Wishing everyone on the Gregorian calendar a Happy New Year! And with last year over and done, it’s time to release the results of the 2025 BirdingPI.com Readers’ Survey, starting with question 1: “What would you like to see more of?” Near consensus answer @ 87% of respondents: “More pictures of birds eating fish.” Well, happy to oblige with a giant post of poorly lit digital photographs of American Coot at the marina at Erie downtown bayfront on 26 December:
On/off moderate-to-heavy lake effect snow today in Erie County, Pennsylvania, going from “almost no snow” on Christmas back to normal conditions (snow and lots of it) for New Year’s. And with that out of the way, might as well finish off Christmas Eve Day at outer Gull Point:
(As shown, after some shots perched on driftwood, the Peregrine Falcon was mostly seen in departure mode.)
Such a beautiful day – number of folks at Gull Point other than BirdingPI.com staff: zero.
ID tip on (i) adult Great Black-backed Gull: large size, black wings, pink legs, & lower mandible w/ red spot; (ii) immature: large size, checkered mostly b&w wings, dark/stout bill, & prolonged proximity to adult.
The BirdingPI.com field team was exiting Presque Isle State Park last Sunday when this was seen out the window at roadside, just past Swan Cove Parking Lot:
By the time it was possible to safely/legally pull a U-turn and backtrack, the bird had moved to a nearby power line and then dropped to ground:
Fortunately, the beach-side multi-use trail was nearby, enabling quickly skirting the ground vegetation for a lucky sequence of hawk in flight shots, w/ ID confirmation of a not-so-commonly-seen Red-shouldered Hawk (immature):
Soon thereafter, it perched on a nearby tree…:
… and then took flight again, heading towards the Ranger Station area and eventually out of sight:
Red-shouldered Hawk is similar in size and appearance to Red-tailed Hawk, especially an immature (1st winter) bird as here. ID tips for immature Red-shouldered Hawk: (1) even, heavy streaking from throat to lower belly (Red-tailed Hawk has a narrow band of streaking mid-belly); (2) buffy patch towards end of outer wings; (3) translucent crescent as seen adjacent primaries from wing underside; (4) white crescent on wing underside; (5) another view of buffy patch; and (6) hint of red shoulder:
Obviously, distinguished from adult Red-tailed Hawk by not having a red tail 🙂
Back with the Pileated Woodpecker @ Christmas Bird Count at Presque Isle State Park. Lucky this beautiful bird landed so close (+ very occupied with foraging) right at the Niagara Boat Launch parking area.
Rainy weather yesterday and overnight in Erie County, Pennsylvania (ok birding conditions until the rain picked up), unseasonably warm. Today’s forecast: potential for heavy lake effect snow. Rather a rollercoaster this season so far!
Today on BirdingPI.com, it’s a nice post of ‘common winter birds/critters‘ at Asbury Woods in Millcreek Twp (“Since 1800”) on Christmas Day:
Supposed to be above freezing in Erie County, Pennsylvania today, but rain is expected later in the morning. Wishing everyone happy birding/nature!
Rather nice weather the day of Christmas Eve, so why not the yearly/seasonal hike out to Gull Point for (hopefully) seeing overwintering Yellow-rumped Warblers?
Outer Lake Erie remained unfrozen, with little snow on the ground other than melting chunks along Budny Beach:
Not unexpectedly, not a ton of bird activity overall, but plenty of American Tree Sparrows:
Also Downy Woodpeckers:
Didn’t actually see any Yellow-rumped Warblers until the return hike back to Budny Beach, where the ‘inland’ trail passes through a thicket of Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica):
Here’s a view of American Tree Sparrow on a Bayberry, with Bayberry fruit top center:
The Yellow-rumped Warblers love Bayberry fruit, hence this being the best location on Presque Isle for reliable winter sightings:
At one point, probably had at least a dozen Warblers flying back and forth, along with sparrows and woodpeckers. So a good/lucky day for winter Warblers!
Coming up soon, more Gull Point and more Peregrine Falcon!
Relatively warm weather in Erie County, Pennsylvania yesterday, Christmas Day, with dry conditions and most of the fall snow melted. (Ice and light snow predicted today.) Here’s a nice sequence of a beautiful Red-tailed Hawk first perched and then in flight, from yesterday afternoon in Millcreek Twp (“Since 1800”):
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, and what better gift to receive than “completely unexpected and rarely seen” nature? This is part 2 of a recent, late afternoon stop at East Ave Boat Launch in Erie, Pennsylvania, featuring – of all things! – an amazingly beautiful American Mink (Neogale vison) swimming in an icy Lake Erie! Minks are semi-aquatic and adept swimmers, so this is probably foraging behaviour (trying to catch fish?)
Less than ideal photo quality due to poor lighting conditions, but still so great to see!
[Editor’s note: updated species name from Mustela vison to Neogale vison to reflect recent changes in the taxonomy. “Following a definitive 2021 mitogenome analysis, the species was reclassified into the genus Neogale. This genus now includes the American mink, the extinct sea mink, and several New World weasel species.” Per Google.]
Back to the Christmas Bird Count this past Saturday morning at Presque Isle State Park, with nice shots of the ‘photography bird of the day’ – Pileated Woodpecker – plus Red-bellied Woodpecker and friends.
Miscellaneous content from a week or so ago, late afternoon at East Ave Boat Launch in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Be sure to tune in Christmas Day for ‘part 2’ of this post, with a very special ‘nature gift’ from BirdingPI.com!