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The big bird news this past week was the first ever sighting (per eBird records) in Erie Co., PA of a female Willow Ptarmigan, along the Gull Point Trail at Presque Isle State Park. These shots from the other day with the bird in question taking a mid-day ‘shade break’ + preening behavior:

Normally this species summers in subarctic tundra regions, and in the case of North America winters perhaps mid/central Canada. Very rare for one to be so far south especially this time of year.

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Coming up tomorrow, more ‘ok but not great’ shots of Willow Ptarmigan!

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Today on BirdingPI.com, it’s a quick visit to dark and lovely woods at Moraine State Park (between Cranberry and Slippery Rock) on Saturday, under overcast/drizzly conditions. Featuring Black-capped Chickadee:

Being well south of Erie County, Moraine State Park is great for over-summering vireos (Red-eyed, Warbling, Blue-headed, White-eyed, etc.), just the forest is so thick it’s mostly “heard, not seen.” But here’s an awful shot of a lovely Yellow-throated Vireo, for the record:

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While we’re on the topic, forgot to post these much better shots of an unusual sighting of Yellow-throated Vireo in north Erie County, PA, on 7 May 2026:

Yesterday in Erie County, Pennsylvania, on/around sunset, a nice “outline exposure” (meaning, poorly exposed shots) of a Great Horned Owl perched on a power pole. This was one of those “driving by quick pull over break out the emergency camera kit while hoping you don’t get hit by passing cars can’t get the camera set up properly before the bird flies off” situations. Still, it’s an owl!

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Since May, seems like there’s been a general lack of shorebird sightings at Presque Isle State Park other than the Piping Plover family, Spotted Sandpiper, Killdeer, and gulls. Here’s a Ring-billed Gull (transitioning plumage) in surf off Beach 10:

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Nearby, in one of the dead trees at the east end of Beach 10, a Northern Flicker was very busy with some sort of nest hole excavation/cleaning. (This was not ‘wood pecking,’ but pulling out and discarding existing debris from the nest hole.)

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First up, a Baltimore Oriole nest near the Gull Point Trailhead at Presque Isle State Park, at the end of a very long, rather slender branch:

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And, 1 or 2 male Baltimore Orioles a bit closer to the ground along the Gull Point Trail:

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Looks like mild weather is predicted for the weekend, with much warmer temps expected next week. Happy nature/birding!

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Today’s post features more of the same Spotted Sandpiper as in yesterday’s post, in the dunes off Beach 11, as a somewhat interesting study in front lighting vs. back lighting. It was the same, rather persistent bird, in the same location, seen (i) walking from North Pier Trail to the water’s edge at Beach 11, facing the morning sun (back lit subject), and (ii) walking back the same way, with the morning sun now behind (front lit subject):

More alternating shots of front lit and back lit:

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Realistically, mostly with bird photography the lighting “is what it is” = do the best possible under the circumstances. But, successful results, sometimes better results, are possible under any conditions, especially if repositioning is possible and/or if there’s time to consider and adjust the exposure.

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More from the other morning at Presque Isle State Park. First up, a Belted Kingfisher chased by a female/immature Red-winged Blackbird at the head of Presque Isle Bay:

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More birds, now at/near Beach 11:

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From early the other morning at Presque Isle State Park, at the head of Presque Isle Bay + Leo’s Landing:

[Editor’s note: it’s been a good year for Mute Swan at Presque Isle, so they seem to be permanently off the eBird ‘rare bird’ list for this area.]

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[Editor’s note 2: Sturnus vulgaris – “Common Starling” = Europe, “European Starling” = North America.]

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Well, today is the first full day of summer 2026, and it’s cold and raining heavily in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Might as well harken back to the last full day of spring (this past Saturday), featuring birds at Flag Park/Lake Melvin in Fairview, PA, on the east campus of Fairview Business Park:

These are actually what appear to be two male American Robins engaging in spring territorial behavior, in chronological order. Lighting wasn’t perfect (+ long distance), but still very fun to see:

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More birds same day/location:

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100% Osprey from the last couple weeks at Presque Isle State Park, including “flying around” behavior, carrying prey behavior, and carrying nesting material behavior:

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