Failed to make note of 3 February 2024, the winter mid-point. On the other hand, the northern hemisphere’s well on the way to spring!
Speaking of spring, “crazy February” continues here in Erie County, PA, with unseasonably warm weather and no snow/little ice. After a sunny but cold weekend (AM hard frost), it transitioned to high temperatures in the 10+ deg. C range (50’s deg. F!), with clouds/rain Thursday night, otherwise mostly/partly sunny. So mild, at least one Erie golf course opened Wednesday (!), not to mention recently sighted daffodil shoots. All that said, forecast calls for a 50%+ chance of snow next week.
Ice conditions at Presque Isle State Park and Lake Erie remain highly variable: Lake Erie completely unfrozen, & Presque Isle Bay + interior ponds varying between ‘light ice’ and ‘mostly no ice,’ depending on overnight temperatures.
Seasonal bird activity remains high, e.g., American Robin, Blue Jay, Dark-eyed Junco, ducks/waterfowl, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bald Eagle, American Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebird, European Starling, Wild Turkey, etc. Unofficial BirdingPI.com “species seen in Erie County so far in 2024” count = 69!
Tundra Swans in flight over Presque Isle Bay:
Of note, very early recent sightings of Red-winged Blackbird at Leo’s Landing (& Gull Point), Yellow-rumped Warbler on the Gull Point Trail (probably an overwintering population), and Golden-crowned Kinglet in Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”).
Photos of Yellow-rumped Warbler forthcoming. Meanwhile, wrapping it up with ‘morning’ ducks on Lake Erie:
More male Red-breasted Merganser:
Wow! 69 bird species and counting! Fantastic!.
We saw two in our yard…a dove and a hummingbird!
Last night the two owls hooted to each other…. mating calls???
Loved the merganser with wing tips almost touching the water!