Return PI/7

First day of winter 2024/2025 yesterday did not disappoint: cloudy, windy, annoyingly cold, & light PM snow. Rough conditions for outside birding, but the highlight of the day at Presque Isle State Park = 9 Purple Sandpiper on the breakwater off Sunset Point. Not the best pictures (camera equip was freezing up by this point), but still nice to see:


More Purple Sandpiper, etc. pending photo editing. In the meantime, back to the final “post-Snowpocalypse” content from the other week at Presque Isle:

Lake-effect snow over N/S Piers

Long-distance but nice sequence of Canada Geese landing in lake-effect snow @ head of Presque Isle Bay (Scott Park bluff in background):


Rapidly changing conditions at Leo’s Landing, e.g., hint of blue sky:

And incoming snow:

An unusual amount of Northern Shoveler activity, e.g., a flock of 21, a BirdingPI.com record for most seen at one time:


Bald Eagle flying in snow
View @ Leo’s Landing towards head of PI Bay
Bald Eagle flying in snow II
View @ Leo’s Landing towards N/S Piers (entrance to PI Bay)
Bald Eagle flying in snow III
A final Ruddy Duck

Coming up soon, more birds in snow!