Dateline: 10-11 June 2023
Pleasant weekend weather at Presque Isle State Park. Rain started Sunday evening and continued into Monday for a good 18+ hours – first substantial rain in a while. Great for the grass/other plants/birds.
On the subject of American Woodcock. Typical scenario involves a bird startling from the underbrush and flying away AFAP (as fast as possible). Maybe there’s enough time for an ID.
Saw two like this the other weekend along the Gull Point ‘inner old trail.’ Dispatched a BirdingPI.com team this week in a coordinated effort for obtaining photo evidence. The result – world’s worst American Woodcock photographs:
Note the very short tail, and on the second shot, curved/long beak. These shots taken by the Thompson Bay swamp/pond.
Time for BirdingPI.com’s annual Hairy Puccoon (Lithospermum caroliniense) coverage. Currently blooming at Presque Isle in the ‘habitat restoration’ area on the south side of the main park road between Beach No. 8 (by the lighthouse) and Beach No. 9 (Pine Tree):
Always happy to see cute Field Sparrow, near the Pine Tree Trail west trailhead:
Amazing amount of Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela) activity (e.g., dozens) on the Pine Tree Trail and nearby areas like ‘Pine Tree Meadows:’
More on the Pine Tree Trail, probably Zabulon skipper (Lon zabulon):
Ending it here with the beautiful Cedar Waxwing; 4-5 individuals spotted Saturday on the Pine Tree Trail:
