Recent duck photos @ Presque Isle State Park.

Three Hooded Merganser (m, f) in flight above Long Pond:

Two Common Merganser (m) @ Long Pond:

One Red-breasted Merganser (m) @ North Pier:

Too much GBH? Maybe, but better that than leopards killing baby monkeys. The BirdingPI.com promise: “No leopards killing baby monkeys.” (Thanks a lot, Nature Conservancy photo contest.)

All shots Thompson Bay, Presque Isle State Park:

Back over to Thompson Bay, Presque Isle State Park, on Sunday. Swans and ducks. Bonus post of GBH at this same spot, coming up soon.

View north (Lake Erie in background) from Beach No. 11, Tundra Swan @ Osprey platform (far right):

Closer view from the beach access by the Thompson Bay swamp/pond:

Then it was time to ‘sneak’ over to the Osprey platform via the Gull Point trail. The Common Mergansers startled, then the Canvasbacks startled, then the Tundra Swans (most of them) startled. So much for stealth.

Tundra Swans fighting through the wind:

Canvasbacks returning for landing @ Thompson Bay:

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Mostly clear in Erie Thursday night, with a hard frost. Cold, with localized fog Friday morning; rain forecast to begin in the afternoon, possibility of light snow. Rain/unsettled weather on Saturday, but supposedly sunny later on Sunday. ‘Fingers crossed’ for good birding/nature weather (eventually)!

Dateline: 26 February 2023

Bonus post on an interesting sighting from Sunday, high above Long Pond, Presque Isle State Park: a light adult Rough-legged Hawk.

Thank goodness for a long lens + cropping/enlargement. Also for a decent shot of its underside:

Note the strong demarcation between a dark wing lining and white on the primaries/secondaries, plus a dark trailing edge and wingtips; also a white tail with very dark/slightly banded tailtip.

Rainy days: good for bird activity. Mondays: just another day for enjoying birds and nature. Rainy Mondays: double win! (Sorry, Carpenters.)

All shots Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”) this past (rainy) Monday.

Wet European Starling:

Wet American Robin:

With the rain, a surprising number of Common Grackle, at least six or seven. Here, four Common Grackle at a “deer feeding station” + one Red-winged Blackbird (lower lefthand corner):

Dateline: 24-26 February 2023

Erie, PA weekend weather: highly variable, with clouds, cold, wind, sun, rain, snow, hail, etc. All Presque Isle State Park trails in typical condition, e.g., mostly decent except where typically flooded, e.g., B Trail. BirdingPI.com expedition to Gull Point on Sunday curtailed due to heavy wind; these shots from the ‘interior’ Friday-Sunday.

In bird news, first Killdeer of the year spotted off Feather Platform (Leo’s Landing)(!):

Ring-necked Ducks in takeoff + flight:

Huge flock of American Crow (40+) passing over Gull Point Trailhead (this is just the tail end):

Budny Beach @ Sunday:

Finally, Gull activity at Beach No. 11.

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Coming up soon, more GBH! More Northern Cardinal! More weekend content featuring Tundra Swan, etc.!

Two gulls chasing a third, reasons unknow (#gull_reasons), off Beach No. 11, Presque Isle State Park.

Dateline: February 2023

A selection of recent, nice shots from Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”):

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Bird ID: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11: Northern Cardinal (m); 2, 4, 6: European Starling; 8: American Robin in Staghorn Sumac; 10: Bald Eagle

Unsettled weather over the weekend – very cold with brief-but-heavy snow Saturday morning, warmer with partial clearing in the afternoon. Cold, cloudy, and windy Sunday morning, sunny/windy by mid-afternoon. Stay tuned for the weekend update, featuring birds. In the meantime, recent shots off Beach No. 11, Presque Isle State Park, featuring “mixed gulls.”

Bonus video:

Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”): local Red-tailed Hawk caught a critter (rat?) for dinner. Sorry, critter. Not the best quality content due to distance and lighting conditions, but #food_chain