Complaining about wet, cold weather in the northeast US is like complaining about hot, dry weather in the desert southwest: pointless, since it’s just a geographic reality. But wow, it really was bad weather this past weekend in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Despite that, there were enough breaks in the rain yesterday for some nice bird activity, including Chesnut-sided Warbler. While waiting on photo editing, these shots (all males) are from earlier in the week, at both Presque Isle State Park and Scott Park:

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About 24 hours of solid rain yesterday in Erie County, Pennsylvania = wet. All field operations cancelled, which is sad for early May/migration season. Nevertheless, moving on with recent mostly-warbler content, from a recent outing along the Canoe Portage & Duck Pond Trails at Presque Isle State Park. First up, great to finally see Common Yellowthroat (male) for the first time this spring:

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Also great to get a better view of beautiful Nashville Warbler (probably male or immature). Note the yellow throat, gray head, and distinctive white eyering:

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Unless otherwise noted, more shots of Common Yellowthroat x Nashville Warbler:

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As forecast, really bad weather this Saturday morning here in northwestern Pennsylvania – steady, heavy rain. (Rainy bird photography is possible but annoying – too much umbrella manipulation, and the camera equipment gets wet.) While waiting on things to dry up, once again featuring a single species of spring migration warbler, this time the amazing Blue-winged Warbler (probably a male), recently spotted at Scott Park:

Really interesting article on Blue-winged Warbler and it’s close genetic kin.

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Coming up soon, more warblers including Palm Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, & Common Yellowthroat! And if the weather ever improves, maybe even others!

Looks like unsettled (e.g., rainy, cool) weather is forecast for Erie County, Pennsylvania today and through the weekend. Wishing everyone “happy birding!” nevertheless. Here’s a quick post of amazingly cute Chipping Sparrow chipping in for nest building, in south Millcreek Twp (“Since 1800”):

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Celebrating May 1st & the return of Scarlet Tanager to Erie County, Pennsylvania the other day with photos of, well, male Scarlet Tanager. Somehow, it’s always a surprise to see this beautiful bird – they’re really, really red!

And another, more common ‘really red’ bird, the male Northern Cardinal:

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Things (e.g., plants) are greening up in Erie County, Pennsylvania, and migration season’s in full swing, with “new for 2025” sightings every day, e.g., Scarlet Tanager yesterday. While waiting on photo editing, here’s warbler content from along the Sidewalk Trail at Presque Isle State Park from the other weekend, first up with the always beautiful Palm Warbler:

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And Yellow-rumped Warbler:

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Finally, lots and lots of Pine Warbler; fairly unusual, concentrated activity this close to the ground. These are probably mostly females and immature. (Breeding plumage male = much yellower.)

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Today, bird photos from this past Saturday under relatively awful weather conditions – cold, overcast/gloomy, damp/mud, and lots of grumbling from BirdingPI.com staff. Nevertheless, it’s a great time of year to visit Brown’s Farm at the south end of the Asbury Woods complex, esp. for American Goldfinch, Eastern Bluebird, & flowering ‘feral’ apple trees.

Three shots of NFIF (Northern Flicker in flight):

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Briefly, lots of American Crows in a group of distant trees:

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Been seeing/hearing the amazingly yellow Yellow Warbler – BirdingPI.com’s unofficial mascot – for a week-and-a-half now, but finally got some good (e.g., sunny, reasonably close) shots yesterday on the Long Pond Trail at Presque Isle State Park. Male: red streaks on breast; female: plain yellow breast.

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Looks like a nice day today in Erie County, Pennsylvania (e.g., chilly but sunny). Ahead of heading out for field operations, here’s recently seen Erie-area sparrows, starting with long distance – but still fun – shots of a male House Sparrow collecting nesting material:

Alternating with close-ups of lovely adult Chipping Sparrow (males and females look alike):

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Coming up soon, more White-throated Sparrow, plus more “birds with flowers!”

Another rainy/gloomy day here in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, celebrating the last weekend in April with exciting nature content “not at Presque Isle State Park.” First up, a great sighting of beautiful Brown Thrasher at Chatauqua Park (at the very northeast corner of the City of Erie) in a flowering apple tree:

Even more exciting, after weeks [*] of forest surveillance in McKean, PA, Millcreek Twp, PA (“Gateway to Presque Isle”), Summit, PA, etc., finally spotted a legendary black-variant Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), or “Devil Squirrel” as the locals call it [**], at LERC West Road Property:

Per Wikipedia, “The black coloration is caused by an incomplete dominant mutation of MC1R, where E⁺/E⁺ is a wild type squirrel, E⁺/E^B is brown-black, and E^B/E^B is black.”

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Please enjoy a happy weekend and also more Brown Thrasher x mutant squirrel:

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[*Editor’s note: perhaps more like twenty minutes.]

[** Editor’s note: may not reflect an actual term that locals use.]