Weekend @ Leo’s

Beautiful weekend at Presque Isle State Park, with sunny/cool weather and dry trail conditions. Bird activity fairly moderate; as always, though, plenty of birds to watch.

Leo’s Landing & Presque Isle Bay

These shots from Saturday afternoon at Leo’s Landing, starting w/ Ring-billed Gulls:


“Bird of the weekend” definitely Snow Bunting, spotted both here on Saturday and at Gull Point on Sunday. Qualifies as BirdingPI.com’s ‘earliest fall sighting ever,’ and also our first sighting of this species at PI anywhere other than outer Gull Point. (Following shots Snow Bunting except where noted.)

Snow Bunting

Also nice to see lots of American Pixie Gulls, a.k.a. Bonaparte’s Gulls:

Pixie Gull (center)
Pixie Gulls II
Pixie Gulls III
Mixed gulls

Here was a Dunlin, furtively trying to make its way on ground through the gulls:

Dunlin @ center
Dunlin II, center right
Dunlin III, center right

Nice to see a small flock (6+) of foraging Dunlin:



Coming up next time, more Snow Bunting, more gulls, more Dunlin, & return of Mr. Stumpy! #more_bird