Happy to recently see a beautiful male Cape May Warbler at ‘eye level’ along the Pine Tree Trail. (This is one is easy: soon to be re-named “May Warbler.” 🙂
But first, several ok/shady shots of Tennessee Warbler:
Also fun to see an Eastern Raccoon (Procyon lotor lotor) in the nearby marshy area (see above):
Following are all Cape May Warbler x Raccoon exiting human presence:
Coming up soon, more along the Pine Tree Trail!
Today on BirdingPI.com, it’s a reasonably well-lit male Brown-headed Cowbird along the Gull Point Trail @ Presque Isle State Park. Plus bonus video!
The sound quality is ok on this video clip; turn up the volume to enjoy the Cowbird’s ‘electronic squeak’ vocalization:
Next up on the BirdingPI.com “spring warbler hit parade,” whatever they’re calling Blackburnian Warbler these days. Actually, it’s still Blackburnian Warbler because the AOS (American Ornithological Society) is taking a really, really long time on its project to re-name honorific bird names. (Just now working on a pilot since the November 2023 announcement!?! Wow – even slower than BirdingPI.com photo editing.)
Considering names like Yellow Warbler, Red-headed Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, etc., maybe don’t think about it so hard? Anyway, this is distracting from the much, much more important subject at hand, which (of course) is beautiful birds in nature (all Orange Flame Warbler):
Celebrating the (U.S.) holiday weekend w/ a bonus post of bathing + preening Yellow Warbler. This is highly likely to have occurred at Presque Isle State Park. Please enjoy responsibly.
Some years at Presque Isle State Park it’s lucky to see even 1-2 Northern Parula warblers. Anecdotally, 2025 has been pretty good, including these nice “not so high up in the trees” shots from recently at Leo’s Landing. Males = russet/burnt chestnut-coloured band on chest:
Following shots are more Northern Parula + “misc. birds” same date/location:
Tip for attracting Northern Parula: “Here, birdie, birdie, birdie.” 🙂
Rather awful (rainy, windy, cold) weather in Erie County, Pennsylvania yesterday/Saturday; really nice bird activity at Presque Isle nevertheless. Today, looks a bit better! Happy birding/happy nature!
Lots of warbler (& other bird) activity at Presque Isle State Park this month. Here’s recent coverage mostly at Leo’s Landing, featuring another beautiful “black-and-white” warbler, Blackpoll Warbler:
Last week-and-a-half or so, lots of Blackpoll Warbler activity; anecdotally, more than usual at Presque Isle. (Go to Leo’s Landing to see Blackpoll Warblers.)
Here’s a nice shot looking towards the entrance to Presque Isle Bay. Just left of the evil sailboat is North Pier and North Pier Light, just right of the good sailboat is South Pier and the ‘tree at South Pier:’
Many Yellow Warblers all over Presque Isle, with plenty of associated chasing/tussling behavior (breeding related? territory related?), e.g., as captured in these two lucky shots @ 400mm:
Coming up soon, in which a Blackpoll Warbler-focused post also includes female Blackpoll Warblers!
Finally posting some content from Global Big Day weekend, on Sunday 11 May 2025 along the B Trail + Dead Pond Trail @ Presque Isle State Park. (B Trail is a relatively short connector between the main park road and the much longer Dead Pond Trail.) Weather was windy, but sunny and very pleasant/mild in sheltered areas.
Really nice, first-of-year sighting of Veery, one of the woodland thrushes:
Another new spring warbler, briefly seen (and poorly photographed) Ovenbird:
Sometimes it pays to go off trail. Following warblers/vireos all seen in the woods off Dead Pond Trail (see above + below).
Several shots of beautiful Eastern Kingbird:
Rather awful/rainy weather in Erie County the last few days, + unseasonably chilly. Looks like the unsettled/cold weather might continue into the holiday weekend, but ‘fingers crossed’ for great bird activity regardless!
Coming up soon, a Yellow Warbler bath!
Today on BirdingPI.com, focusing on another ‘spring warbler,’ the beautiful Bay-breasted Warbler. These shots taken recently mostly along the Duck Pond Trail @ Presque Isle State Park.
Frequently, Bay-breasted Warblers are seen foraging high up in the trees, as above. (This time of year – mid-spring – it means foliage/shade.) As in the following shot, though, lucky to see this male fly catching in trailside shrubbery:
Following all Bay-breasted Warbler unless otherwise noted:
Finally, it’s bonus Gray Catbird! Including video w/ non-noisy audio! More exclamation points!!!
More birds, etc. from last Saturday at Conneaut Marsh, south/southwest of Conneaut Lake in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Here’s another view of McMichael Rd bisecting the marsh; Prothonotary Warbler nests (see previous post) are on the right and left along the waterways:
This post, however, features an amazing sighting of one or two Yellow-throated Vireo, also seen by the road just as the rain moved in:
Here’s male and female Mallards in flight:
Nice sighting of Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the forest, first a female then three shots of male:
Coming up soon (maybe), rain birding in Pittsburgh! Wow.
Finally, a useful function for hunting litter, @ Ring-billed Gulls exhibiting drop-catch behavior w/ a used shotgun shell:
