Beautiful weather yesterday (Saturday, 28 June 2025) in Erie County, Pennsylvania, plus lots of great bird activity at Gull Point (including American Avocets!). While waiting on photo editing, digging into the ‘draft posts’ folder with part 2 of 2 of mostly Green Herons at Leo’s Landing, Presque Isle State Park, from back in the spring:
Before heading out to Presque Isle State Park for Saturday field operations, it’s back to insect/flower photographs, this time @ 100mm macro (i.e., a 1:1 macro lens) at the West Road Elk Creek access in McKean, PA. Here’s Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) on Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense):
Also on Creeping Thistle, this is some species of skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, e.g., Zabulon Skipper or Hobomok Skipper:
This is a closeup of what’s probably Chinese Catalpa (Catalpa ovata), a medium-sized ornamental tree probably planted decades ago at this location when it was a farm. (Possibly it could be Catalpa speciosa, but it seems too small for that native American species.)
Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) is currently in bloom, as in the following shot. These flower stalks will eventually seed out and then dry out = an important food source for many birds in the winter.
Finally had some thunderstorms roll through Erie County, Pennsylvania yesterday afternoon. Today, Saturday, looks like it might be a nice day. Happy birding/nature!
Going back a few weeks, today’s post features nature at South Pier, Erie, Pennsylvania.
Finally, always fun to see an unexpected bird on South Pier, such as this Least Sandpiper foraging in the weeds:
The answer is “yes,” Groundhogs (Marmota monax) can climb trees, as shown here recently at Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve in Cleveland, Ohio.
Why climb a tree? Possibly foraging for mulberry fruit:
BirdingPI.com: answering life’s persistent questions.
Finishing up from a couple weeks ago at Presque Isle State Park along the Sidewalk Trail, under rainy conditions. Featuring, of course, Eastern Kingbird:
In addition to aerial flycatching, it was fascinating to see this Kingbird repeatedly drop down into the grass for snatching perched dragonflies:
Close to the Misery Bay-side trailhead, here’s a Brown Thrasher, curiously missing most of its tailfeathers:
Before finishing up on the Sidewalk Trail, it’s back to ‘summer insects’ in Millcreek Twp (“Since 1800”), this time featuring 400mm f/4.5 close-ups at Asbury Woods. The purple thistle = Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense).
The small, orange/brown butterflies in the following shots are probably in the family Hesperiidae (skippers), e.g., Peck’s Skipper (Polites peckius) or Hobomok Skipper (Lon hobomok):
Following is Pennsylvania Leatherwing (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) a.k.a. Goldenrod Soldier Beetle (left) & Sphaerophoria scripta or some other species of hoverfly on right:
Here in Erie County, Pennsylvania, it’s day 2 of the ‘Great June 2025 heat wave,’ with temp indices expected into the low 100’s deg F (38+ degree C). On the other hand, at least it’s not raining!
This post goes back a couple weeks at Presque Isle State Park, along the Sidewalk Trail under mild/rainy conditions, featuring a flycatching Eastern Kingbird or two (e.g., above and below), unless otherwise noted.
Coming up soon, more sidewalk! Also, summer insects!
Today, it’s multimedia content from yesterday at Asbury Woods, featuring beautiful Eastern Phoebe x beautiful Mourning Cloak butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa). The connection? Same environment of mature pine/mixed forest, e.g., the bird and butterfly shots were taken within 50 meters or so of one another.
Video clips showing characteristic Eastern Phoebe tail wagging:
Heat advisory in effect today in Erie County, Pennsylvania – it’s gonna’ be a warm one! Stay cool, stay hydrated.
For those in the northern hemisphere (of planet Earth), happy first full day of summer 2025! And what better way to celebrate than birds? (Guess you could celebrate insect bites or heat stroke [heat advisory PSA], but those are difficult to attractively photograph.) Speaking of birds, the big news this week at Presque Isle State Park was multiple confirmed sightings of a rarely-seen-at-Gull Point male Wilson’s Phalarope, e.g., as shown here (breeding plumage) late yesterday afternoon:
In addition to the male, anywhere from 2-4 chicks were also reported (2 are shown below). This might be the first confirmed nesting/hatching at Gull Point (Pennsylvania generally?) ever.
Generally, female Wilson’s Phalaropes depart after laying eggs, leaving the male to care for the chicks. Hence, not unexpected to only see a male in this context.
As shown here, chicks are self-reliant for foraging for insects, etc.:
[Editor’s note: Scientific name for this species is Phalaropus tricolor. Hint to the AOS renaming committee: ‘Tricolored Phalarope.’]
“I have a joke.”
And with the comedic introduction (featuring Western Gulls) out of the way, it’s mostly amazing Long-billed Curlew @ Torrey Pines State Beach (north) on 4 March 2025, north of San Diego, California:
Closer-up shots of the aptly named Long-billed Curlew:
Finally, bonus Whimbrel!
