Bringing in the new year by bringing up the old. Here is where this is going. …

Most of you probably had parents who influenced your future likes and/or activities.

Mom was the great typical mom who dedicated her life to make sure her children were dressed well, at least, respectfully. She spent more home time with us as a stay-at-home mom through our younger years.

Dad worked in Allentown, carpooled, and on weekends, he was “mine.” We both loved the outdoors; that meant fishing and hunting, or at the least, on a cold or ugly weather Sunday, we went for a ride somewhere that might offer us a chance to see wildlife.

When we hunted/fished he would pull down a limb and ask me what tree is this. Or walk over to a tree trunk and ask the same. Of course, any mammal we would see there would be a little information given to me. But, with birds, I could teach him a thing or two.

Since we lived in East Weissport the closest areas to travel were usually to the east or somewhere to the north. Dad always had his favorite spots to head to, or routes to take. Let’s see if there are any oldsters out there who have heard of some of these spots.

Dad, Wayne Rehrig and I would head to the “White Oaks” regularly. White oak trees did dominate the forest, and back in the early 1960s you could find almost anywhere to hunt. Unfortunately, with a growing economy and more mobile people, much of the White Oaks were prime areas for developers, and housing developments soon popped up everywhere.

The small family farms tucked into that area had small fields where the three of us would find good spots in autumn to use the spotlight to look for deer. Most of those fields are now manicured lawns with backyard swing sets, fire pits or swimming pools.

Besides the White Oaks, let see if anyone remembers some of the other spots? How about: Koch’s Flats? Parryville Flats? Bubardie? Three O’clock Springs? The Kettle? Hell Flats? Call Mountain? Summer Mountain? Tank Hollow? Bee Hollow?

Three O’clock Springs sits atop Pohopoco Mountain and is the headwater of Wild Creek, the main tributary for Bethlehem’s two reservoirs: Penn Forest and Wild Creek reservoirs. The Kettle is a broad basin stretching from the Pennsylvania Turnpike, with the huge forested area retaining vital clean water for that watershed. Hell Flats is a large expanse of scrub oaks holding grouse, varying hares, and “way back when,” one of the few places you could find black bears.

Now, just beyond the Stony Ridge on its northern border, houses have consumed some wonderful bird breeding areas.

I remember a few times with a fresh snow cover I walked from the Game Lands 141 parking lot on the access road to get to the Lehigh Gorge. Quite a hike, but what solitude. One favorite stop was creeping to the edge of the precipitous slopes of Tank Hollow. There the thick rhododendrons, and difficult walking access, allowed some bucks to get a bit older. Now, homes are built close to this idyllic spot.

Forest fragmentation, where broad expanses of wooded hillsides are now divided by power line and natural gas line rights of way or housing developments, has created numerous wildlife issues and major habitat loss.

Cowbirds, once left to forage in the fields and farm lots, have found manicured lawns in the middle of forests. Ruffed grouse, relying on huge expanses of forests for better breeding success, have suffered. These are just two relationships that have changed since those good old days where forests were everywhere in Carbon County.

Let’s hope that you too can pass on some of these old-time nature area names, and maybe you can share a story or two with your grandchildren about how things used to be. Maybe they can continue the process of protecting what is left of those areas. No matter, get out there in the remaining undisturbed areas before they too are lost. Enjoy and protect these habitats for those that follow.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: Which of these small mammals living in our region hibernates? A. white-footed mouse; B. meadow vole; C. meadow jumping mouse; D. none of these; E. all of these.

Dec. 21 Trivia Answer: It has been noted by wildlife biologists that generally female black bears den before males. Please note the photo on this page.

Email Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com