Dateline: 22 May 2022
As a quick update, looks like the Spring 2022 migration season has peaked, with things at Presque Isle State Park having returned, more-or-less, to normal. The extended week of Mother’s Day (7-15 May 2022) goes down as an “A+”/excellent in terms of bird volume, bird variety, good weather, and viewing conditions (e.g., low treetop foliage levels). Plenty more photography content to come!
Meanwhile, let’s enjoy nature. From Sunday before the rain/fog landed.
A few Spotted Sandpiper seen along the beach and in the dunes across the road from the Pine Tree Trail west trailhead. Example of one individual:
Just like flying Bald Eagles, Rule 27(a) of the Bird Photography Manual (4th ed. 2017, Knopf) states “You can never have too many ‘duck takeoff’ pictures.” This appears to be a male Mallard. From the swamp/pond on the north side of the Pine Tree Trail.
Happy to see a small flock of Cedar Waxwing:
Off Budny Beach, quite an exchange between two Eastern Kingbird and one very robust dragonfly (species unknown). Despite the aerial acrobatics, couldn’t see that either bird was successful in snatching up this lower member of the food pyramid.
Lots of Green Heron this year so far. This one off the Sidewalk Trail (east end):
And finally, a lovely Red-eyed Vireo, off Misery Bay. Eye color is not easy to see in this shot, but note the strong, dark eyeline:
[Editor’s note: clearly a Mallard.]
[Editor’s note: ‘food chain,’ not ‘food pyramid.’]