With the recent spell of good weather and warm temps, things are heating up at Presque Isle State Park, Erie, PA. Bird-wise that is. Recent “first of 2023” sightings: Great Crested Flycatcher; Rose-breasted Grosbeak; Ruby-throated Hummingbird; American Redstart; Black-throated Green Warbler; Magnolia Warbler; Black-throated Blue Warbler; at least a vireo or two (Red-eyed Vireo or Warbling Vireo?); etc.

Of special note, a recent, first ever anywhere BirdingPI.com sighting of an amazing Hooded Warbler (m) along the Pine Tree Trail! (Literally amazing – wow.)

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Stay tuned for more birds, including gulls eating dead fish in Lake Erie!

More fun shots of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher adjacent Thompson Bay swamp/pond:

Another “new for 2023” Presque Isle warbler, the lovely Chestnut-sided Warbler! Recent shots from very high up in the trees on the east end of Long Pond Trail:

Very tough conditions shooting that high up into the trees. Two photos above were the best out of several dozen. Other “ok” shots:

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BirdingPI.com 2023 warbler count currently at 7! A slow but steady start. (Yellow-rumped, Palm, Yellow, Black-and-white, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Waterthrush, & Chestnut-sided.)

Dateline: 6 May 2023

More from the weekend @ Presque Isle State Park, Erie, PA.

Another BirdingPI.com “first for 2023,” the always beautiful Eastern Kingbird, in a tree @ “Pine Tree Meadows:”

Very happy to see a BirdingPI.com favourite back for 2023, the lovely Black-and-white Warbler along the Pine Tree Trail:

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At Thompson Circle, not sure what bird this is (!):

Perhaps an immature Brown-headed Cowbird?

[Editor’s Note: bird above is a female Brown-headed Cowbird]

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Really fun shots (part I) of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher from this past weekend at Presque Isle State Park, off Thompson Bay swamp/pond.

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Not a bee at all, rather a very cool sighting of adult Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis) sphinx moth, at Presque Isle State Park (@ “Pine Tree Meadows”) this past Saturday.

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.

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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.

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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:

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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:

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Happy to report the Gray Catbirds! are back, e.g., here off the Sidewalk Trail:

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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!