More Presque Isle State Park bird content, from a recent mid-morning at Leo’s Landing:

This Osprey was flying up and hovering briefly, then diving steeply down and back up, over and over, carrying what appeared to be a headless fish. Eventually it settled into a nearby tree w/ another Osprey (see shot below). After internal discussions in the BirdingPI.com break room, thinking this might have been courtship behaviour. (Video will be posted if the video function ever works again.)

[Editor’s note: shot above – American Goldfinch (r) & Yellow Warbler (l).]

[Editor’s note: past observations have suggested that having caught a fish, Osprey may first eat the head. Perhaps it’s the ‘tasty bits.’]

Shots of individual Cedar Waxwing along the Long Pond Trail @ Presque Isle State Park:

He reached the top of the bank in a single, powerful leap. Hazel followed; and together they slipped away, running easily down through the wood, where the first primroses were beginning to bloom.

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc., 17th printing, 1975.

For Mr. Hunter, 4th grade.

Usually down in the shrubbery (“heard not seen”), it was great for a couple recent, uncommon appearances of Common Yellowthroat along the Gull Point Trail, close to the trailhead at Bundy Beach:

On one occasion, a male (see above), on the other, two of what were females and/or juveniles:

Lots and lots more shots of both:

Part II of 7/7 content from Presque Isle State Park along the Gull Point Trail:

(Trail note: fastest route to outer Gull Point is along the beach, which requires diverting through the brush in a couple spots, as above.)

Nice shots of an older chick Spotted Sandpiper:

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At this same spot, an older juvenile Spotted Sandpiper:

Plus more chick Spotted Sandpiper:

More from Presque Isle State Park, back to the Gull Point Trail on 7 July, including plenty of pleasant shots of Short-billed Dowitcher:

And lovely Blue-gray Gnatcatcher off Budny Beach:

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Coming up soon, special portraiture of Common Yellowthroat!

Plenty of Marsh Wren at Presque Isle State Park, but hard to photograph due to (i) inaccessible swamp habitat, &/or (ii) hunkered down in the cattails/reeds. Typical shots:

Here, lucked upon a very vocal/loud individual (audio clip below) in cattails fairly close to the Long Pond Trail. Strategy: carefully bushwhack along a slight deer trail to the edge of the marsh, then wait. Fortunately, after 5-10 minutes and lots of rustling, it popped up briefly into open sight:

Edit: further to received feedback, here’s audio (recorded using the Merlin app) of this bird (also Song Sparrow in background):

Beautiful morning at Gull Point yesterday – highlights included Tricolored Heron (different than the one last time), Whimbrel, Short-billed Dowitcher, & lots of swallow, blackbird, and European Starling activity. While waiting on photo editing, it’s shots from June @ South Pier, Erie, PA:

More Common Grackle & R-b Gull except where noted:

Final epic coverage from July 4th at Presque Isle State Park, along the Gull Point Trail, including lots of lovely AAIF (American Avocet in flight) – because it’s not every day there’s flying Avocet! (Maybe Florida somewhere.)

Fascinating to see a skeleton of what’s probably Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus):

Could also be Spotted Gar or similar.

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Finally, a special supplement featuring juvenile & adult Killdeer:

It’s the most beautiful bird at Presque Isle State Park, the amazing Gray Catbird! (This post brought to you by the American Gray Catbird! Appreciation Society, NW Pennsylvania Chapter.)

This individual (+ another nearby Catbird!) was quite vocal and persistent right along the ‘inner’ Gull Point Trail near the trailhead. Couldn’t tell if it was a juvenile crying for food, or an adult exhibiting nesting season aggressiveness.