Greenwood Furnace State Park

BALD EAGLES IN WHIPPLE DAM STATE PARK - Saturday, May 22, at 7 pm at the Observation Deck next to the beach. Recently, Bald Eagles have been seen at Whipple Dam. The Park will be holding an in-person program on Bald Eagles that will include a short informational session, followed by a watch party. Participation is limited to 35. Participants must wear a face mask or covering, and social distancing is in effect. Please call the Greenwood Furnace park office at 814-667-1800 to... register by Friday, May 21. The program will begin in the area of the observation deck at the beach. Bald Eagles are our national symbol, a bird immediately recognizable for its white head and tail. Despite this status, they were hunted or killed for sport. In the 20th century, the effects of scavenging dead animals as food decimated populations due to poisoning from lead ammunition, certain pesticides, and other factors. In much of the country, they were listed as an endangered species. As late as the 1970s, there were only 3 known nesting pairs of bald eagles remaining in the state. Through the Pennsylvania Game Commission, a re-introduction program was initiated, and today, there are over 300 nesting sites in the state. And it seems we may soon add Whipple Dam to that list! Photo by park friend Steve Rubano

It's tick season now. Here is info if you get one on you or a family member.

Animal Journal - 5/4 - Hey Kids, here's an activity you can do when you come to the park with your family!

Here is a way to help wildlife.

Why not come out to Whipple Dam on Saturday (see separate post) and lend a hand?

Easter Bird Egg Scavenger Hunt - it's over, folks, so here are the answers. Egg locations and bird identification 1. Standing Stone Trail (South) Eastern Towhee 2. Near the Church Eastern Bluebird... 3. Smoke House behind Mansion Carolina Wren 4. Meat House - Phoebe 5. Standing Stone Trail (North) American Robin 6. Cemetery Tree Swallow 7. Pavilion 8 House Wren 8. Ore Cart @ Blacksmith Shop Barn Owl 9. Planter behind Beach House Pileated Woodpecker 10. Fishing Pier Bald Eagle 11. Lakeview Trail at Bridge near Fishing Pier Ruffed Grouse 12. Furnace Stacks Cowbird in House Finch nest 13. School House Site Ruby-Throated Hummingbird 14. Dam on Lakeview Trail American Woodcock 15. Moore Trail @ Pavilion 6 Mallard Duck 16. Bridge by lower Volleyball Court Candy coated chocolate eggs! Happy Easter! See more

NOTICE - This is a self-guided program, with no contact with park employees, friends group members, or volunteers. The recent announcement concerning the cancelling of in-person programs and events in state parks currently still allows self-guided programs. If this changes, we will post it here. NOTE - The "Bookkeeper's House" across from the maintenance area is a private residence and is not part of the scavenger hunt. Please respect their privacy. CHRISTMAS WREATH SCAVENG...ER HUNT Saturday, December 2, 2020 through Sunday, January 3, 2021 - Here is a chance to have some fun in the park in the month of December. There are 15 natural material wreaths scattered through the core of the park, put together and placed by our wonderful maintenance crew. See if you can find all of them. Look on buildings, pavilions, waysides, and along trails. Write the locations below. They can be in any order. The Scavenger Hunt form is available in the vestibule of the park office, or you can download and print out the image attached to this post. When finished, please drop this form off at the park office, or take a picture of it and send it to [email protected]. You can also send the image to this page through Messenger. Please do this activity in small, immediate family groups. Wear masks and maintain social distancing when encountering other groups. Follow CDC and Pennsylvania guidelines for masking, sanitizing, etc. Out-of-state travel restrictions apply (link below). Program subject to change, further restrictions, or cancellation at any time without warning. The Secretary of Health has issued an order requiring anyone who visits from another state to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 prior to entering the commonwealth. If someone cannot get a test or chooses not to, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvanians visiting other states are required to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their return to the commonwealth or to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania. https://www.governor.pa.gov//20201117-SOH-Travel-Mitigatio All participants must meet the conditions of the order to participate in park programs. Programs are subject to change and further restrictions.

HISTORY ON FRIDAYS 12/11 NEW LANCASTER VALLEY CCC CAMP This CCC camp, designated S-113 was established on October 14, 1933 when Company 275 arrived. The camp was located several miles above Reeds Gap State Park. While it is on private property, at the time it was designated as a state forest camp. Company 275 was actually from Idaho. This was not uncommon in the CCC program. This company remained until about May 7 to 10, 1934, when they were transferred to Moravia in N...ew York. A few days later on May 14, Company 338 transferred to this camp from S-65 in Treaster Kettle camp, which was west of Potter’s Mills in Centre County. Note that Treaster Kettle and Treaster Valley were different camps. In August of 1936, Company was split in half, forming a new company, which was transferred to Swanton, Maryland. The remaining half remained Company 338, and was refilled to full complement, but only remained until December of that year, when they were disbanded. Some members who were at the end of their enlistment were given a discharge. Others were transferred individually into other units. Moving in immediately was Company 5458, which was transferred from Camp S-64 in Treaster Valley, as it was closed. They remained only until July 10, of 1937. At this point, it is uncertain what happened to this company, whether they were transferred or disbanded. Moving in immediately afterward was yet another company, this time it was Company 3308-CV. This company was composed of African-American veterans, mostly from World War I, as designated with the CV in their number. They had been formed in 1935, and were at three other camps before coming to Mifflin County. This was at a time when discrimination was still common in American society, so African-American companies were legally segregated into their own companies. In many states, they were not welcome, but in Pennsylvania, these companies were well supported by state officials. While there are a few instances of local communities objecting to colored companies as they were called, this company endeared itself to the local community, and were welcomed. As with the companies that preceded them, they did a lot of forestry work locally, and worked in Reeds Gap State Park. In the early summer of 1941, orders were received for this company to be located to another camp. Local citizens near their new camp wrote to their congressmen, objecting to this move. They did not want this company in their community. At the same time, Mifflin Countians were also writing to their congressmen, objecting to the move. They wanted this company to remain here. Though the CCC leaders initially stuck to the move, they rescinded it at the last minute. Mifflin County had won. The company would remain. Unfortunately their victory was short lived, as the company disbanded a few weeks later. Today, the mess hall of the camp remains, and is now the Wilderness Lodge Restaurant.

Here is a segment on our wreath hunt by WTAJ-TV that originally aired on December 8.

WILDLIFE WEDNESDAY 12/9 There’s just something about aquatic birds that is mesmerizing. Maybe it’s the way they glide over the water, or dive for fish. Greenwood Lake plays host to several aquatic birds throughout the year. One of those birds is one that was only a few decades ago was becoming a rarity, but today is common again, thanks to human intervention. It has an unusual trait, tied to a term for weddings. More in this in a moment. The double-crested cormorant (Pha...lacrocorax auritus) is one of the many species of seabirds, and is related to boobies and frigates. There are five recognized subspecies, only the a. auritus is widely distributed. The birds are nearly all black, like crows and ravens, but have an orange to yellow patch of bare shin on their chins and face. It mainly eats a variety of fish, swimming and then diving for a tasty meal. However, its feathers are not waterproof. After diving, it must spend time drying its feathers. Cormorants can typically dive up to 25 feet, but they have been observed diving an incredible 150 feet. This is the equivalent of half the length of a football field! This makes it one of the deepest diving birds. Moreover, similar to owls, it regurgitates a pellet with the indigestible parts of its food. Historically, cormorants were a very common bird, but by the mid 20th century their numbers were plummeting. These birds, like many others, were affected by the pesticide DDT. After its ban in the United States, cormorants recovered, and to day their biggest threat is control measure where anglers complain that they compete for sport fish. The species gets its name from two crests that appear during breeding season. Called nuptial crests, they are white, black, or both in color, and emerge just above the eyes. Also, the bare skin patch on a breeding adult is more orange, whereas it is yellow for a non-breeding adult.

As this polar plunger is part of our cancelled SnowFest event, we are passing this along.

Note that this is only for staff or volunteer led in-person programs and events. State parks and forests remain open. Self-guiding programs and virtual programs are still happening. Our Christmas Wreath Scavenger Hunt program (see seperate post for details) is a self-guided program and is still active all month, and our virtual programs are posted on our Facebook page Wednesdays and Fridays. Please stay safe and we hope to see you again next year!