Dateline: 23 September 2023
More Whimbrel from this past Saturday at Gull Point!
Bonus Whimbrel
Dull Point?
It was so windy Saturday at Presque Isle State Park, thought maybe the only thing to see at Gull Point would be a lone Ring-billed Gull. Fear not – great day for birds, including excellent plover activity.
By the first lagoon, the local Whimbrel:
By the main lagoon by the Gull Point observation platform, tough to ID, but possibly – Baird’s Sandpiper (left); Black-bellied Plover (upper middle); Least Sandpiper (lower middle); Semipalmated Sandpiper (middle right); Semipalmated Plover (far right); unknown – perhaps another Least Sandpiper (lower right):
Left-to-right (possible IDs) – Baird’s Sandpiper; Black-bellied Plover; Least Sandpiper; another Least Sandpiper; Semipalmated Plover; Semipalmated Sandpiper:
Here’s the plover from the shots above (possibly Black-bellied Plover), with another plover in the vegetation (upper right-hand corner):
Based on the brown cap, pronounced white eyebrow, brown colouration, and ‘wings extend past tail,’ the latter is believed to be an American Golden-plover:
More views of Plover, probably Black-bellied, species not 100% certain:
This may be a Pectoral Sandpiper:
Sanderling in flight, with a Semipalmated Plover on far left:
More Sanderling flying/landing:
More views of (probably) American Golden-plover:
Back at the lagoon by the roped trail entrance, with Black-bellied Plover = distinctive black under-wings. Also, note the crisp black-and-white checkerboard colouration and short tail end.
Coming up soon, more Whimbrel content! Can’t get enough Whimbrel.
Warblers (II)
Nice day Friday at Presque Isle State Park, otherwise challenging weekend conditions for bird photography – extremely windy Saturday, hazy overcast and windy Sunday with a hint of rain/drizzle. Nevertheless, lots of great activity at Gull Point and elsewhere. (Presque Isle trail conditions: excellent/mostly dry.)
Still catching up with warblers along the Pine Tree Trail from last Sunday. Starting off with more Black-throated Green Warbler (female/juvenile):
Great to see more Nashville Warbler activity this year:
Following are beautiful Yellow-rumped Warbler:
More Nashville Warbler:
More Yellow-rumped Warbler:
Finally, lovely Black-and-white Warbler in a pine tree:
Coming up soon, more warbler, + interesting plover activity at Gull Point. Also, alligators!
Warblers (I)
Lots of warbler activity currently at Presque Isle State Park. Fall plumage is frequently hard to ID on the spot, hence the joy of photography! These shots from last Sunday on the Pine Tree Trail.
First up, Blackburnian Warbler, female or immature male colouration. Black streaking up to the breast, two white wingbars, triangular cheek patch, and yellow eyebrow:
Following probably female or immature male Magnolia Warbler. Gray head, white eyering, two wingbars, yellow throat, white undertail coverlets, and black streaking on side:
Following is probably Tennessee Warbler – black eyeline, no/slight wingbars, thin/pointy bill, white undertail coverlets:
So great to see more Northern Parula! Female or immature male – yellow throat, broken white eyering, green wash on back, etc.
These are Black-throated Green Warbler:
Perhaps more Magnolia Warbler:
And some nice shots of Black-throated Green Warbler:
The Most Beautiful Bird
Per BirdingPI.com’s contractual obligations as a charter member of GraC!AS, it’s time once again to celebrate the world’s most beautiful bird: the Gray Catbird! Hyperbole? Definitely not. Rich, gray/black colouration, sleek lines, cute expressions, etc., plus vocalizations vaguely reminiscent of a sick cat. What more could anyone want?
All shots Presque Isle State Park, summer 2023.
[Editor’s note: GraC!AS – Gray Catbird! Appreciation Society.]
Birds/Springs
Based on preliminary photo review, at least 13 species of warbler sighted this past Sunday along the Pine Tree Trail at Presque Isle State Park. (!) Still waiting on those photos, so it’s back to Arizona in August, this time at Big Springs (conservation area) in Pinetop/Lakeside – stream/grass/pond + juniper/pine forest.
Following shots at very long distance, but still amazing to see American Coot babies!
Nice Bushtits! Hard to photograph in the juniper, but great to see this flock of 6-7+ birds.
Coming up next time, a mini-celebration of the world’s most beautiful bird!
@ Landing (II)
While waiting on photo editing of warbler shots from the weekend, here’s more butterflies and bumble bees from a couple weeks ago @ Leo’s Landing, Presque Isle State Park. (Monarch Butterflies, Common Eastern Bumble Bee, and – at the end – Silver-spotted Skipper.)
More PI Birds
More birds from the previous weekend at Presque Isle State Park, along the Pine Tree Trail.
Tough to ID in the field, but reviewing the photos relative to, e.g., allaboutbirds.org = female or immature Bay-breasted Warbler. Note the hint of bay/chestnut colouration on the sides under the wings + strong white wing bands + overall yellow/green appearance:
At times, tons of Red-eyed Vireo activity:
Probably Pine Warbler:
Two of cute Tufted Titmouse:
These are probably Warbling Vireo:
Lovely Northern Cardinal (f) with berry:
More beautiful Red-eyed Vireo:
As of 16 September 2023, BirdingPI.com “September warbler count:” 14 species!
Weekend Update
BirdingPI.com’s field team was out of town Saturday on a special scouting trip “down south” – more on this later. Meanwhile, Sunday 17 September 2023, amazing migratory warbler, etc. activity at Presque Isle State Park. Lots and lots of birds!
These shots from last weekend along the Pine Tree Trail.
Lots of Red-eyed Vireo activity:
Also lots of lovely Magnolia Warbler:
Great to finally see Blackburnian Warbler, really high in the pines:
Coming up soon, more PI warblers! Also exotic sub-tropical birds (really).
Marshall Gulch (II)
Part II of beautiful birds along the Marshall Gulch trail, Mt. Lemmon, AZ, from August.
