By special request (‘shout out’ to NJT), a bonus post of rather lovely shots of beautiful Pileated Woodpecker along the Pine Tree Trail, Presque Isle State Park, Sunday 14 May 2023.

Dateline: 13 May 2023

Another day on the Pine Tree Trail, Presque Isle State Park, another BirdingPI.com “first time anywhere” sighting – this time an amazing Blue-winged Warbler (m) on Saturday! (Literally amazed. Again.)

ID tips: overall yellow; distinctive black “eye line;” white wing bars. Blue wings (ahem). Distinctive ‘trilling’ call, almost insect-like; see All About Birds.

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[Photo Editor’s Note: Difficult shooting conditions under foggy morning skies in thick vegetation. Very lucky to get the “ok” shots above. Following are more typical examples; in each shot, subject is approximately @ very center:

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After an informal poll of BirdingPI.com staff, Pine Tree Trail rated as #1 “interior trail” at Presque Isle State Park. (#1 trail overall: Gull Point Trail. Of course.)

Flowers For Mother’s Day

With the recent spell of good weather and warm temps, things are heating up at Presque Isle State Park, Erie, PA. Bird-wise that is. Recent “first of 2023” sightings: Great Crested Flycatcher; Rose-breasted Grosbeak; Ruby-throated Hummingbird; American Redstart; Black-throated Green Warbler; Magnolia Warbler; Black-throated Blue Warbler; at least a vireo or two (Red-eyed Vireo or Warbling Vireo?); etc.

Of special note, a recent, first ever anywhere BirdingPI.com sighting of an amazing Hooded Warbler (m) along the Pine Tree Trail! (Literally amazing – wow.)

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Stay tuned for more birds, including gulls eating dead fish in Lake Erie!

More fun shots of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher adjacent Thompson Bay swamp/pond:

Another “new for 2023” Presque Isle warbler, the lovely Chestnut-sided Warbler! Recent shots from very high up in the trees on the east end of Long Pond Trail:

Very tough conditions shooting that high up into the trees. Two photos above were the best out of several dozen. Other “ok” shots:

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BirdingPI.com 2023 warbler count currently at 7! A slow but steady start. (Yellow-rumped, Palm, Yellow, Black-and-white, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Waterthrush, & Chestnut-sided.)

Dateline: 6 May 2023

More from the weekend @ Presque Isle State Park, Erie, PA.

Another BirdingPI.com “first for 2023,” the always beautiful Eastern Kingbird, in a tree @ “Pine Tree Meadows:”

Very happy to see a BirdingPI.com favourite back for 2023, the lovely Black-and-white Warbler along the Pine Tree Trail:

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At Thompson Circle, not sure what bird this is (!):

Perhaps an immature Brown-headed Cowbird?

[Editor’s Note: bird above is a female Brown-headed Cowbird]

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Please enjoy a special report of Common Loon.

Dateline: 23 April 2023

This BirdingPI.com PI Bird Alert^TM brought to you by the Hoisin Sauce Advisory Board – Everything Tastes Better With Hoisin Sauce! Almost.^TM

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In the realm of the ‘highly unlikely but nevertheless real,’ an amazing sighting today of a beautiful Tricolored Heron at Gull Point, Presque Isle State Park! Normally a coastal habitant, so wow. Substantially smaller than GBH, with white belly, white throat line, and blue head/neck colouration.

Just a few preliminary shots + video:

[Video resolution lowered due to site file size limitations.]

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GBH at that same location for comparison:

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More photography of this amazing bird coming up soon!

Milford Point, Milford, CT – the “Presque Isle of Connecticut,” if it had more trees and was lacking nearby beach homes. And was on a giant lake instead of the ocean. Anyway, on special assignment, more BirdingPI.com “guest roving correspondent” content of a recent visit to this amazing location.

Home of the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, sandwiched between Long Island Sound and the marsh/swamp of Charles E. Wheeler WMA, at the mouth of the Housatonic River. Following shots are on the inland/marsh side:

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Coming up soon, on the beach at Milford Pt!