Towards the end of the week, a return to overtly wintery conditions here in Erie County, PA, with cold temps and snow (4 cm?) overnight. As of Thursday, though, the lake/bay around Erie remained ice free = minimal bird activity at places like North Pier/South Pier. Nevertheless, you can always count on gulls, here, mostly Ring-billed Gull at Presque Isle State Park, starting with Leo’s Landing:
Ring-billed Gulls seem fairly successful at ‘dive fishing,’ but guessing maybe a 50% hit rate. Backup strategy = attempt to ‘harass & snatch:’
Beach No. 11Gulls @ Gull Point
(Difficult to tell, but shot above includes Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, and Great Black-backed Gulls at the ‘pointy part’ of Gull Point, as seen from Beach No. 11,)
“European” and “Eastern,” respectively, of course. More recent shots of non-waterfowl/gull ‘winter birds’ in Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”):
At Presque Isle State Park, always plenty of Ring-billed Gulls to love, on Valentine’s Day or any other day. Sometimes they even do interesting/ fun-to-watch things, like the several instances of dive fishing shown here:
Despite a return to cooler seasonal temperatures, the forecast Monday-night snow failed to materialize in Erie County, PA; looks like another nice-ish, chilly day. (Regional weather maps show the ‘big storm’ tracking well east of western Pennsylvania.) Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay currently completely unfrozen.
From 4 February, quarter moon at dawn
Anecdotally, lots of seasonal bird activity in Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”) yesterday – American Crow, European Starling, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-tailed Hawk, Eastern Bluebird, etc. These recent shots of American Robin x Mourning Dove:
If there’s a Gull Point ‘off season’ at Presque Isle State Park, it’s probably February. Nevertheless, on a recent, sunny, surprisingly mild (for February) Sunday, a great hike + always something interesting to see!
Gull Point outer beach, looking east-ish, w/ subsiding ice dunes
First up (bird-wise), two bad photographs of a still ‘very cool to see’ Northern Harrier:
On the outer mud flats, maybe 4-5 Herring Gulls, and that was pretty much it!
Herring Gull w/ dead fishView NE-ish of ‘old’ observation platformFloating Herring GullView west-ish towards Thompson BayTwo Herring GullsView W/NW of Gull Point lagoonsHerring cryView south-ish towards ErieI heart dead fishMore floating gullView east-ish towards New YorkMore gull w/ fishGull cry II
Back in the tree line:
American RobinBlack-capped Chickadee IChickadee II
Lots of Yellow-rumped Warbler:
Previously seen at this location (‘big bend’) end-2023. Probably an overwintering population, w/ mixed American Tree Sparrows, Black-capped Chickadees, etc.
Sometimes a duck flies away. Other times, it repositions nearby to a more duck-comfortable distance. These shots of the latter, taken yesterday at Presque Isle State Park, featuring beautiful Mallard by Long Pond.
Cloudy/rainy conditions this Saturday morning in Erie County, PA, but unseasonably warm. (Temperatures supposed to return to normal tomorrow, although still above freezing in the daytime.) While waiting for conditions to clear up by this afternoon (hopefully), some recent shots from Presque Isle State Park on a sunny morning:
MallardsGoose callMore Mallards after takeoffRing-necked Ducks @ Long PondTMMIF (2 male Mallards in flight)Ring-necked Ducks in flight over Long PondMore TMMIFGoose flight over Marina LakeStill more MIFMore Ring-necked Ducks in flight IAnother view of sunny MIFCanada Geese high over Marina LakeGBH in tree (w/ head tucked)More R-nDIFLow over Long Pond ILow CGIF3DIFLow ice flightLow over Long Pond IIPeaceful, floating MallardsLow over Long Pond IIIA Goose walk on ice
Failed to make note of 3 February 2024, the winter mid-point. On the other hand, the northern hemisphere’s well on the way to spring!
Mallards on a cold, sunny morningMore Swans over Presque Isle Bay @ sunrise
Speaking of spring, “crazy February” continues here in Erie County, PA, with unseasonably warm weather and no snow/little ice. After a sunny but cold weekend (AM hard frost), it transitioned to high temperatures in the 10+ deg. C range (50’s deg. F!), with clouds/rain Thursday night, otherwise mostly/partly sunny. So mild, at least one Erie golf course opened Wednesday (!), not to mention recently sighted daffodil shoots. All that said, forecast calls for a 50%+ chance of snow next week.
Birds on Presque Isle Bay
Ice conditions at Presque Isle State Park and Lake Erie remain highly variable: Lake Erie completely unfrozen, & Presque Isle Bay + interior ponds varying between ‘light ice’ and ‘mostly no ice,’ depending on overnight temperatures.
What’s left of ‘ice dunes’ on Budny Beach looking towards Gull PointSwans on lightly frozen Presque Isle Bay
Seasonal bird activity remains high, e.g., American Robin, Blue Jay, Dark-eyed Junco, ducks/waterfowl, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bald Eagle, American Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebird, European Starling, Wild Turkey, etc. Unofficial BirdingPI.com “species seen in Erie County so far in 2024” count = 69!
The CrowMIF at Presque Isle
Tundra Swans in flight over Presque Isle Bay:
Of note, very early recent sightings of Red-winged Blackbird at Leo’s Landing (& Gull Point), Yellow-rumped Warbler on the Gull Point Trail (probably an overwintering population), and Golden-crowned Kinglet in Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”).
Red-winged Blackbird IBlackbird II
Photos of Yellow-rumped Warbler forthcoming. Meanwhile, wrapping it up with ‘morning’ ducks on Lake Erie:
Red-breasted Merganser (m)
More male Red-breasted Merganser:
w/ Common Goldeneye (m, on left)Morning view of N/S Piers w/ Swans, from Leo’s Landing
Fairly regular Pileated Woodpecker activity this winter in Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”). Also spotted at Presque Isle State Park itself. These recent shots from the former.
