Hope everyone had a great “Big Day 2023” Saturday. Bit of a washout in Erie County, PA with weekend clouds/rain, but still plenty of bird activity. While waiting on photo editing, here’s some bird content from recent sunnier days at Presque Isle State Park:

Beautiful Winter Wren along the Long Pond Trail:

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Also along the Long Pond Trail, White-throated Sparrow with fall berries:

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Bald Eagle over Long Pond:

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Still lots and lots of Yellow-rumped Warbler activity:

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Wrapping it up with ‘bonus’ Eastern Phoebe from late summer:

It’s a rainy/gloomy Saturday morning here in Erie County, PA, so time to get caught up on photo editing. Plus a brief featurette on the world’s second most beautiful bird, of course the lovely Ring-billed Gull. [Editor’s note: ?] These recent shots at Presque Isle State Park on Budny Beach:

ABA WARNING: This post contains depictions of tall birds eating small fish.

Yes, it’s overly informal/colloquial to refer to GBH foraging/hunting behavior as ‘snacking.’ OTOH, the fish/prey in this instance seems rather ‘fun sized.’ Recent shots along the Gull Point Trail @ Presque Isle State Park.

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Down the hatch:

Fall migration continues in Erie County, PA w/ large numbers of Blue Jay, American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal, White-throated Sparrow, etc. Here’s a quick post with recent animals along the Pine Tree Trail, Presque Isle State Park.

Beautiful Dark-eyed Junco:

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Probably Yellow-rumped Warbler:

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Switching gears with a bonus section of beautiful Double-crested Cormorant. With so many passing through, seeing some in less usual spots like the PI ranger station pond, or, as here, by Long Pond:

A special ‘double post’ from Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne outside Miami, FL. Per Wikipedia: “Baggs supported early pioneering conservation efforts to rescue the southeast section of Key Biscayne from overdevelopment by real estate developers. The … state park was named in his honor on land protected from development.” And thank goodness for it!

This was by far the best ‘Miami warbler hotspot’ on BirdingPI.com’s recent trip. Great to see beautiful Prairie Warbler, and lots of them!

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Best birding trail was this nature trail, aptly named “Robin’s Birding Trail” on Google maps:

South trailhead is between far/south parking area and the adjacent parking area, at red arrow on this map excerpt:

Lovely Prairie Warbler:

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More beautiful American Redstart (f):

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Great to see a Julia Butterfly (Dryas iulia):

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Over by a beach access point:

Back to Gull Point + bad weather this past Saturday @ Presque Isle State Park.

Lots of Yellow-rumped and Palm Warbler + sparrow + blackbird activity along the ‘outer old trail:’

Two shots of beautiful Red-tailed Hawk:

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On the walk back to where the Gull Point Trail meets up with Lake Erie east of Budny Beach (see above), surprised to see an unusual duck navigating the significant surf – dark breast, white underside, long tail, small bill with orange-and-black tip, it could only be a Long-tailed Duck! (A BirdingPI.com first sighting ever!) Atypical colouration, so probably a male with transitioning plumage. ID note: lacks the irregular/bumpy bill of a Surf Scoter.

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Coming up soon, Prairie Warbler (!), and GBH w/ snack! Also, the world’s second loveliest bird.

Dateline: 7 October 2023

In breaking Presque Isle State Park news, BirdingPI.com’s Saturday field team spotted the surprise erection of a second observation platform at Gull Point! Despite the presence of construction materials, the second observation platform – new since last Sunday – appeared fully completed.

As shown here, the new platform and access trail are located just past the original platform southwest towards Thompson Bay:

Even with a smaller footprint than the original, the new platform would appear to provide interesting alternate views of outer Gull Point, Thompson Bay, and the main Gull Point lagoons:

Thanks (presumably) to DCNR for this exciting addition to Presque Isle’s birding/nature infrastructure.

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Meanwhile, Saturday weather was highly unsettled – patchy sun with clouds, rain, wind, cold temps, etc. Bird activity at outer Gull Point fairly subdued, but reasonably lively within the tree line. Trail conditions: wet.

Atmospheric Bald Eagle:

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Coming up soon, more from along the Gull Point Trail, including a rare/unusual duck sighting!

As expected, highly unsettled Saturday weather in Erie County, PA today – periodic clouds, rain, sun, & wind, + cool temperatures. These shots from sunnier times last weekend along the Pine Tree Trail, Presque Isle State Park.

Beautiful Black-throated Green Warbler (m):

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Coming up next time, major Presque Isle news! (Really!)

Lots of Turkey Vulture activity in Erie County, PA, but too far north for anything other than (very) rare/unlikely sightings of beautiful Black Vulture. So it was great to see these birds recently in Virginia (no good pictures) and here in Florida, at Crandon Park along the Osprey Trail (perched) and Crandon Marina Park (in flight).

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After a string of summery Erie weather, moderate thunderstorms/rain Thursday night (lightning over Lake Erie to the north) + overcast Friday. Weekend weather looks cool/unsettled. Happy birding/nature nevertheless!

Back at Presque Isle State Park along the Gull Point Trail, from last Saturday, 30 September 2023. Conditions: mild, humid, patchy foggy overcast.

Great to finally see Golden-crowned Kinglet this fall:

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This beautiful Greater Yellowlegs flew into the beach-adjacent pond where the outer old/official trail meets the beach at its west end:

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View of outer Gull Point (with gulls and Double-crested Cormorant) from the bay-side beach where the Gull Point Trail turns from NW/SE to SW/NE:

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Something startled the gulls/cormorants (see above), which then moved out to the outer lake:

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Coming up soon, more Gull Point! More Pine Tree Trail! More FL and AZ! #more_bird