Swallows/Adjacencies

Rather awful weather yesterday in Erie County, Pennsylvania – cold, rain, wind (extremely windy!) Nevertheless, it was pretty good birding in the afternoon at Presque Isle State Park, including our first sighting of Piping Plover (stay tuned for pics) and an amazing amount of swallow activity. (Seemed like the swallows normally flycatching at outer Gull Point had moved inland because of the weather – lots of activity over Waterworks, Leo’s Landing, Niagara Pond and vicinity, the Lagoons, etc.) Following digital photographs from earlier in the week under nicer conditions:

Male Tree Swallow
Female Tree Swallow
Male Purple Martin
Male Tree Swallow II
Male Tree Swallow III
Female Purple Martin
Female Tree Swallow II
Male Tree Swallow IV
Male Purple Martin II
Female Tree Swallow III
Male Tree Swallow V
Distant Chimney Swift
Female Tree Swallow IV
Purple Martin & Barn Swallows over Presque Isle Bay
Male Tree Swallow VI

More on the B&W

It’s Saturday morning here in Erie County, Pennsylvania, currently experiencing significant stormy conditions – rain and wind and lots of it! With weekend field operations on ‘weather hold,’ time for more from the spring warbler hit parade, today featuring recent shots of Black-and-white Warbler at Scott Park:

The Hood’ (2)

It is spawning season at Presque Isle State Park – lots of fish thrashing about in shallow water places like the head of Presque Isle Bay. Always interesting to see. (No pictures because the budget doesn’t allow for underwater camera equipment, sorry.)

Anyway, today it’s part 2/2 of a gorgeous male Hooded Warbler in the woods adjacent Elk Creek in McKean, PA:

Ovenbird “Nashup”

Today on BirdingPI.com, two different birds, same day/location (West Rd Elk Creek Access), featuring a lucky sighting of a very mellow Ovenbird (perched on a relatively low branch right by the trail) x Nashville Warbler w/ flowers:

The Hood’ (1)

#1 on the BirdingPI.com spring “to do” list was better pictures of Hooded Warbler. This species’ range has increased northwards over the past several+ years, making it more regularly seen in recurring locations like the woods along Elk Creek in McKean, PA:

This was this past Saturday, with sightings of not only an adult male (above), but an immature male (or perhaps female):

More Hooded Warbler coming up soon!

Yellow & Mostly Yellow

Happy to report a successful spring weekend in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Weather was very nice (other than a bit of afternoon/overnight rain), and the warbler/vireo activity was, well, as good or better than any time in the last five years. (After a cold/slow start, appears that the migratory activity might have been concentrated into this weekend and last, anecdotally speaking.) Amazing amount of Yellow Warbler activity at Presque Isle State Park – dozens of them all over. Also a nice sighting of an uncommon, “Yellow Warbler-adjacent” male Wilson’s Warbler off the Long Pond Trail:

Wilson’s Warbler (m)
Yellow Warbler (m)
Yellow Warbler (immature male or female)

Along with lots of Yellow Warbler activity generally, there was quite a bit of males chasing each other and scuffling, as in this pair (mature male and immature male?) also along the Long Pond Trail. Very difficult to photograph this type of activity, but these were lucky shots at a long distance @ 600mm across a small clearing:

4 or 5 Birds

First up in today’s post, the next three exciting episodes of Jimmy McMillan, Bird Detective!

Next up, great recent bird activity in Erie County, Pennsylvania, featuring the first spring sighting of Scarlet Tanager. Always a happy occasion.

Also, finally, ‘ok’ digital photographs of a couple different male Purple Finch:

And Lincoln’s Sparrow – on the breast, note the fine streaking and ‘buffy wash:’

Finally, nice to get a couple shots of Swamp Sparrow:

Jimmy McMillan, Bird Detective returns next Sunday with the exciting conclusion to Season 1!

More Magnolia

Just a quick post today ahead of a late start on field operations. (Weather just transitioned from ‘mostly sunny’ to ‘increasing overcast,’ with rain expected in the afternoon.) Featuring more male Magnolia Warbler at Scott Park:

Migration activity this week in Erie County, PA has been rather great, including the first BirdingPI.com sighting of Scarlet Tanager (pictures forthcoming) – happy birding!