Yes, an entire post just for a ‘Veery’ pun. (At least it’s not more Canada Goose…) Another BirdingPI.com “2023 Presque Isle first,” a lovely Veery from this past Saturday by the Dead Pond Trail east trailhead. ID tip: thrush with white underside, slight/light brown chest spotting, overall cinnamon color.
Amazing weekend at Presque Isle State Park. Saturday weather: sunny, mild. Sunday: highly localized heavy rain, overcast/humid, turning partly sunny by late afternoon. Greatly increased warbler activity esp. Yellow Warbler. “New for 2023” sightings: Black-and-white Warbler; Common Yellowthroat; Northern Waterthrush; Baltimore Oriole; White-crowned Sparrow; more Gray Catbird!
Skipped the planned Gull Point trek on Sunday due to possible rain. BirdingPI.com team re-positioned for a lengthy stakeout around Long Pond, resulting in catching a beautiful (and uncommon at Presque Isle) Northern Waterthrush!
ID note: white eyebrow of this individual looks akin to Louisiana Waterthrush, but note the small throat spots and ‘buffy underwash’ = Northern Waterthrush.
More on this lovely warbler at All About Birds.
More from around Long Pond on Sunday:
Went from ‘zero to 60’ on the amazing White-crowned Sparrow over the weekend, with multiple sightings of multiple individuals at multiple locations:
Coming up soon: lots more from the weekend! #more_bird
This post brought to you by WEPAGAS (Western Pennsylvania Goose Appreciation Society), Greater West Millcreek & Fairview chapter.
“Top 10 Tips – Tip #7: When all else fails, Canada Goose.” Miller, N. (1994). Miller’s Modern Handbook of North American Bird Photography, 2ed. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Nice weather Friday in Erie, PA, with sunshine and cool/mild temps. Looks like more sun for the weekend – happy times for birding/nature!
Here, the “pre-shot of the weekend,” lovely Chipping Sparrow on flowering tree, Pine Tree Trail, Presque Isle State Park:
Happy to report the Gray Catbirds! are back, e.g., here off the Sidewalk Trail:
Anecdotally, with the nicer weather, receiving reports of increased warbler activity at Presque Isle, at least re. Palm, Yellow-rumped, and Yellow:
Wishing everyone a nice weekend!
Rain finally eased up in Erie, PA on Thursday, but everything’s still plenty wet. So, time for more Killdeer in a puddle.
Bonus House Sparrow @ Budny Beach east parking:
After a Wednesday of incessant rain, time to revert to a recent sunny day with shots of a beautiful Hermit Thrush off Dead Pond Trail between A Trail and B Trail, Presque Isle State Park:
The awful spring weather continued Tuesday in Erie with overcast, cold temps, freezing rain, snow, rain, etc. Lots and lots of rain. … Appropriately, it’s a Killdeer. In a puddle.
All shots by North Pier, Presque Isle State Park.
Recent shots of Bonaparte’s Gull by Leo’s Landing/Feather Platform, Presque Isle State Park. Adult/breeding plumage (black head) x2 + first winter bird (smudge behind eye + gray wing with black bar).
With all the bad-ish weather in Erie, PA (Monday weather: on-and-off heavy rain), hard to keep track of “what’s what.” Following’s a mixed bag of recent shots of birds + mammals from Presque Isle State Park + environs.
Red-winged Blackbird (m) @ South Pier:
Not a great shot, but #beautiful_Purple_Martin – somewhere over Presque Isle or vicinity. Great to see these lovely birds back in the area!
Eight Turkey Vulture @ the beach on Thompson Bay:
Unsettled weather this past weekend in western Pennsylvania – periodic overcast, rain, temperature swings, etc. Bird activity at Presque Isle State Park somewhat subdued; plenty of things to see nevertheless. These shots from Saturday along the Sidewalk Trail, east end, before the rain moved in.
Bit of Palm Warbler activity along where the Ridge Trail parallels the Sidewalk Trail at the east end:
Good luck so far this year with Eastern Towhee, here, really nice shots of a beautiful female (brown head instead of black):
