Another Wetland

There are three wetland areas in Shippensburg borough. The Dykeman Spring wetland and the wetland behind the shopping center on South Fayette St. both feed Branch Creek/Middle Spring Creek, but the wetland running beside Brookside Ave. has an interesting function. Burd Run comes down off of South Mountain, but by the time it gets to Shippensburg around Walnut Bottom Rd. and South Conestoga Drive it has pretty much dried up. Just north of that dry spot is the Brookside Ave. wetland, where the local aquifer comes to the surface and acts as a second feed for Burd Run for the rest of its run north to Middle Spring Creek. I found it a couple of years ago while chasing a geocache in the area, but today was the first time I did a dedicated photo shoot there. The area is a labyrinth of little streamlets eventually emptying into Burd Run, and in the center of the wetland is a man-made collection pond. The wetland is green and lush, and plays host to many birds, most notably Mallard Ducks and Canada Geese, as well as lots of Red-winged Blackbirds and Tree Swallows; in fact there are at least a dozen Tree Swallow houses set up in the area. So come walk through this gorgeous wetland with me.

The Brookside Ave. entrance to the wetland

A Mama Mallard and her chicks on one of the streamlets in the wetland

One of the many streamlets in the wetland

The central collection pond in the wetland

Mama Canada Goose on her nest

Burd Run refilled by the wetland

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger