Despite the rainy/gloomy conditions, some really nice shots of beautiful American Kestrel exhibiting “eating prey” behavior, along the Sidewalk Trail @ Presque Isle State Park. (At least two Kestrels sighted in this area multiple times recently.)
Great opportunity recently to see/photograph a small family of Horned Grebe off South Pier, Erie, Pennsylvania. This trio was closer to the pier than usual due to passing small watercraft (e.g., folks out fishing) in the channel between South Pier and North Pier.
In these two shots (above/below), the female is upper left, male is foreground, and the juvenile/immature is on the right.
Following shot, female is top, juvenile is middle, and male lower right:
As in the following shot, the male has a red/russet breast w/ a brown-black back:
As in the following shot, the female is slightly smaller w/ a blacker back and silvery/white breast w/ hint of russet:
As in shots above/below, juvenile is smaller, w/ a mottled appearance overall; back of neck is distinctively silvery:
Generally awful weather yesterday in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, squeezed in 45 minutes of quality field time between rainstorms, along the one end of the Sidewalk/Ridge Trails at Presque Isle State Park. (If anyone’s in doubt, the warblers are back!) Following all beautiful Palm Warbler:
Coming up soon, more Pine Warbler, more Yellow-rumped Warbler, & an American Kestrel lunchtime! #more_bird
Wow, currently getting slammed with thunderstorms inc. torrential rain (literally torrential, w/ localized flooding) on this Saturday morning here in Erie County, Pennsylvania. All field operations on hold pending some sort of improvement.
On the other hand, very happy to report the first BirdingPI.com spring warbler sightings yesterday at Presque Isle State Park. Highly variable weather, then, too – mostly sunny in south Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”), but localized rain squalls (almost thunderstorms) + cloudy and super humid at Presque Isle. But with the warm/damp weather, the birds were out in full force, at least along the Long Pond Trail, e.g., five warbler species sighted and one heard, including these:
Also great to see beautiful Rusty Blackbirds:
And White-throated Sparrow:
Before yesterday’s rain, also nice to spot a Spotted Sandpiper in flight @ head of Presque Isle Bay:
Also of note at that same location, several Forster’s Terns, along with copious Caspian Terns. In the shot below, Caspian Terns are in flight/large, & the Forster’s Terns are much smaller in the foreground:
Closing out today’s post with misc. sparrow from earlier in the week at Leo’s Landing, starting with Savannah Sparrow (note the distinctive yellow patch above the eye):
And beautiful Field Sparrow:
Finally, Song Sparrow:
Plenty more warbler/bird photos forthcoming, esp. Palm Warbler!
While BirdingPI.com staff is gearing up for weekend field operations at Presque Isle State Park (forecast: rain), it’s back to the beach at Oceanside Harbour in Oceanside, California, early last month:
ID note: Elegant Terns smaller than Royal Terns (which are in tern smaller than, e.g., Caspian Tern) (ha ha) + much narrower bill w/ more yellow (see above).
Finally, a great sighting of Hermann’s Gull, soon to be renamed something like American Sooty Gull hopefully:
Wishing everyone a nice weekend, and for those celebrating Judeo-Christian holidays, a happy Easter and Passover!
Part 2 of Osprey exhibiting bathing behavior at Leo’s Landing, w/ more digital photographs + video! (The sound is turned down somewhat on the video clips due to wind/aircraft noise.) Wow.
Great thing about nature/birding, you can just be minding your own business and in flies an Osprey for engaging in bathing/grooming behavior, i.e., taking a bath. These fun shots taken recently at Presque Isle State Park at Leo’s Landing:
Honestly, it’s maybe even better seeing the video. Hopefully next post!
From this past weekend on Beach No. 11 at Presque Isle State Park, it’s a Ring-billed Gull enjoying a tasty fish dinner, i.e., exhibiting food carrying and eating behavior. Took some work, but it got it down!
As if the April full moon & a sunny day weren’t enough, the unofficial start to Erie County, Pennsylvania spring kicked off Sunday with the first BirdingPI.com butterfly sighting of the year at Presque Isle State Park, featuring a beautiful Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) along the Dead Pond Trail:
Also celebrating with a nice sighting of Chipping Sparrow by the A Trail trailhead:
[Video’ Editor’s note: brief video clip above somewhat wobbly due to branch movement in the wind.]
Yesterday it was Great Egrets on Duck Pond, today it’s shots from the other weekend in the woods along the nearby Duck Pond Trail @ Presque Isle State Park. All lovely Brown Creeper unless otherwise noted.
Weather yesterday (Saturday) here in Erie County, Pennsylvania: hint of sunshine in the PM, otherwise foggy/gloomy. Today (Sunday): cold but partially/mostly sunny. Looks like a nice day for birding/nature – be sure to check out the terns (Caspian & Common) at Leo’s Landing and Beach No. 11, e.g., here’s a ‘sneak peek’ of Caspian Tern:
