@ the Point (2)

Part 2/2 of general coverage of Gull Point (Presque Isle State Park) from last weekend:

Outer Gull Point, view north-ish from new observation platform of old observation platform
Northern House Wren
Killdeer in flight I
Outer Gull Point view east/northeast
KIF II
Red-winged Blackbird in flight
KIF III
Bank Swallow in flight
KIF IV
Common Tern w/ fish
KIF V
Greater or Lesser Yellowlegs in flight
Common Tern II
Northern Yellow Warbler
Immature Herring or Ring-billed Gull
GBHIF
Ring-billed Gull

“Smoked Duck”

Big environmental news in Erie County, Pennsylvania this week was smog in the literal sense – fog + smoke from Canadian wildfires. Enough for extremely hazy conditions, + a noticeable smoke smell in the air, + daily air quality alerts. Following shot is from yesterday at South Pier, looking west towards Presque Isle Bay; from this vantage, Presque Isle State Park would normally be easily visible at the horizon:

South Pier

Also at South Pier yesterday, a beautiful female Mallard + amazingly cute baby ducks, in the entrance channel to Presque Isle Bay, including some nice water reflections/shimmer:

Weather today in Erie County, humid w/ light on/off rain. Should help with the smoke!

@ the Point (1)

It’s part 1 of general Gull Point coverage at Presque Isle State Park last Saturday late morning:

Outer Gull Point view NW towards tree line

Re-post of one shot of sleeping Willow Ptarmigan, under the trees as shown above mid-right:

Willow Ptarmigan
Eastern Kingbird
Killdeer w/ surf + wet stones
Killdeer in flight over outer Lake Erie
Killdeer @ approaching beach landing
Killdeer landing II
KIF @ outer Lake Erie
Killdeer landing III
Bad shot of Bank Swallow in flight
Common Tern w/ fish @ outer Gull Point in heat shimmer
KIF @ outer Gull Point
Common Tern II
GBHIF @ outer Gull Point
Red-tailed Blackbird in flight over outer Lake Erie
Immature Herring Gull or ?
Blackbird II
Immature Ring-billed Gulls or ?

Misc. SIF

Today’s post on BirdingPI.com features (unless otherwise noted) lovely adult Tree Swallows in flight over Lake Melvin (and vicinity), Fairview Twp, PA, from July 4th:

Juvenile Tree Swallow
Juvenile Tree Swallow II
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow II
Northern Rough-winged Swallow III
Northern Rough-winged Swallow IV

Photo methodology: fast shutter speed, max aperture, floating (auto) ISO; pick an open spot with recurring flying birds; pre-focus the lens to a spot in space where the birds are likely to fly; slow burst shooting as birds fly into the selected space.

Siesta/Windy Saturday

In Presque Isle State Park bird news, the Willow Ptarmigan continues her summer residency at Gull Point, drawing a continuing stream of bird enthusiasts out for a hopeful glimpse. These shots from late yesterday morning at the outer Gull Point tree line, with said celebrity in ‘nap mode:’

Beautiful warm/mild weather in Erie County, PA yesterday, although quite windy, e.g., as with this view of the north side of outer Gull Point:

These Turkey Vultures weren’t in carrion scavenging mode, instead enjoying gliding in the wind over the east end of Budny Beach:

Jet ski event at Budny Beach (foreground) with kites at Sunset Point (background)

Finally, Spotted Sandpiper in flight @ outer Gull Point:

America’s Next Top Bird Model

Today, it’s beautiful American Robin models in the BirdingPI.com studio, taken on a sheet of knurled plexiglass ‘wetted down’ with bird-safe ethylene glycol substitute. Love to see these beautiful birds strut their stuff!

Since it’s Robins today, finally running the rest of “Curl-Crested Aracari” saga, including the previously-published first two in the series for narrative continuity: