Time for an Erie County waterfowl/waterbird break with recent content of 3 species of duck + 1 of grebe, starting with lucky (i.e., relatively close) shots of a beautiful/amazing female Hooded Merganser on Presque Isle Bay:

Horned Grebe in non-breeding plumage off South Pier:

Female or immature Red-breasted Merganser in flight between North and South Piers:

Male Mallard on a pier at Presque Isle State Park:

---

Female or immature Red-breasted Merganser on the breakwater off the east end of South Pier:

Two Red-breasted Merganser in flight:

Male Mallard takeoff, rear view:

---

Female Mallard takeoff, rear/side view:

---

Another view of the Merganser @ South Pier breakwater. Note the Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) (invasive) on the vertical rock surface below the duck:

---

Finally, while many birds take flight when startled, diving ducks have another option, as captured in this fun sequence of female Hooded Merganser off the Waterworks pier area:

---

Coming up soon, under a blood red moon!

More shots from the other day just after Presque Isle State Park re-opened from Snowpocalypse 2024.

Here’s a lengthy sequence of Canada Geese landing on Presque Isle Bay, w/ Tundra Swans & misc. ducks:

---

After the Wilson’s Snipe flew off from near the ‘Vista 3 Parking Lot’ boat launch, it was time to trudge through the thick snow to the end of Leo’s Landing for watching the Tundra Swans. (See recent posts.) Quite a surprise when the Snipe flew back in and started calmly foraging along the beach, in close proximity. Here’s a first 20 pictures:

Note: ‘white specks’ in certain shots, as immediately above, are lake-effect snow.

Back to Presque Isle State Park from the other weekend. Following shot a funny view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull + Ring-billed Gull. Not manipulated other than normal light level adjustments + sharpening; just a trick of the light + feather colouration that the two heads blend in so well together:

Late post today due to bird counting. “One bird. Two birds. Three birds. …” More on that soon. Meanwhile, it’s some photographs featuring – and some not – snow crystals:

A reminder that tomorrow (Saturday) is the Christmas Bird Count starting at 7:30AM (or thereabouts) @ picnic shelter 2 at Presque Isle State Park, at the Waterworks location. (Shelter 2 is the one in the middle.) Forecast is sun with a high of 35 deg F! Happy counting!

---

Here, it’s back to the other weekend with somewhat gloomy shots at Leo’s Landing:

All shots Song Sparrow in snow unless otherwise noted:

Misc. gulls and waterfowl including Lesser Black-backed Gull (in the foreground, to the left of the American Crow on the right):

And Tundra Swans:

After all those fairly monochromatic shots, ending it up with a splash of colour from another, sunnier day, with beautiful male Northern Cardinal taking flight:

Rhyming ‘food’ with ‘interlude.’ Genius. Even better, recent ‘snowy’ hawk shots in Erie County, PA. Starting with Red-tailed Hawk + carcass (some sort of bird) @ Presque Isle State Park, on a snow-covered dune with outer Lake Erie in the background:

And elsewhere, an immature Cooper’s Hawk + carcass (again, some sort of bird), after the recent partial melt off:

Yes, hawks do hunt other birds for food. #nature

Attentive readers may recall the ‘mystery shorebird‘ seen flying along the edge of Presque Isle Bay towards Leo’s Landing:

(Although blurry, in the shot above the boxy-looking thing in the lower left is a duck blind, and the vegetation, etc. next to it is the far end of Leo’s Landing.) It seemed to maybe land somewhere along the narrow strip of rough beach just east of ‘Vista 3 Parking Lot,’ past the little (and snowed in) boat ramp, but first, more American Pipit activity:

---

Slowly/carefully continuing around the bend, very surprised to finally fully see the bird in question, a beautiful (and rare for this time of year) Wilson’s Snipe. Wow. Lucky to get a few decent photographs before it flew off again.

Proposed new non-honorific name: American Russet-tailed Snipe. Sorry, Wilson.

---

Pipit, Wilson’s Snipe, & copious ducks was already a ‘big win,’ but Leo’s Landing beckoned, heavy snow notwithstanding:

And the reason, Tundra Swans, seen here at a distance just at the edge of the snow field:

(In the shot above, the black structure + tree at the far-left side of the horizon is South Pier.) Here’s another view of a snowed-in main access to Leo’s Landing, with Feather Platform (the viewing platform) on the left:

Another long-distance shot of Tundra Swan & Canada Geese off the Leo’s Landing sandbar:

---

Finally for today, lots of ducks. On this particular day, an unusual number of Northern Shoveler, including the three in this shot – it’s the three ducks across the middle of the photo starting w/ a male Northern Shoveler (white breast) on the far right. (There are two males and a female on the left.)

Misc. waterfowl including American Coot, American Widgeon, Redhead, Mallard, Gadwall, and Northern Shoveler:

Coots on the right, plus a pair of Lesser Scaup in flight mode:

Another view of Northern Shoveler, including one of the males (far right) in profile showing the ‘shovel’-shaped bill:

More Scaup in ‘takeoff mode’ + Coots + Canada Geese:

---

Coming soon, more Tundra Swan! More Wilson’s Snipe! #more_bird

Today on BirdingPI.com, it’s a pleasant interlude of recent bird photographs from Presque Isle State Park. Starting with Bufflehead:

---

And very cute Tufted Titmouse:

---

And lots of Mallards:

---

Following shots continue with diving Bufflehead, more cute Titmouse, & more cute Mallard:

Continuing on with very recent content from Presque Isle State Park under cloudy/snowy conditions. Following is Presque Isle Bay looking towards North Pier (+ United States Coast Guard Station), w/ landing Lesser Scaup:

---

Lots more Bald Eagle activity this time of year, e.g., seven individuals spotted more-or-less concurrently in the same area, including this pair in flight:

---

Mixed waterfowl off Leo’s Landing, sans duck hunters. These include Canada Geese, Horned Grebe, Redhead, Gadwall, American Coot, & Mallard:

---

It was at a bit of a distance, but still great to see American Pipit foraging on the beach:

---

Another view of landing Lesser Scaup. Hard to see, but note the incoming flock in the distance at the top of the shot. Ducks in the water include Scaup (Greater/Lesser?), Ruddy Duck, & Bufflehead:

---

Uh, what’s this?!?

---

Coming up soon, more on a mystery shorebird!