Great Black-backed Gull is the largest of the gulls and terns in the Laridae taxonomic family, so it’s nice to have a few in Erie County, Pennsylvania this time of year. (Also, large size + black back + pink legs = easy to spot.) One of the several individuals at Beach 11 at Presque Isle State Park the other day was the largest we’ve seen:

Note the size difference between it and nearby Ring-billed Gulls:

Left of center = adult Great Black-backed Gull, right of center is probably immature/juvenile Great Black-backed Gull:

Another good size comparison:

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With Lake Erie (including Presque Isle Bay) and many of the interior ponds at Presque Isle State Park remaining unfrozen, much of the waterfowl activity has become somewhat diffused. There are always gulls, however, e.g., as with these Ring-billed Gulls on Long Pond the other day, engaging in foraging/fishing behaviour:

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Today’s post features the rest of nature, etc. content from this last Saturday in and around Presque Isle State Park, featuring the first BirdingPI.com sighting of Wild Turkeys this year, near the lagoon boat launch. Yay Wild Turkeys!

Another ‘first of year’ bird, Common Raven in flight over Presque Isle Bay:

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Erie clear enough of ice for the arrival of Kaministiqua bulk carrier (see also shot above of it passing through the bay entrance channel):

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Much variability recently in the Erie County, Pennsylvania weather: snow, rain, ‘warm,’ cold, windy, not windy, etc. Current ground snow conditions: roads and sidewalks mostly clear, light snow otherwise (e.g., on lawns). Current lake ice conditions: essentially completely unfrozen. These shots from Saturday along Presque Isle Bay (taken by the Perry Monument) with significant float ice due to ice sheet breakup. As of the next day (Sunday – extremely windy), all this ice was melted/blown away.

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In honour of our fallen feathered friends, we mark the end of northwest Pennsylvania duck hunting season today with late-December content featuring beautiful American Black Ducks on Niagara Pond at Presque Isle State Park:

Also MIF (Mallards in flight):

Form factors (e.g., size) of American Black Duck and Mallard almost identical, but much darker colouring on the former, especially when seen at a distance:

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Weather yesterday in Erie County, Pennsylvania: rain, then clearing, then heavy wind and localized thunderstorms with record high temps; snow is melted, & Presque Isle Bay is mostly unfrozen. Going back to last Saturday under more seasonable conditions (cold), it’s ‘part 2’ of winter bird content at Presque Isle State Park:

Herring Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls on an unfrozen pool of water at Presque Isle Marina:

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Nice day yesterday in Erie County, Pennsylvania: high temp of maybe 11-12 deg C (low 50’s F), initially sunny transitioning to partially sunny. (Weather today: wind, overcast, rain.) Following shots from a brief, pleasant stop yesterday at South Pier:

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Rainy/gloomy weather the last few days in western Pennsylvania, including yesterday at Moraine State Park for a quick “birding rest stop” on the way down to Pittsburgh. Moraine State Park – located off Interstate 79 between Erie and Pittsburgh (closer to the later) – features Lake Arthur, a designated IBA (important bird area).

Not a ton of nature activity, but still some fun sightings:

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Despite the recent gloom, it actually dawned clear this morning in Erie County. ‘Fingers crossed’ for some sun today. Here’s the astronomical happenings @ 7AM:

Today on BirdingPI.com, “part 1” of bird content from this past Saturday at Presque Isle State Park, starting at the Presque Isle Marina:

Past the end of the docks, a nice sighting of “not that often seen at Presque Isle” Iceland Gull (1st winter juvenile), @ center of shot between Mallards:

Detail of juvenile Iceland Gull. ID: mottled tan, dark beak, lacking dark wing tips, slightly larger than Ring-billed Gull:

In contrast – note dark-ish wing tips – juvenile Herring Gull:

Quick stop at outer Lake Erie:

This is a view of Gull Point + “mainland” Lawrence Park, PA, as seen from Budny Beach (Gull Point is the strip of ‘non-snowy’ land above the snow/ice on the right):

Then some aimless wandering around off the Dead Pond Trail, east end near Thompson Circle:

Great sighting of at least a couple Red-breasted Nuthatch:

Finally, the view off North Pier:

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Coming up soon, another post that will look very similar to this one!

Today on BirdingPI.com, a late post of more winter birds in Erie County, Pennsylvania, this time from South Pier this past Sunday under cold/cloudy conditions. (Weather today at South Pier: rain and lots of it.)

Lots of seasonal duck activity in the channel between North Pier and South Pier (see above), including this great/fun shot of Redhead (female – top right, male – upper middle) and Common Goldeneye (male – lower middle, female – bottom left):

This is looking back towards Presque Isle State Park – the main road is in the background adjacent the trees. Perry Monument would be to the right. In the foreground is a pool of unfrozen water, with misc. gulls, Common Goldeneye, Buffleheads, and Lesser Scaups:

This is male and female Redhead on left, male Common Goldeneye far right, and male and female Lesser Scaup (adjacent far right bottom and top):

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