Back to Presque Isle State Park, with what seemed like a fairly slow day (shorebird wise) at Gull Point Sunday afternoon.
Budny Beach looking towards Gull PointOuter Gull Point
Slow, that is, except for a great sighting of recently hatched Piping Plover chicks, at least three, possibly four. Always a very happy occasion! Following shots at long distance from new observation platform:
Adult – left; chick – right of centerAdult – left; 3 chicks – 2 to left of adult, 1 on far rightUncropped view of above @ 600mm (very small/distant)Another view of adult and 3 chicks
More Piping Plover:
Adult in flight (right of center)Adult landing by lagoon/pond Adult foraging watersideAnother view of adult Piping Plover
Some sort of brief altercation w/ two adults and a male Red-winged Blackbird:
Piping Plover (left & in flight center right) + Red-winged BlackbirdAdult PP (left center & lower left) w/ Red-winged Blackbird
Following notice was posted on both observation platforms. Unfortunately, despite looking, couldn’t find/see the crow effigies!
Gull Point, view north from new observation platform
More birds @ outer Gull Point:
Spotted SandpiperTurkey VulturesRing-billed Gull (?) w/ fishVultures IISpotted Sandpiper flying over Lake Erie
Finally, a nice (if not particularly well lit) sequence of Osprey carrying fish/food:
Osprey carrying foodOsprey harassed by Common TernOsprey harassed by blackbird or grackleOsprey + Common Tern IIOsprey + Common Tern over outer Lake ErieOsprey lands on marker sign at north outer beach
Coming up soon, more Gull Point nature!
4 thoughts on “Bundle(s) of Joy”
Paul Edwards
Neat shots of Osprey…everyone wants a piece of the action!
Seeing lots of harassment action, both food (chase the bird with the fish) and nesting, e.g., saw a House Wren harass a Downy Woodpecker, along the Gull Point trail Sunday. (No pictures – too many branches, etc.) Best we can figure, the wren must be nesting.
Lot’s heat shimmer Sunday at Gull Point, so difficult to see distant, small objects. Maybe the crow effigies would be easier to see with a spotting scope.
Neat shots of Osprey…everyone wants a piece of the action!
Seeing lots of harassment action, both food (chase the bird with the fish) and nesting, e.g., saw a House Wren harass a Downy Woodpecker, along the Gull Point trail Sunday. (No pictures – too many branches, etc.) Best we can figure, the wren must be nesting.
A great mystery: where did the crow go???
Lot’s heat shimmer Sunday at Gull Point, so difficult to see distant, small objects. Maybe the crow effigies would be easier to see with a spotting scope.