As BirdingPI.com staff continues to dig out, the Snowpocalypse 2024 content is finally trickling in. These shots from yesterday in Erie County, Pennsylvania, of European Starling in heavy lake-effect snowfall:

It’s day 5 of Snowpocalypse 2024 here in north Erie County, Pennsylvania. Travel restrictions remain in effect in the City of Erie due to ongoing plowing; all schools closed. In good news, temps seem relatively mild today + periodic sunshine.

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Here’s part 2 of recent, pre-snow fall birds in Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”):

More photos from a rainy Thanksgiving morning at Presque Isle State Park.

A Merganser (Red-breasted female?) scooches off in the rain:

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In the following shot of South Pier as seen from North Pier, note East Ave boat launch in the background:

Caught a slight break in the weather in Millcreek Twp. (“Gateway to Presque Isle”) yesterday afternoon with localized clear skies and sun. (Thankfully, the snowplows finally returned…) Weather this morning: snow. BirdingPI.com field operations canceled for day 3 due to road restrictions/conditions.

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While waiting on forthcoming snow/ice pictures (?), here’s misc. photos from the last few weeks in Erie County, mostly Presque Isle State Park & South Pier:

ID note on American Tree Sparrow: dark eyeline like Chipping Sparrow, but note the distinctive yellow lower beak mandible.

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Two Tundra Swans on Presque Isle Bay, first shot is cropped/enlarged, second is not @ 600mm:

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Following shot is American Coot & Ruddy Duck at head of Presque Isle Bay. Ruddy Ducks are at far right, fourth from right, and second from left, etc. Coots are the dark ones.

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Following shot is at Beach No. 11 w/ Great Black-backed Gull second from right, + misc. gulls:

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These were really far away and are hard to see in the picture, but it’s Northern Pintail ducks on Long Pond + misc. Mallards/American Black Ducks. The Pintail males have the white chest + a band of connecting white up the rear side of the head:

Extreme enlargement (Pintail males at left, bottom center, and right):

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You know it’s bad in Erie, PA when they just stop plowing. Figure at least 70 cm (28 inches) of snow from early Friday morning to Saturday morning. Perhaps the largest single-day snowfall in 5 years. Interstate 90 and PA Route 5 (main state highway along Lake Erie parallel to I90) both closed. Heavy snow expected through Tuesday morning.

Heard a few Black-capped Chickadees this morning, otherwise minimal bird activity. Not unexpectedly. And with that, time to head back a couple weeks, pre-snow, for beautiful fall birds in Millcreek Twp (“Home of Snowpocalypse 2024”).

All photos American Robin (as above) unless otherwise noted.

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[Editor’s note: Still lots of internal debate on “Snowpocalypse” or “Snowmageddon.” If any interested readers have a preference, please submit via the Comments box. Thank you.]

Friday weather today in Erie County, Pennsylvania: heavy snow and lots of it. All field operations canceled.

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Just enough time yesterday morning for a quick outing to Presque Isle State Park before getting the tofu log into the oven. With substantial rain, the park was largely deserted other than duck hunters and the poor folks by the main entrance suffering through Erie’s annual ‘Turkey Trot’ 5k/10k. And for birds, what else for the Thanksgiving holiday than cooperative Wild Turkeys by Presque Isle Light House? (Truly a happy coincidence.)

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Coming soon, more turkeys, featuring WTIF! (Really!)

What better way to celebrate the US Thanksgiving holiday than with pictures, maybe, of Wild Turkey? Unfortunately, as suggested by these real, unadulterated iPhone pictures, the local Wild Turkeys appear to be using some sort of electronic jamming system, or perhaps hypnotic transmission, to thwart hunters/photographers. Or something like that.

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All kidding aside, here’s some lucky/nice shots from last Saturday at Presque Isle State Park, in a lull in the rain along the Long Pond Trail. (‘Lucky’ = ok weather + brief flurry of bird activity.)

With winter coming, great to see Winter Wren:

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Wishing everyone in the US a Happy Thanksgiving!

Weather-wise, quite awful this past weekend in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Overcast both days, with on/off rain Saturday (mostly “on”) and fairly heavy wind and rain Sunday until mid-afternoon. Trail conditions: very wet with localized flooding/puddling, even in “normally mostly dry” spots. (Forecast for this Friday & into the near future: snow & rain.)

Overall, fairly subdued bird activity at Presque Isle State Park, but still some nice sightings. Also “Rule 13 of bird photography:” when all else fails, there’s always plants. (Or landscapes.) All shots here from Sunday under rainy conditions.

A few overcast/gloomy shots of a Mallard takeoff on Long Pond:

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Finally, a somewhat random stop at the Beach No. 8 parking lot to check out outer lake/surf conditions. (‘Random’ meaning relative to other possible spots to check out lake conditions, of which there are many.) Otherwise devoid of human/bird activity, and despite heavy wind/blowing rain conditions, surprised to see a flock (10+) of cute Snow Bunting, here mostly shown below or on the split-rail wooden fence that borders the multiuse/bike trail:

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Eventually the Snow Buntings flew towards the beach and then east, caught in the wind:

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Tomorrow, there will be Turkeys! Sort of.

After California Gulch, Ruby Lakes, & a nice roadside stop for lunch (see above – sadly, no good bird photos), it was time for the relatively long drive to White Rock Campground, by the turn for Pena Blanca Lake, as the final birding stop of the day.

“It’s the final campground… The final campground…“

First up, great double Red-tailed Hawk acrobatics:

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Amazingly beautiful (and yellow!) Hooded Oriole (m):

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Tough to photograph in the brush at a long distance, but still so nice to see Varied Bunting (m):

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Finally, it’s bonus Varied Bunting video, complete with annoying birder blather! Embrace the smiley emoji 🙂

Thus endeth the lesson on SEAZ Birding Festival field trip to California Gulch, 2024!

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BirdingPI.com’s resident curmudgeon(s) notwithstanding, we’re back in Arizona from this past August, finishing up at the confluence of Warsaw Canyon & California Gulch, with more lovely Blue Grosbeak (blue = male, brown = female):

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From the confluence, it was time to head up California Gulch Rd towards Ruby, AZ:

Everywhere, lots of beautiful Velvetpod Mimosa (Mimosa dysocarpa) in bloom:

Next stop, Ruby Lakes – see point B on the annotated map in the previous post.

“Ruby Lakes” is upper and lower dams maybe used as a water supply for Ruby, AZ. (Read about Ruby, AZ here and here.) Upper dam is silted in, the lower dam still retains water.

Following shot is below the upper dam, with a Velvetpod Mimosa-covered hillside:

In the thick tangle of willow, etc. trees below the upper dam, great to see a foraging Wilson’s Warbler:

This is the duckweed-covered pond/lake at the lower dam:

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Coming up soon, the last (but not least) of California Gulch!