Today on BirdingPI.com, focusing on another ‘spring warbler,’ the beautiful Bay-breasted Warbler. These shots taken recently mostly along the Duck Pond Trail @ Presque Isle State Park.

Frequently, Bay-breasted Warblers are seen foraging high up in the trees, as above. (This time of year – mid-spring – it means foliage/shade.) As in the following shot, though, lucky to see this male fly catching in trailside shrubbery:

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Following all Bay-breasted Warbler unless otherwise noted:

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Finally, it’s bonus Gray Catbird! Including video w/ non-noisy audio! More exclamation points!!!

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More birds, etc. from last Saturday at Conneaut Marsh, south/southwest of Conneaut Lake in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Here’s another view of McMichael Rd bisecting the marsh; Prothonotary Warbler nests (see previous post) are on the right and left along the waterways:

This post, however, features an amazing sighting of one or two Yellow-throated Vireo, also seen by the road just as the rain moved in:

Here’s male and female Mallards in flight:

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Nice sighting of Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the forest, first a female then three shots of male:

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Coming up soon (maybe), rain birding in Pittsburgh! Wow.

Finally, a useful function for hunting litter, @ Ring-billed Gulls exhibiting drop-catch behavior w/ a used shotgun shell:

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With unsettled/cloudy weather, it was to head out of town Saturday to the next county south, for a great visit to the amazing Conneaut Marsh (McMichael Rd location), known for Sora, Virginia Rail, and “beautiful-but-not-often-seen-at-Presque Isle State Park” Prothonotary Warblers.

No rail or Sora sightings on this trip, unfortunately. (The Soras were vocalizing off in the grass/marsh, so definitely around, but were keeping low/inconspicuous.) Could also hear the Prothonotary Warblers off in the surrounding woods, but it wasn’t until the rain almost hit that this beautiful ‘probably/maybe male‘ finally landed by the road:

The marsh is a huge, long expanse on either side of the outlet to Conneaut Lake, which eventually drains into French Creek. Surrounded/interspersed with forest, with much of it being public property in the form of State Game Lands Number 213. In this particular location, the marsh is laterally bisected by McMichael Road, which is handy otherwise this area would be functionally inaccessible (absent a boat):

Besides birds, a great location for both Beaver and Muskrat:

This individual seemed to lack the more greenish hue (on nape/head) of a female, but was unusual, perhaps, having a brown streak on the forehead:

Handily, there are artificial warbler nests in the flooded areas along the road, of the type which Prothonotary Warblers prefer (replicating a birch tree stump):

About the time the warbler landed at its nest, the rain switched to downpour mode = time to head out. Coming up soon, however, another great bird sighting at this location!

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All recent shots of Green Heron (unless otherwise noted) at Leo’s Landing, Presque Isle State Park.

Fun/unusual to see two Green Herons chasing each other:

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Early May shots at Presque Isle State Park featuring beautiful male and female Yellow Warbler x lovely Spotted Sandpiper. ID hint: the warblers are yellow, and the sandpiper has spots 😉

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Coming up soon, objects falling from the sky (?)

Unsettled weather overnight here in Millcreek Twp (“Since 1800”), including early AM thunderstorms. Good news: looks like it’s clearing up to be a nice day. (Weekend forecast: potential for rain/clouds.)

Misc. & sundry other recent content in Erie County, Pennsylvania:

The brief-blooming Trout Lilies (Erythronium americanum) are sadly gone, but following includes some nice, sunlit shots from earlier in the spring:

Following birds all Black-capped Chickadee unless otherwise noted:

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Happy weekend! Happy birding/nature!

In today’s post, recent digital photographs of male and female Red-winged Blackbird at Leo’s Landing, Presque Isle State Park:

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Finally, after years of birding in Erie County, Pennsylvania, a great sighting of the #1 bird on BirdingPI.com’s “birds you might see in Erie County that we’ve never seen but would really like to see” list. All it took was yet another close encounter with the amazingly stinky chemical toilets at South Pier:

[Editor’s note: to be clear, the toilets at South Pier aren’t “unclean stinky.” Instead, they emit a surprisingly wide area, sharp, rather unpleasant chemical acridity – the germs don’t stand a chance.]

Anyway, just a quick stop for photos, and out of the reeds on the enclosed pond flies a reclusive and seldom seen Least Bittern, the smallest heron in the Americas (perhaps smallest anywhere). These shots in chronological order:

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Even more recently, another surprise sighting of perhaps the same Least Bittern, this time at the swampy corner of the enclosed pond by Lampe Campground:

Shot above is of the enclosed pond with the campground on the right. The bird is in the shrubbery just right and up from middle; a view @ 600mm:

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With its mix of mature/tall eastern forest, open grass, and thicket habitat (e.g., along the ‘fitness trail’), Scott Park is a great place to see species like American Redstart. Here’s recent shots of the ‘better half’ 😉 – all female Redstart unless noted otherwise:

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