Dateline: 25 June 2022, Presque Isle State Park
It’s “new equipment weekend” here at BirdingPI.com – report to follow eventually. What better spot for a robust test run than the Pine Tree Trail? (Actually, there’s better spots, but Saturday was hot and dry = a busy beach day at Presque Isle; interior trails mostly/entirely empty.)
Sunny with highs in the 80’s deg F at Presque Isle; moderate/low humidity.
With warm and dry conditions, the Pine Tree Trail was remarkably pine-fragrant; nothing quite like a warm pine forest smell.
Bird activity about as expected: Crow, Robin, Catbird, flycatchers, Red-winged Blackbird, Turkey Vulture, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, etc. Only surprise was a very large Pileated Woodpecker (on the Dead Pond Trail); too elusive, however, for even a bad photograph.
Kind of hard to ID the bird above. No eye ring, so not a Least Flycatcher. Main issue was a lack of obvious wingbars. This suggests Eastern Phoebe, but the breast overall seems too dark/vested.
A few more Robin and Flycatcher shots:
Tied for shot of the day (with the Great Crested Flycatcher photo above):
Despite lacking bunnies, turtles, or flowers, results look ok so far.
Coming up next time: “A Post Which Includes Bunnies, Turtles, and Flowers.” Plus more Gull Point!