Recent photographs from Presque Isle-adjacent Scott Park in Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”), right around sunset:

This next/lengthy sequence captures (as best possible for still photos) a rather amazing behavior – three Cedar Waxwing in a tree, passing a small piece of vegetative matter (seed pod?) back and forth for at least 5 minutes:

Per Internet sources, this is probably social behavior, e.g., passing food between birds as a social activity or so each bird has a chance to eat. (Other option is mating behavior, which doesn’t seem applicable here.) Very cool to see!

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Finally, it’s BirdingPI.com’s consensus staff favourite yearly post, Canada Goose babies! Yay! By the road at Sidewalk Trail east trailhead (by Misery Bay), Presque Isle State Park, last Saturday afternoon on Global Big Day, in light rain.

Very unusually, this brood consisted of at least 16 goslings. That’s a lot of baby geese! Typical numbers are 5-10, but occasionally possible for two broods to merge, which is probably what happened here.

It’s been a good year for Warbling Vireo in Erie County, PA, both in terms of frequency & “occasional sightings that aren’t way up in a tree.” These of the latter, on Global Big Day, in the morning at Leo’s Landing @ Presque Isle State Park:

Still recovering from Global Big Day weekend, so it’s back to the previous weekend with shots from a hike out to Gull Point @ Presque Isle State Park.

Mostly overcast = photography/exposure conditions not great. Nevertheless, fun to see this Eastern Kingbird in action:

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Following is a hoverfly (in genus Eristalis, exact species unknown) on what’s probably invasive Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias), all over Presque Isle in sandy areas:

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Beautiful Dunlin @ outer Gull Point:

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Probably Orange Sulphur butterfly (Colias eurytheme), on left, on Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus):

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‘Bird of the day’ (or any day) was a surprise early sighting of Whimbrel:

According to the nice folks at eBird, this was the earliest recorded sighting of Whimbrel at this location (or maybe Erie Co. generally) by at least a couple weeks.

More Whimbrel:

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Based on dark head colouration, this appears to be Semipalmated Plover:

Unfortunately, the Whimbrel left soon hereafter, heading out easterly over Lake Erie:

[Editor’s note: “KIF” = Killdeer in flight, “BSIF” = Barn Swallow in flight, “OIF” = Osprey in flight, “WIF” = Whimbrel in flight. Note to staff: please stop using “…IF” – thank you.]

It was interesting weather at Presque Isle State Park for Global Big Day yesterday. ‘Interesting’ = mostly crappy, i.e., less than ideally conducive for productive and pleasant birding all day. … Mostly sunny (although windy/cool) until about 11AM, then light on/off rain, then moderate rain, then partial clearing by mid-afternoon, then moderate/heavy rain (+ sometimes very windy) late afternoon/evening as another front rolled through. Bird activity rather erratic, but lots to see!

Bird photography into thick brush or high into the tree canopy is hard enough. Just try it with an umbrella under rainy conditions on the Ridge Trail. Nevertheless, the suffering extra effort paid off, with this amazing Ovenbird, taken under rainy/overcast conditions close to where the Ridge Trail intersects the Sidewalk Trail at their east ends:

“Bird Watching Rule 14(a): the bird of the day is always Ovenbird, unless there’s an owl.” Johnson, Daniel & Matheson, Herbert. The Great Book of Bird Watching. 1st ed., HarperCollins, 1963.

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Coming up soon, more Global Big Day!

Wow, an unprecedented BirdingPI.com 3rd daily post! It really is a big day, content-wise at least. These shots from last weekend mostly at Presque Isle State Park:

Great sequence of female Black-throated Blue Warbler @ Ridge Trail. Note the distinctive ‘square’ white wing patch:

Very cool to see immature, probably female Northern Parula:

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Triple view of Hermit Thrush (note the contrasting tail):

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Nice triple view of White-throated Sparrow in the woods:

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Happy birding! #more_bird

Global Big Day post #2, featuring lovely White-crowned Sparrow under overcast conditions near the Gull Point trailhead @ Presque Isle State Park. Not the best exposures, but still fun to see. First, a classic ‘triple front sequence:’

Second & lastly, a White-crowned Sparrow bathing:

Happy Global Big Day. Looks like ok weather in Erie County, PA, at least for now. Hope everyone can get out for enjoying nature!

Today’s “Post 1,” beautiful Brown Thrasher by Long Pond, Presque Isle State Park:

Great time of year for sunsets over Lake Erie if the weather cooperates. These shots from a week ago Thursday at Presque Isle State Park under warm & sunny (except for clouds at the horizon) conditions:

This is along the beach trail NE of Stull Interpretive Center. Directions: upon entering the park, drive past Stull and then Leo’s Landing; make a U-turn at the first turnaround after Leo’s Landing. Look for the parking wide spot on the right with the wooden posts. Follow the woods trail to the multi-use trail, keep going to the beach trail. (Beach trail is a sandy trail in the screen of woods between the beach and the multi-use trail = seasonally good for birds.)

This particular evening in this area, lots (and lots) of Palm Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, & Warbling Vireo activity:

It’s a strange but wonderful medley of recent Pennsylvania birds – colourful “new for 2024” x Tufted Titmouse engaging in some sort of foraging behavior, or perhaps gathering nest building materials, anyway, something to do with moss:

Finally, an amazing Scarlet Tanager along the Sidewalk Trail, way up in a tree:

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General update: Erie Co. weather conditions variable, as always, e.g., sunny/windy Wednesday, cloudy Thursday. Forecast for “Big Day” this Saturday: PM rain; be sure to get out early! Yesterday early AM, amazing bird activity at Leo’s Landing (e.g., warblers, vireos, and so on). Recent sightings: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (x2), Gray Catbirds! pretty much everywhere, & more Rose-breasted Grosbeak than usual. Coming up soon: fun at Gull Point, more warblers & vireos, + the most amazing (literally) Cedar Waxwing behavior ever!