ABA Warning: This post contains two pictures of a cute snake. Parental guidance is suggested.
Dateline: 2 September 2023
Gull Point, north-side beach
Partially sunny, warm, and humid this weekend in Erie County, PA. Saturday morning, nice day for a hike out to Gull Point, Presque Isle State Park; not many folks out.
Lots of Sanderling activity along the beach trail:
Everyone loves the beach!
Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)More snakeSpotted Sandpiper (juvenile) + SanderlingSanderling ISanderling IIGull Point, looking generally southTurkey Vulture (l) + American Kestrel (r)
The star of the day, another excellent sighting of lovely Whimbrel! (All shots at a distance from the observation platform.)
Multiple recent regional sightings of Cape May Warbler, including these from Gull Point, Presque Isle State Park, on Saturday. (By the mud flats just inside the tree line on the ‘outer old trail.’)
ID notes: tough to ID due to fall juvenile or non-breeding plumage. Olive crown, gray cheek patch, dark eye line, black streaking from throat down onto breast and underside, yellow on face, throat, and breast, and white undertail coverlets. In comparison to this Palm Warbler at the same location, note its yellow undertail coverlets and brown streaking:
Slow day yesterday (Saturday 2 September 2023) at Gull Point, Presque Isle State Park, people-wise at least. Also not a ton of bird activity, but still some nice sightings including one very special guest. More on that later. In the meantime, it’s shorebirds from last weekend, and lots of them, along the Gull Point ‘beach trail’/outer beach.
Mixed shorebirds I
In shot above, Sanderling on far right + left of center, Semipalmated Plover second from left, and Semipalmated Sandpiper second from right and center (bird facing left).
Semipalmated PloverMixed shorebirds IISemipalmated Plover (rear) + SanderlingMixed shorebirds IIIPlover (right), Sanderling (left)Semipalmated SandpiperSemipalmated PloverPlover x Sanderling IPlover x Sanderling II
Semipalmated Plover running on beach:
Lots of Sanderling (juvenile plumage = black and white):
Set out to capture some nice ‘feather pop’ on an in-flight male Rufous Hummingbird. Mission: FAIL. Came close with this shot, but still blurry even with AI sharpening:
Rufous Hummingbird (m)
OTOH, it’s a beautiful bird + decent ‘perched’ shots (see below) = win.
From a few weeks ago in Apache–Sitgreaves National Forest, outside Pinetop/Lakeside, AZ @ White Mtns/Mogollon Rim area.
In the forest
First up, beautiful Mountain Chickadee:
Following hummingbirds mostly Broad-tailed Hummingbird. (For a couple, could be female Rufous Hummingbird.) Some shots somewhat grainy due to shady conditions.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird (m)
[Location note: the fence/barbed wire is an artifact of cattle grazing on national forest land.]
Broad-tailed Hummingbird (f)House Wren caught a butterflyBroad-tailed Hummingbird (immature male)
More hummingbird:
Lesser Goldfinch (m)
Lots more Broad-tailed Hummingbird (male with magenta throat):
ABA WARNING: This post contains spider-related content and is only suitable for emotionally mature individuals. Thank you for your cooperation.
Trigger warning
It’s your friendly neighborhood spider man & BirdingPI.com’s resident/beautiful Cross Orbweaver (Araneus diadematus) @ Millcreek Twp, PA (“Gateway to Presque Isle”). [Note: species uncertain, but some sort of orbweaver.]
So cute and furry, if only he was bigger for cuddling up!
Weekend plover? Plover update? Whatever the case, a beautiful weekend at Presque Isle State Park, Erie, PA. Partly sunny, warm, humid on Saturday, windy and cooler Sunday. Very subdued bird activity inland (e.g., Pine Tree Trail). With the wind, activity on Gull Point mid-morning Sunday rather sporadic – things flying in and out, relatively few shorebirds.
Semipalmated Plover
On the other hand, after what’s been a slow season, finally (!) had some good shorebird activity along the outer beach. Thank you, surf/wind. (“Outer beach” = beach to the east of Budny Beach up to the Gull Point ‘closed for the season’ sign/fence.) Plover, Sanderling, sandpipers, etc. – more on that later in the week. Here, a beautiful/cute/solitary Semipalmated Plover + surf/sand.
Etymological note: sem·i·pal·mat·ed. ADJECTIVE. Used in names of wading birds that have toes webbed for part of their length.
Bird feet (detail)
Coming up soon, bathing Osprey, a fishing Tern, hairy spider macros, and lots and lots of shorebirds! Plus more exciting hummingbird content from the team in Arizona.
