From the other weekend at Presque Isle State Park, an unusual and ill-advised outing to what’s listed on the park map as “Pond of the Woods.”
With the park “maintenance area” being off limits, the main land route to Pond of the Woods is heading southwest, overland, from the junction of Ridge Trail and Marsh Trail:
Not a “hidden birding trail.” There are no trails. There is also swamp, although navigable in dry conditions by hopping between grass tufts:
Pond of the Woods, view southeast; very interesting/unusual south view of the Long Pond Trail sand ridge/forest (line of trees approx. at center of shot):
Pond of the Woods, view soutwest; Long Pond is beyond the line of trees:
Pond of the Woods, view northwest, towards maintenance area:
Besides Yellow Warbler and a couple departing Bald Eagles, the “bird of the outing” was one or two Eastern Wood-pewee, seen around this swampy area just north of Pond of the Woods:
View of woods on north border of Pond of the Woods:
Another view of woods north of Pond of the Woods:
ID tips: “dusky vest” (see above); overall gray color; scant or no eyering; two wing bars; long tails/wing:
[Editor’s Note: woodpecker above could be Downy Woodpecker. Beak seems long enough for Hairy Woodpecker, but hard to tell for sure.]