go global by celebrating #InternationalDayofForests on Sunday, March 21 and #WorldWaterDay on Monday, March 22.

Feeling frustrated? Act on it!

Unusually high temperatures during the second week of March have ignited spring fever in many of us. Although it’s a welcome relief from the cabin fever fostered by the taxing weather … more

By SANDY LONG | 3/16/21

Nothing quite as motivating as watching the snow melt.

These first warm days

It’s officially T-shirt season in Pennsylvania. With the pallid sun-starved skin of winter, we northern-dwellers emerged this past week with excitement to make the most out of the first … more

By HUNTER HILL | 3/16/21

Red-bellied woodpeckers are medium-sized woodpeckers, about the size of a northern flicker. This is a pair of them in a nest cavity they built in a dead black birch. There were young in the nest at this time, but too small to see in the entrance. Look for adults carrying food items and listen for begging calls from the young.

The percussionists of the forest

We think of percussionists when we listen to our favorite music; chances are there is a drummer or some other musician beating a cadence of some sort with the rest of the band. Like us, nature has … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 3/10/21

The shore of Flathead Lake where Kokanee Salmon, Spawned ..

Smokin’ salmon

I cannot, in the truest sense of the English language, call this a fishing story. It can, I guess, be called a “catching” story. It does not even involve conventional fishing equipment, … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 3/10/21

Adult male tree swallows are small songbirds with tiny black bills, deep charcoal flight feathers and black masks around the eyes. They are characterized by brilliant blue feathers above and white feathers below.

Noise impacts songbirds

The almost-unimaginable yet historic decision by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to permanently ban fracking in the Delaware River Watershed was announced on February 25. Eleven years of … more

By SANDY LONG | 3/3/21

Coffee in the Hill household is a must, no matter how we have to get it.

Coffee at all costs

In honor of this being my 50th column of The Way Out Here, it is only suitable that I should write about something that I am extremely passionate about. It’s something that even those who do … more

By HUNTER HILL | 3/3/21

Outcrops that have small springs or seeps during the warm weather are good areas to find frozen stalactites of water over the winter. Even a very low flow of water seeping from between rock layers is enough to make huge frozen columns if it stays cold long enough.

Frozen waterscapes

We are past the middle of February, and the mild start of winter has now given way to more seasonable conditions. More temperatures in the single digits, as well as snow and ice, have resulted in a … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 2/24/21

Note the difference in the nylon leader, left, and the braided leader?

Some thoughts about tapered leaders

As a long-time angler, I hear little discussion about tapered leaders, even though they are an integral part of a fly fisher’s gear. Perhaps leaders are viewed as innocuous, just a necessary … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 2/24/21

Watch for artful expressions of ice while taking a winter walk.

Winter woes and wonders

Here we are in the heart of winter, surrounded and confounded by massive amounts of snow. That such wondrous stuff can also wreak havoc upon our lives is a given at this time of year. As we forge our … more

By SANDY LONG | 2/17/21

You can set up your seedlings anytime you like, but I would wait a bit longer before planting.

Delayed by a rodent

Every farmer has an internal clock. As the weather shifts, it pressures toward the next season, creating that sense of motivation that reminds us, “Hey, it’s time to get ready.” … more

By HUNTER HILL | 2/17/21

What looks like a small choir practicing is a small flock of brown-headed cowbirds. They like open fields and yards; if your yard is large enough to raise livestock, you may see this species around. Cowbirds are “Brood Parasites.” They do not build a nest of their own. Instead, they take over the nests of other species and proceed to raise their own young. Cowbirds will come to feeders.

The 2021 Great Backyard Bird Count

We have been having some somewhat significant snowstorms after a quiet start to winter. Even though you may have been stuck in the house in the midst of the storm, you likely had some birds at your … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 2/10/21

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