Dateline: 5 September 2022
Nuthatch house, that is, swimming pools, movie stars… . Beautiful Red-breasted Nuthatch along the Pine Tree Trail, Presque Isle State Park, on Monday between “less rain” and “more rain.” Bonus = fun video clip.
In this clip, easy to see how dark it was with the clouds/rain. (Shots above: brightness turned up.)
Tomorrow, more on the Pine Tree Trail!
Dateline: 4 September 2022 – Weekend Update, Part I
Mixed bag this weekend for Erie weather. Mostly sunny and warm on Friday. Partially cloudy, mild/warm, humid Saturday. Sunday, cloudy, mild/warm, and extremely humid. Light rain in the afternoon, then light-to-moderate rain overnight. Cloudy, mild, very humid, and unsettled Monday, with on-and-off rain – enough of a dry window for bird photography before heavy rain moved in over Presque Isle State Park by 2:30PM or thereabouts.
Bird activity fairly subdued on Sunday and with the heavy rain Monday afternoon, otherwise reasonably active. Thick end-of-summer foliage = tough conditions for warbler viewing.
Some shots of Northern Flicker on Sunday, along the Long Pond fishing access trail. Usually skittish, so lucky here to get a close-up view.
Stay tuned this week for lots more greater western Pennsylvania bird content from the long weekend! More bird!
Dateline: Early September 2022
Back to Gull Point with some lovely sandpipers out on the mud flat – although more grassy than muddy due to dry conditions.
Based on yellow-green legs and small size, Least Sandpiper:
Front view – plenty of breast streaking on this individual:
Dark legs = not a Least Sandpiper. Coloration appears wrong for Western Sandpiper, so based on similar size, probably Semipalmated Sandpiper:
“Scaly” look due to white feather fringes suggests juvenile.
Group shot – note the overall color tone difference: brown/rufous vs. brown/black:
Two Semipalmated in the back/midground, Least in foreground:
Final shot – beak seems long for Semipalmated Sandpiper, so ?
[Edit: bonus video:
[Editor’s Note: music = tired of listening to wind noise #crappy_in_camera_mics]
Dateline: 3 September 2022
In breaking news, several Canada Geese were spotted yesterday in a park outside Jamestown, New York. When queried about this unusual event, an anonymous passerby stated, “Well, they’re here pretty often.” BirdingPI.com assessment: unlikely story (!)
Only BirdingPI.com brings you the hard-hitting nature photojournalism!
In other bird news, what appears to be a migrating Red Knot was recently spotted on the mudflats at Gull Point, Presque Isle State Park, Millcreek Twp, PA (“Gateway to Presque Isle”). Following shots are relatively mediocre due to the long distance, but good enough to get the idea. This individual not as red (e.g., in the face/feathers) as a full breeding adult, so could be in plumage transition.
Dateline: Labor Day Weekend, 2022
Not a holiday weekend here at BirdingPI.com – it’s all hands on deck Sat-Mon for nature photojournalism in the greater Erie area. Kicking it off with “bird of the day” – Common Yellowthroat @ Presque Isle State Park, Gull Point Trail.
Highlighting immature male Common Yellowthroat. Note the bright yellow throat, but splotchy black cheeks interspersed with hints of gray. (Fully mature male: fully-delineated black face with upper, gray bordering band.)
Following shots have a more even brown/gray face, so could be female Common Yellowthroat.
Back to a final shot of what’s clearly an immature male, but the gray upper face band is better formed than above.
Wishing everyone a great weekend! Be sure to nature!
Dateline: August 2022, Arizona.
Black-tailed Rattlesnake. In a tree @ Ramsey Canyon Preserve, AZ. So beautiful, just want to give it a big hug!
One more thing to worry about – snakes in trees.
[Editor’s Note: BirdingPI.com does not endorse physically interacting with rattlesnakes.]
So much content from Arizona, so much content from Presque Isle, can’t keep track of it all.
Today, a special report from Scott Reservoir outside Pinetop/Lakeside, AZ. Volcanic, high-alt pine and alligator juniper territory. With water. Excellent spot for birds.
First up. With water, expect an Osprey:
Here, might be female Vermillion Flycatcher (!):
Worth a visit just for this amazingly beautiful male Western Tanager. Part of the cardinal family – who knew? (Obviously folks more well informed than here.)
Female Vermillion Flycatcher on a stick:
Backlit/Turkey Vulture:
Flight outline, Osprey style:
Lots of great birds so far, but then it got crazy. What appeared to be three juvenile or female American Kestrel in a dead pine tree, playing tag with a couple Steller’s Jay. Non-ironic “wow” on that one.
These shots at a very long distance and challenging conditions against an overcast/backlit sky, but amazing to see nevertheless.
Back to a closer distance with great shots of lovely Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. An Erie favorite, so great to see it here.
Finally, a modest denouement – might be Solitary Sandpiper:
Dateline: 27 August 2022
Weekend update part II/Saturday morning out to Gull Point. Humid, moderately warm, partially cloudy. On the shorebird side, four Semipalmated Plover spotted on Budny Beach; Dowitcher and juvenile Sanderling out at the point.
Fairly calm, but enough surf for a little wave action with the plover and Ring-billed Gull.
Not the surf, but might as well enjoy the Dowitcher, too:
Dateline: 28 August 2022
It’s hard to pry folks away from Presque Isle. Finally motivated a BirdingPI.com team member into “NW Corner” duty with a couple Jacksons from petty cash and a shopping list for the rather wonderful Peggy Gray Candies and Gifts in N. Springfield, PA – yum! Also, Bald Eagles!
First up, took all summer, but finally some decent shots of the beautiful Tiger Swallowtail. Probably Eastern (Papilio glaucus), possibly Canadian (Papilio canadensis). #Better_late_than_never.
Bonus shots from this same location (corner of Childs Rd and State Line Rd) of Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele):
Not a lot of bird activity in the dense underbrush. Did spot what appears to be a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak:
Yes, Bald Eagle, at least five at one point.
Following sequence at a very long distance (moderate crop @ 500mm), but still fun to see a successful fishing maneuver:
No trip to the NW’s complete without a stop at Erie Bluffs State Park/Elk Creek.
Green Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Gray Catbird!, Killdeer, and a surprise Spotted Sandpiper in non-spotted mode:
Up next: gulls? Hummingbirds? Plovers? So many birds, so little time.
Dateline: 26-28 August 2022
Fairly excellent weekend in Erie County for bird activity and other activity, e.g., Tall Ships Weekend. Hope everyone enjoyed a tall ship or two. (“Tall ship:” 2 parts dark rum, 5 parts club soda, 1 part fruit juice of choice, floater of overproof, e.g., 151 proof, rum.)
Friday: mild, humid, partially cloudy with intermittent/localized t-storms; Saturday: mild-to-warm, humid, partially cloudy in the morning, mostly clear by afternoon; Sunday: clear, warm, humid, very summer-like, highs 27-29 deg C.
As previously reported, big news over the weekend: increased warbler activity – going from a one (“Yellow-only”) to a seven or eight on the species hit count. Still very sporadic/localized.
Starting off with a BirdingPI.com first – always a happy occasion! – an amazing female Prothonotary Warbler. In the woods between east Budny Beach parking and the beach/lake.
Next up, obligatory/lovely Yellow Warbler:
Followed by female Common Redstart:
Rather awful shot of a female Common Yellowthroat, for the record:
This looks like a Yellow-rumped Warbler:
Probably female/immature Magnolia Warbler:
Following two shots probably also immature/molting Magnolia Warbler:
Following two rather are difficult to ID. Black streaking suggests not Palm Warbler. First could be Magnolia Warbler and the second Yellow-rumped Warbler? Or?
Wrapping it up with a special section on what could very well be a female/immature Cape May Warbler! Yellow throat and neck line, gray cheek patch, olive/gray cap, black streaking, white under-tail coverts, yellow/dark wings with a fairly large white patch/bar. If so, puts the count at eight warbler species over the weekend – really great for late August.
Next up: checking in from “The Corner” – a special BirdingPI.com report.
[Editor’s note: BirdingPI.com does not endorse the consumption of alcoholic beverages. #caffeinated_coffee.]