Another day of low high temps yesterday in Erie County, Pennsylvania, e.g., -12 deg C as of 2 PM. Presque Isle State Park very ‘frozen over’ and quiet except for the ice fisherpeople at busy places like Misery Bay. These shots from Thursday at South Pier again, where the remaining open water had finally frozen over:
South Pier view northeastAmerican Coots on ice
With the channel fully iced over, passing ducks were mostly checking things out (flying low to find water) and then moving on to Presque Isle Bay or outer Lake Erie:
Lesser Scaups in flight
Or, like several Tundra Swans seen high overhead, heading south:
Tundra Swan vocalizes as it flies southFemale Lesser Scaup in flightTundra Swans IILesser Scaups in flight IIFemale Lesser Scaup IILesser Scaups in flight IIITundra Swans IIIMale Red-breasted MerganserMale Redheads (left) + Lesser ScaupsLesser Scaups in flight IV
Nice sequence of female Common Goldeneye:
Female Lesser Scaup IIILesser Scaups in flight VLesser Scaups in flight VILesser Scaups in flight VIIMale Lesser Scaup in flightLesser Scaups in flight VIIIMale Lesser Scaup IILesser Scaups in flight IXMale Lesser Scaup IIILesser Scaups in flight XMale Lesser Scaup IV
As of Wednesday, the Presque Isle Bay entrance channel @ South Pier had further solidified, with one unfrozen pool remaining against the North Pier bulwark. Being in short supply, this tiny spot of open water was very popular with the ducks, mostly Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, and Bufflehead, plus a few Ring-necked Ducks, Canvasback, and Common Merganser.
“Duck soup”
In this shot from South Pier, pool is at center below the red emergency life ring stand @ Coast Guard Station grounds:
As with the Bald Eagles the day before, today it was gulls successfully ‘ice fishing’ despite the significant duck presence:
(In shot above, white blob on ice to the right of center = sleeping Tundra Swan.)
Lesser ScaupFemale Lesser ScaupDucks landingFemale Lesser Scaup II“Duck soup” IIIFemale Lesser Scaup IIIMale Red-breasted Merganser on icePoorly lit male Common Merganser“Duck soup” IVView of South Pier looking east
Finally for today, Bald Eagles cavorting over North Pier area:
In yesterday’s post, it was a week+ ago with unfrozen, choppy water on the entrance channel to Presque Isle Bay between North Pier and South Pier. As of a couple days ago, with the recent cold snap, current conditions are ‘mostly frozen.’ Here’s the view from South Pier looking towards Presque Isle Bay:
“South Pier tree” on left
In the few spots with open, unfrozen water, it’s a bird activity magnet including Bald Eagle:
Telephoto view of Presque Isle Bay w/ unfrozen pool of water with several Scaup ducks:
Initially, the Bald Eagles (3-4) were cruising (flying around) the pool shown below, presumably looking for fish. More on this in an upcoming post.
Lesser Scaups, Ring-necked Ducks, Common Merganser, & Red-breasted MerganserMale Ring-necked Ducks @ centerCommon Goldeneye (right, middle), Common Merganser (middle right), & Red-breasted Merganser (left)Ring-necked Ducks (top row)Red-breasted Merganser & ScaupBald Eagle on iceAnother pool with Canada Geese and lots of ducks
These include American Coot, Redhead, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, and Lesser Scaup:
Also Ring-necked Ducks and a female Canvasback or two:
Pool of waterfowl
Finally, looking east/northeast from the end of South Pier. The sort of open water is what’s left of the official shipping/boat channel to outer Lake Erie:
In today’s post, back to South Pier, Erie, Pennsylvania, about a week ago, on a different, even windier day. (Gusts 80 kph+.) At least it was sunny again! All shots from behind the “South Pier tree.”
Evidence of wind @ Coast Guard StationBehind the ‘South Pier tree’ – view of channel & North PierFemale Lesser Scaup in surfImmature Red-breasted Merganser in flightAmerican Coot in surfMerganser in flight IIScaup on left, male Common Goldeneye on rightAmerican Coots IIMerganser in flight IIILesser Scaups in surfMerganser in flight IVScaups (left) + male Common Goldeneye (right)Merganser in flight VMale Red-breasted Merganser in surfAnother view of Scaup and GoldeneyeMerganser in flight VIMales & females: Common Goldeneye (l, r) + Scaup (middle top, middle bottom)Male Red-breasted Merganser in surf IIAmerican Coots IIIIn the wavesAmerican Coots IV
As of yesterday, Presque Isle Bay @ South Pier is now mostly frozen over. More on that in future posts, plus more eagles!
The following shot exactly captures current conditions at Presque Isle State Park, featuring Erie-based The Eagles tribute band “The Eaglets” this past Saturday:
Wrong “The Eagles”
Meanwhile, elsewhere, nearby, 3 different adult Bald Eagles:
The Eagle thinks: “Portions of this post seem of dubious reality.”Canada Geese and ducks on frozen Presque Isle BayBald Eagles at Leo’s LandingTundra Swans w/ view of Port of Erie
Current weather conditions in Erie County, Pennsylvania: “Extreme cold warning” until 11AM. As the saying goes, “If it wasn’t so cold, snowy, and windy, it’d actually be nice out.”
A good 25+ cm (10+ inches) of fresh powder in Erie County, Pennsylvania yesterday, perhaps more depending on specific location. While waiting on snow removal for getting back out in the field, here’s more from South Pier the other day + nearby East Ave Boat Launch:
Male Red-breasted MergansersDistant copious gulls on outer Lake ErieLong-tailed DuckMisc duck (e.g., Common Goldeneye) on outer Lake ErieMale Red-breasted MerganserLong-tailed Duck IIFemale or immature Red-breasted MerganserRed-breasted Mergansers in flight IIRed-breasted Mergansers in flight IIIRed-breasted Mergansers in flight w/ North Pier LightImmature male Red-breasted MerganserRed-breasted Mergansers in flight VIProbably male Greater ScaupRed-breasted Mergansers in flight VIILesser Scaup (left, upper right) + Bufflehead (middle right)Mostly RedheadsScaups and Buffleheads IIAnother view of distant gull “feeding frenzy”Redheads (male – left, female – upper right)View east towards New York stateMale Redhead in flightGulls and ducks off old Erie Coke PlantLong-tailed Duck IIIDistant gulls IIIMore RedheadsMale Redhead in flight IIMergansers in flight VIIIRedheads and a ScaupPoorly lit comparison – Red-breasted (top) and Common (bottom) Mergansers, both male
The weather’s so bad in Pennsylvania today they did the unspeakable – preemptively close every state wine/liquor store! Happily, the BirdingPI.com supplies cabinet is well stocked with something way more important: black coffee and lots of it.
Golden-crowned Kinglet
In today’s post, taking a break (temporarily) from ducks/South Pier with a beautiful Golden-crowned Kinglet yesterday in the pine woods at Presque Isle State Park. (Weather yesterday: sunny, temps around 9-10 deg F.) This individual perhaps the largest/fluffiest Kinglet we’ve ever seen.
Greetings this fine Saturday morning from Millcreek Twp, Pennsylvania (“Since 1800”), where the current air temperature is approximately -20 deg C (-5 deg F). But at least it’s mostly sunny, like more of these nice duck pictures from the other day at a cold/windy South Pier:
View of South Pier from behind the “South Pier tree”Perry Monument w/ blowing ice/snowLong-tailed Duck
Here’s a nice shot of male Lesser Scaup. Note the 1/2 white wing stripes and iridescent purple head (typically visible only in good lighting):
Lesser Scaup (m)Long-tailed Duck IIMale Red-breasted Merganser in flightLong-tailed Duck IIIRed-breasted MerganserRedhead (m – left) & Lesser Scaup (f – middle, m – right)Immature Red-breasted Merganser in flightFemale Lesser ScaupMale Redhead in flightSunny male RedheadMale Redhead in flight IIRedheads (f – left, m – right)Lesser Scaup in flightRed-breasted Merganser (f) in flight
Not unexpectedly, more bad weather today in Erie County, Pennsylvania: cold, snowing, windy, with a high temperature of no more than -7 deg C (19 deg F) at 4AM falling throughout the day to a forecast low temp of -18 deg C (zero deg F) this evening. High temp tomorrow? Maybe 8 deg F.
View of North Pier, Misery Bay, & Perry Monument from behind “South Pier tree”
No better (worst?) place to enjoy the bad weather in Erie than South Pier. Something about the exposed location proximate both to Presque Isle Bay and outer Lake Erie creates an almost wind tunnel effect, typically west to east in line with the orientation of the pier. “Pro” tip for birding/photography @ South Pier in windy weather: as above, hunker downwind against the (thankfully sturdy) “South Pier tree,” conveniently located fairly close to the parking lot but also with a good view of the channel across from the Coast Guard Station.
Guide to finding the “South Pier tree”
The shot immediately above is from Leo’s Landing the other week. Rest of today’s content is from a few days ago at South Pier under very windy but nicely partially sunny conditions.
Presque Isle Bay w/ gulls on ice
Finally, a first sighting of Long-tailed Duck for 2026:
Long-tailed DuckRed-breasted MerganserMale Red-breasted Merganser in flightLong-tailed Duck IIImmature Red-breasted MerganserLong-tailed Duck IIIMale Redhead (left) + female Lesser Scaup (right)Buffleheads in sunshine (female – left; male – right)RedheadsMore Redheads – female (left) + male (right)Male Scaup, perhaps Greater ScaupMale Redhead in flightScaups in flightMixed ducksFemale Lesser Scaup
Coming up soon, lots more from South Pier! #more_duck
