Hello, My Deer

“Fundamentally, the key to a proper deer-related title for any print work is to replace ‘dear’ (the adjective) with its homophone ‘deer,’ referring of course to the animal.” Smythe, Arthur. A Giant Book of Animal Pun Titles. 3rd ed, A. Knopf, 1978.

White-tailed DeerĀ (Odocoileus virginianus)(f)

This is a brief but fascinating video clip, taken in Millcreek Twp (“Since 1800”), of the female White-tailed Deer shown above/below, exhibiting (i) “hoof stomping” warning/defensive behavior, then (ii), as it runs away, a warning “deer screech:”

Female exhibiting ‘hoof stomping” defensive behavior

Same location earlier in the spring, a fawn has been temporarily left alone to hide in the grass:


Finally, on a different date at Presque Isle State Park, two young, male White-tailed Deer along the Duck Pond Trail:


Coming up soon, probably birds. Maybe flowers.

Season Finale

As the spring 2025 migration season winds down, here’s some nice, mostly warbler activity along the Gull Point Trail @ Presque Isle State Park.

Orange Flame Warbler (f)

This is male (immature male?) Bay-breasted Warbler:


Red-headed Woodpecker

Two of female Blackpoll Warbler:


American Robin
Red-headed Woodpecker II

Lots more shots of beautiful female Orange Flame (a.k.a. Blackburnian) Warbler:


Spotted Sandpiper
Red-headed Woodpecker III

Very nice sighting of female Common Yellowthroat:


Finally, back at the Budny Beach parking lot, a male Eastern Bluebird bids us adieu!

“Chirp”

Deep South

Before continuing coverage of Gull Point, we’re back in the ‘deep south’ of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, on June 1st, with nice portraiture of “birds not seen every day.” First up, beautiful Acadian Flycatcher in random woods:

Acadian Flycatcher

‘Random woods’ = state game lands, i.e., multi-use public property mostly used for (i) nature and (ii) seasonal hunting:

State Game Lands 152 = good habitat for birds that like dense woodlands

Following the “follow the bird sounds” tracking method, a great, high-up-in-a-tree sighting of Ovenbird:

Ovenbird

More Acadian Flycatcher x Ovenbird:

NW PA woodlands

Elsewhere, in another section of dense woodlands, a brief but nice sighting of Wood Thrush. Note the rufous crown and back + distinctive dark spots down the entire torso:


Finally, in yet another section of woodlands, this is either Eastern Wood-Pewee or Willow Flycatcher. (Really close in terms of ID, and both were heard at this location. More on this ID later…)

Flycatcher, species uncertain

Chapter 3

Before heading into part 3 of last week’s early AM outing to Gull Point, it’s bonus Wild Turkey video from that same morning. Despite being blocked a bit (eventually), this clip is still fun w/ a nice turkey vocalization:

This next clip is fascinating (especially at the beginning) for showing this turkey moving its snood. (What is a Wild Turkey snood?)

Fun times. Now, back to outer Gull Point:

Portrait of Red-winged Blackbird (m)
Osprey taking fish for a ride
Probably Sanderlings
Osprey w/ fish II
Sanderlings II
Spotted Sandpiper exhibiting preening behavior
Spotted Sandpiper II
Sanderlings in flight
Herring Gull in flight
Sanderlings in flight II
Ring-billed Gull in flight
Sanderlings V
Definitely a Sanderling

Finally, back along the Gull Point Trail in the woods, some nice shots of House Wren:


Skip Intro

Part 2 of an early day last week at Presque Isle State Park, heading out to Gull Point. When we last left off, you’ll recall sunrise at Leo’s Landing + Wild Turkeys.

Post-sunrise at Leo’s Landing, view II

Now it’s over to Budny Beach w/ Sanderling (l) and Killdeer (r):

Male White-tailed DeerĀ (Odocoileus virginianus)
Sanderling II
Deer on beach II
Sanderling w/ surf
Sanderling in flight
Warbling Vireo
Juvenile Canada Goose @ outer Gull Point
GBH in flight over outer Gull Point
Canada Goose II
Two Canada Geese III
Gulls at Gull Point
Distant shot of Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling + Semipalmated Plover (3x upper right) in flight
Ruddy Turnstone II
Red-winged Blackbird (f) w/ nesting material
Distant view of Dunlin
Blackbird II
Distant Dunlin & Ruddy Turnstone

Very happy the Piping Plovers are back. All long distance shots from the old observation platform:

Piping Plover in nesting enclosure
Plover enclosure II
Piping Plover (upper left and lower right)
Piping Plover (upper left)
Uncropped @ 600mm (Plover @ center right)
More Piping Plover (center)
Common Tern in flight (left) + Piping Plover in flight (right)
Final distant view of Piping Plover

Early “T” Time

Wow, from last week, it’s a rare BirdingPI.com ‘early start’ (just after sunrise = 6:15AM). Maybe a staff member had trouble sleeping, e.g., too much black coffee the night before?

After sunrise @ Leo’s Landing, Presque Isle State Park
Male Yellow Warbler @ vocalizing behaviour
Brown Thrasher @ Feather Platform
Male Yellow Warbler II
Brown Thrasher II
American Robin @ nest by trail
Leo’s Landing, looking landward

(4x alliteration for the win!)


Best reason for an early start = Wild Turkey activity. It was bad lighting, but these are still fun shots along the main park road just down from Presque Isle Lighthouse. [Editor’s note: Please enjoy Wild Turkey responsibly.]


Coming up soon, bonus Wild Turkey video! Also, a moderately epic Gull Point adventure!

PI(rate) Invasion

Never know what to expect at Gull Point. Like a pirate invasion the other Sunday. Beware their fearsome leader!

Pirate ship off Gull Point

Wait for it. …

Wait for it…

Captain Jack Song Sparrow
“Avast, ye landlubbers!”

In other Presque Isle news, it was a great May! Lots of warblers, lots of birds more generally. And since birding season is over, it’s time to head to the beach. For more birding, of course. E.g., it’s been a good year for Ruddy Turnstone, as per these long-distance (+ heat shimmery) shots from the old observation platform:

Ruddy Turnstone x2 (center)
A distant Ruddy Turnstone at Gull Point
Ruddy Turnstone x2 in flight (long distance), on right

More Ruddy Turnstone content coming up soon!


Happy to report the Piping Plovers are back in town, e.g., as per this long-distance shot:

The other P.P. pictures on this day were too blurry from heat shimmer for posting. (Sunlight = good for brightness, but bad for long distance photography.) However, more P.P. content coming up soon, + better pictures!


Other recent shorebird sightings include Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, etc. Plus lots of Spotted Sandpiper:

SSIF

More along the Gull Point Trail:

Yellow Warbler
Baltimore Oriole
Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias)
GBH + Canada Geese
Baltimore Oriole II
Red-headed Woodpecker
Toad, species uncertain

Near the Gull Point Trail, this Ovenbird was partially obscured, but don’t worry, more Ovenbird content coming up soon!

Eastern Towhee (m) in the shade

Gull vs. Tern

Recently at Presque Isle State Park at Leo’s Landing, digital photographs of a Ring-billed Gull exhibiting “chase the other bird so maybe it drops its fish” behaviour. In this case, the other bird was a much faster/more agile Common Tern.

At the end, after much chasing, the Common Tern successfully returned to the beach to kindly give the fish to its friend/mate: