Around the Bay (1)

It was a beautiful weekend at Presque Isle State Park. Here’s a representative sampling of birds, etc. from around Thompson Bay:

Northern Yellow Warbler (m)
Downy Woodpecker w/ caterpillar
Spotted Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Yellow Warbler 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 2

[Editor’s note: in shot above, the ‘white stuff’ is cottonwood detritus on the beach.]

Cedar Waxwing
Yellow Warbler 3
Cedar Waxwing 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 3
Cedar Waxwing 3
Willow Flycatcher
Cedar Waxwing 4
Song Sparrow
Cedar Waxwing 5
Willow Flycatcher 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Cedar Waxwing 6
Cottonwood detail
Cedar Waxwing 7

[Editor’s note: if your Merlin app has stopped recognizing Yellow Warbler and Warbling Vireo, you need to re-install or update to the latest version.]

Fishing Trip

Shaping up to be a beautiful day today in Erie County, Pennsylvania. (Earlier forecast of “maybe rain” has not materialized.) So, just a super quick post ahead of field operations, featuring an Osprey at Gull Point a couple weeks ago, exhibiting ‘carrying prey’ behavior:

Caught a fish in the lagoon
Osprey flying over Gull Point (w/ rope trail to observation platform in background)
Heading to the beach
Landing at beach

No good pictures (too distant), but the Osprey have been hanging around the outer east/northeast beach side of outer Gull Point, congregating in groups of 2-3 by the driftwood, eating fish like the one above.

Blackbirds (1)

Today post features one of the more ubiquitous spring-fall birds in Erie County, Pennsylvania, the Red-winged Blackbird, w/ males, females, and immature at South Pier, Erie, PA:

First rain in Erie in two weeks today, but looks more like an “on/off” thing – should be ok conditions for birding – plus good for the grass.

On the way Out

Continuing on with Gull Point from the other weekend, but these shots are from along the hike out, featuring (unless otherwise specified) beautiful Yellow Warblers, and lots of them!

Yellow Warbler (m)
Tree Swallow
Eastern Kingbird
Lesser Yellowlegs (r) + Spotted Sandpiper (l)
Eastern Kingbird
Lesser Yellowlegs II
Northern Flicker
Lesser Yellowlegs III
American Widgeon
Green Heron
“Sweet-sweet-sweet-I’m-so-sweet!”

After a long spell of nice/dry weather in Erie County, Pennsylvania, supposed to be rainy tomorrow (Saturday) and unsettled on Sunday. Happy birding/nature!

Mostly Distant Birds

Back to outer Gull Point at Presque Isle State Park from the other weekend, mostly featuring birds seen from the observation platforms, including reasonably good shorebird activity.

Outer Gull Point w/ outer Lake Erie in background
Piping Plover in protective nest enclosure
Northern Harrier w/ outer Lake Erie in background
2x Dunlin
Semipalmated Plovers
Spotted Sandpiper
Distant Piping Plover
Northern Harrier II
Misc. gulls + turtle
Semipalmated Plovers with North Pier Light in background
Common Terns
Northern Harrier III
Distant Merlin (center) standing in water
Northern Harrier IV
Semipalmated Plovers in formation
Short-billed Dowitchers in flight
Semipalmated Sandpipers in flight
Dowitchers in flight II
Distant Ruddy Turnstone
Spotted Sandpiper II
Dowitchers in flight III
Ruddy Turnstone (l) + Sanderling (r)
Dowitchers landing in lagoon
Distant Sanderling II
Distant Semipalmated Sandpipers
Merlin in flight
Merlin has landed, harassed by Tree Swallow
Spotted Sandpiper III
3x Dowitcher at edge of lagoon
Merlin IV
Greater Yellowlegs
Merlin harassed by Barn Swallow
Dowitcher (l) + Killdeer (r)
Merlin VI
Spotted Sandpiper IV
Outer Gull Point looking toward tree line

More @ 11

Back to Beach 11 at Presque Isle State Park this past Sunday, featuring a Northern Flicker in flight, exhibiting food carrying behavior (some sort of caterpillar in its beak):

Northern Flicker
Immature American Robin
Male Indigo Bunting
Spotted Sandpiper
Male Yellow Warbler
Willow Flycatcher
Barn Swallow

The Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) are currently in bloom, here with a male Indigo Bunting:

Tree Swallow (l) + Barn Swallows (middle, r)
Tree Swallow
Spotted Sandpipers in flight