Weekend Update

Weather-wise, quite awful this past weekend in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Overcast both days, with on/off rain Saturday (mostly “on”) and fairly heavy wind and rain Sunday until mid-afternoon. Trail conditions: very wet with localized flooding/puddling, even in “normally mostly dry” spots. (Forecast for this Friday & into the near future: snow & rain.)

Canada Geese at Leo’s Landing

Overall, fairly subdued bird activity at Presque Isle State Park, but still some nice sightings. Also “Rule 13 of bird photography:” when all else fails, there’s always plants. (Or landscapes.) All shots here from Sunday under rainy conditions.

Wet berries – probably Asiatic Bittersweet (C. orbiculatus)
Mixed gulls at Leo’s Landing
Horned Grebes on Presque Isle Bay
More wet berries – probably hawthorn (species unknown)
Tundra Swans on Long Pond

A few overcast/gloomy shots of a Mallard takeoff on Long Pond:


Finally, a somewhat random stop at the Beach No. 8 parking lot to check out outer lake/surf conditions. (‘Random’ meaning relative to other possible spots to check out lake conditions, of which there are many.) Otherwise devoid of human/bird activity, and despite heavy wind/blowing rain conditions, surprised to see a flock (10+) of cute Snow Bunting, here mostly shown below or on the split-rail wooden fence that borders the multiuse/bike trail:



















Eventually the Snow Buntings flew towards the beach and then east, caught in the wind:

Snow Bunting in flight (left w/ tree in background)

Tomorrow, there will be Turkeys! Sort of.