When we last left off, an adult Sandwich Tern had taken flight again at Miami Beach, fish in beak, chased once again by a pesky Laughing Gull:
Landing again:
Finally, a successful handout to one of its hungry brood:
The Fish, Part 2
The Fish, Part 1
Back to Miami Beach the morning of 2 October 2026, featuring an adult Sandwich Tern exhibiting ‘food carrying’ behavior + chased by a Laughing Gull.
No post yesterday due to field operations at Gull Point. “Bird of the day:” Snow Bunting, and lots of them! Digital photographs forthcoming.
Back in the Woods
Unsettled weather the last few days in Erie County, Pennsylvania (rain, etc.), with on/off rain expected today. Might be partially sunny tomorrow. Here’s a mix of sunny/shady nature photos from last weekend at Asbury Woods in Millcreek Twp, PA:
Coon Time
More excellent nature content from Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne, Florida, featuring an adult (likely female) Raccoon (Procyon lotor) and her three amazingly cute kits (juvenile Raccoons). This was along the lighthouse service road, after a few days of recurring rain.
Goose Love: It’s in the Air… (NSFW)
Today on BirdingPI.com, the Miami, Florida content continues, featuring male and female Egyptian Geese (introduced, feral) engaging in copulation behavior. Fun fact: “Geese and other waterfowl possess a true, evertible phallus, whereas roughly 97% of all non-waterfowl bird species completely lack an external intromittent organ.”
Like Canada Geese (for example), these Egyptian Geese were enthusiastically vocalizing (guttural honking) responsive to another Egyptian Goose flying overhead:
Ibises (2)
Happy Wednesday! Might as well push forward with more digital photographs of amazing White Ibis at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne, Florida, outside Miami.
Usure what these White Ibis were primarily foraging for, but could have been any of white grubs (beetle larvae), crane fly larvae, mole cricket nymphs, earthworms, etc.
Ibises
Today is mid-term election day in the United States. Here at BirdingPI.com we’re voting for birds, especially these beautiful White Ibis at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. (Adult = white w/ black wingtips; juvenile/immature = mixed brown.)
Back to Beach (v.Pelican)
Daresay there’s nothing more enjoyable (and joyous) in birding than pelicans dive fishing. These are Brown Pelicans (adult: white head; juvenile: brown head) off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida, in early October.
The Warbler (2)
Another lovely fall day yesterday at Presque Isle State Park, featuring mild temperatures, pretty trees, and mostly sunny skies. Bird activity was “low” as of mid-day, but still some interesting seasonal sightings like Ring-necked Duck. More on that later. In the meantime, it’s part 2/2 of female/immature Blackpoll Warbler from last weekend:
Just a friendly PSA that fall tick season is back once again in Erie County, Pennsylvania. (Probably in other nearby locations, too.) Multiple ticks sighted yesterday at Presque Isle, including deer tick, even just walking over short grass.
The Warbler (1); also, Happy Halloween
Wishing everyone a Happy Halloween! No trick here, just a lovely treat of beautiful (and uncommon for this time of year) female/immature Blackpoll Warbler at Presque Isle State Park last weekend. These photos in chronological order, @ foraging behavior along the main park road.
