From May at Presque Isle State Park, a two-parter. First up, part 1, with American Crow harassed by a Red-winged Blackbird:
In part 2, it’s an American Crow w/ fish scrap vs. Ring-billed Gull:
Looks like a nice weekend ahead in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, the BirdingPI.com staff SUV was “t-boned” by a reckless Erie driver yesterday (no injuries, thankfully, to either persons or camera equipment), which may put a damper on field operations. Nevertheless, happy nature! #more_bird
What else to do on a hot/humid Saturday in July in Erie County, Pennsylvania than to hit the beach at Presque Isle State Park? A muddy, bayside beach for nature photography, of course. All photos (i) Least Sandpiper; (ii) Killdeer; & (iii) probably Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) butterfly.
Today, it’s recent shots of one of Erie County’s most beautiful summer birds, the lovely Red-headed Woodpecker, including some nice aerial flycatching behaviour + a less commonly seen juvenile/immature (w/ mottled brown/black colouration):
From June, an “unusual for lazy/uncooperative BirdingPI.com staff to get up that early” morning at Leo’s Landing and vicinity at Presque Isle State Park. (Perhaps awakened by vociferously vocalizing “donut birds?”)
[Editor’s note – “real” photo IDS: (i) sun over Presque Isle Bay; (ii) Caspian Tern over Presque Isle Bay; (iii) male American Goldfinch in morning sunlight; (iv) Song Sparrow; (v) Caspian Tern II; (vi) American Goldfinch II; (vii) Red-headed Woodpecker; (viii) Bald Eagles; (ix) left-to-right: GBH, Mallard (m), Canada Goose @ head of Presque Isle Bay; (x) GBH; (xi) Song Sparrow II; (xii) American Goldfinch III; (xiii) Osprey; (xiv) Bald Eagles; (xv) Song Sparrow III; (xvi) male Red-winged Blackbird; (xvii) Bald Eagles on left, Belted Kingfisher “hover flying” on right; (xviii) Red-headed Woodpecker; & (xvix) probably American Robin.]
Situated on Lake Erie to the east of downtown Cleveland, Ohio, on an old, 32+ hectare catch basin used until 1999 for dumping harbour dredgings (e.g., mud), is the rather amazing Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve. Diverse flora of trees and grassy/brushy areas, + lots of fauna. These shots from a nice visit in June.
Coming up soon/eventually, parts 2 and 3 of Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve!
Today, it’s a week ago Sunday afternoon, from the Gull Point Trail trailhead at Budny Beach as far as (but not including) outer Gull Point.
Rest of this post, lots and lots of Least Sandpiper on the bayside beach access by the inland/official trail “big bend:”
ID tip on Least Sandpiper: very small sandpiper with distinctive yellow-green legs. (The only really small sandpiper at this location with this colouration of legs.)
5 July 2025 in Erie County, Pennsylvania, somewhere in a field with flowers and insects. (The yellow-green flower in most of the shots is probably invasive Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa).)
Going back about a month, with misc. nature at various locations at Presque Isle State Park:
Looks like warm weather in Erie County, Pennsylvania at least for the next week, very hot tomorrow (Saturday) & possible thunderstorms on Sunday. Happy summer! Happy nature! #more_bird
Taking a brief break from “July in Erie County, Pennsylvania,” with shots from back in March outside the BIRDS field HQ in Casas Adobes, Arizona, early morning. Featuring, except where noted otherwise, amazing male Purple Shooting Star (a.k.a. Costa’s Hummingbird):
More from Gull Point on 7/4. In bird news, seems like the Wilson’s Phalaropes may have departed, unfortunately, but other recent shorebird sightings include Least Sandpiper, American Avocet, Short-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, and, as reported by others on eBird, things like Willet and Pectoral Sandpiper. Generally, many shorebirds are coming and going, like these Lesser Yellowlegs which departed easterly:
Here’s a nice sequence of Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) by the trailhead:
Finally, fun video of Northern Mockingbird exhibiting vocalization behaviour: