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:
Triple view of Hermit Thrush (note the contrasting tail):
Nice triple view of White-throated Sparrow in the woods:
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:
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!
Dateline: 5 May 2024
Generally speaking, currently lots and lots (!) of bird activity at Presque Isle State Park, esp. warblers and vireos. Last couple years, seemed like more activity earlier relative to the tree foliage, e.g., more species seen when the trees were still relatively bare. This year, it’s hitting closer to full leaf coverage = more difficult to see + lots of staring up into tall/leafy trees + not much hope for Bay-breasted Warbler. OTOH, anecdotally, more Nashville, Tennessee, Northern Parula, & Cape May Warbler activity = great.
Shots above & below along the Sidewalk Trail & Ridge Trail on Sunday, under overcast/warm/humid conditions; bad for bird photography, but still plenty to see.
Really great (& not that common) to see this lovely Blue-winged Warbler. Note the eyeline, blue-ish wings, and wing bars:
This is is blurry even after sharpening, but still great to see a Blue-headed Vireo (usually too far up in the trees to see well or at all):
Even @ 400mm, still pretty far away:
Bonus Yellow Warbler on a sunny day at Headwaters Park:
South Pier: the City of Erie’s best spot for (i) eating lunch in your car in a parking lot with a view; (ii) hanging out in your car for other, unknown reasons; (iii) pier fishing; (iv) littering; (v) smoking/vaping/etc.; (vi) watching the happenings at North Pier; (vii) boat watching; and (viii) birding and other nature observation. Plus, chemical toilets!
Moving on to “recent South Pier news,” it’s repairs to North Pier w/ giant crane (Coast Guard Station on left):
Not unexpectedly (see any Osprey nest), the Osprey were very intrigued with this new neighbourhood high spot:
Even more exciting news, great sighting of a Common Raven (!):
“Mashup” of Common Loon & mostly Caspian Tern:
Barely possible to contain all the nature at Presque Isle State Park. In the “not seen every day” category, it’s White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) running on Budny Beach (east end), on Saturday:
Dateline: 5 May 2024
Despite excellent conditions, seemingly very few folks out birding yesterday or today. (Anecdotally speaking.) For the avoidance of doubt, the time to be birding at Presque Isle State Park is now. Not next week, not two weeks from now, literally now. Or maybe tomorrow. Anyway, tremendous warbler activity, as good as it ever gets, e.g., along the Sidewalk Trail, both yesterday (east end) and today (west end), + lots of other amazing birds. (Spoiler alert: male & female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, + male Scarlet Tanager, + Sandhill Cranes.)
Dateline: 4 May 2024
Lots of bird activity at Presque Isle State Park yesterday. (Weather: mostly cloudy, warm/humid; generally bad for photography.) Notable activity: Oriole in multiple locations (definitely Baltimore, maybe Orchard); Thrush (Veery, Wood, & Hermit @ Sidewalk Trail); Great Crested Flycatcher & Least Flycatcher; & Warbler, esp. along east end of Sidewalk Trail (American Redstart, Palm, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Black-and-white, Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Blue, Northern Parula, etc.) Here’s some content from a very quick walk (20+ min.) along the Pine Tree Trail, starting with Great Crested Flycatcher, first for 2024:
Also two lovely male Magnolia Warbler:
And finally, finally a couple decent shots of Gray Catbird!
