Celebrating the start of summer 2023 with a bonus post of beautiful Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) from last Sunday at Erie Bluffs State Park, Lake City, PA:
[Photo Editor’s note: Hard to shoot BIF (butterflies in flight) due to small size & erratic movement relative to camera autofocus limitations. But never discount the role of luck in photography. “Luck” = increased probability of eventual good shots over time.]
Beautiful almost-summer weather in Erie County, PA this past weekend. Bit of rain Friday, warm/mild/sunny/humid Sat-Mon, bit of rain Tuesday.
Other than a lack of shorebirds at Gull Point, bird activity’s mostly fallen into ‘summer mode’ – Canada Goose, Red-winged Blackbird, Gray Catbird!, American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, GBH, gulls, swallows, Green Heron, GBH, Wood Duck, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, etc.
Gray Catbird! w/ snack
Trail conditions at Presque Isle State Park: generally good. Problem spots: Duck Pond Trail, Long Pond Trail west end, B Trail, Marsh Trail (muddy but passable), Gull Point ‘inner old trail’ (muddy but passable).
Lots of lovely/invasive Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) along the east end of Long Pond Trail:
Some sort of purple bindweed/morning glory (species TBD)Yellow Warbler IYellow Warbler IINarrow-winged Tree Cricket (Oecanthus niveus) (?)Great Egret @ Thompson Bay swamp/pondTree Swallow over Thompson BayProbably Kent’s Geometer (Selenia kentaria)
It’s the annual spring BirdingPI.com outing to State Game Lands No. 314 & vicinity, in the PA NW corner hinterlands. Bird activity was ‘light’/unremarkable – Eastern Kingbird, American Robin, Song Sparrow, + Green Heron. These shots of other flora/fauna.
Starting with a ‘mash up’ of Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela) x a great sighting of Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos):
Not quite sure, but this might be Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura):
After a hard time getting any Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies to photographically cooperate at Presque Isle State Park, it was time to bring on BirdingPI.com’s occasional associate in Conneaut, OH, where the butterflies are generally more docile.
This is Part I of some very nice shots taken recently at Indian Mound Metropark on Conneaut Creek.
Hmmm… Here’s a picture of Gull Point from the bluff at Chautauqua Park, Erie, PA, taken last Thursday. The outer beach is closed for the season, so either it’s the Bird Observatory or DCNR folks out on a survey, or someone’s being very bad. Shame!
Bad birding behavior?
More nature from this past weekend at Presque Isle State Park:
Wild rose + insect (unknown species)Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela)
Much excitement seeing a deer baby on the Pine Tree Trail (these shots taken at a long distance):
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) (adult and fawn)Deer baby IIDeer baby III
Wild Turkeys enjoying a hike:
Two nice shots of what’s probably juvenile Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) dragonfly:
And, on Thompson Bay, the beautiful America White Waterlily (Nymphaea odorata):
Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
The Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora) are currently in bloom:
Rose smell everywhere
Very cool to see a Grayish Zanclognatha (Zanclognatha pedipilalis) moth:
More/better shots of this fascinating moth on the way!
Northern Cardinal (f)Northern Cardinal (m)House Wren IHouse Wren II
Heavy rain again this Wednesday morning in Erie County. A return to sunny weather forecast for Saturday, so “fingers crossed” for a nice birding weekend.
Back to last weekend, a nice surprise to see a pair of lovely Eastern Bluebird enjoying the substantial insect population at the east end of the Pine Tree Trail on Saturday, Presque Isle State Park. Didn’t see much of the female (third photograph below), so mostly shots of the male:
Pleasant weekend weather at Presque Isle State Park. Rain started Sunday evening and continued into Monday for a good 18+ hours – first substantial rain in a while. Great for the grass/other plants/birds.
On the subject of American Woodcock. Typical scenario involves a bird startling from the underbrush and flying away AFAP (as fast as possible). Maybe there’s enough time for an ID.
Saw two like this the other weekend along the Gull Point ‘inner old trail.’ Dispatched a BirdingPI.com team this week in a coordinated effort for obtaining photo evidence. The result – world’s worst American Woodcock photographs:
Bad Woodcock IBad Woodcock II
Note the very short tail, and on the second shot, curved/long beak. These shots taken by the Thompson Bay swamp/pond.
Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus L.) @ Chautauqua ParkSong Sparrow
Time for BirdingPI.com’s annual Hairy Puccoon (Lithospermum caroliniense) coverage. Currently blooming at Presque Isle in the ‘habitat restoration’ area on the south side of the main park road between Beach No. 8 (by the lighthouse) and Beach No. 9 (Pine Tree):
Hairy Puccoon IHairy Puccoon II
Always happy to see cute Field Sparrow, near the Pine Tree Trail west trailhead:
Field Sparrow IField Sparrow IIWild rose (exact species unknown)
Amazing amount of Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela) activity (e.g., dozens) on the Pine Tree Trail and nearby areas like ‘Pine Tree Meadows:’
More on the Pine Tree Trail, probably Zabulon skipper (Lon zabulon):
Ending it here with the beautiful Cedar Waxwing; 4-5 individuals spotted Saturday on the Pine Tree Trail:
