Big bird news at Presque Isle State Park this week was the prolonged visit of a rare (at this location) Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) off Leo’s Landing. ID tips @ non-breeding plumage: gray neck, steep forehead, smudgy cheek, and small/pointy/dark bill; lacks the white-tipped bill and clearly demarcated cap/cheek line of more common Horned Grebe. These rather bad pictures taken under cloudy/rainy/snowy/dark conditions:
Nearby same date/location, fairly good pictures of beautiful male Northern Cardinal exhibiting foraging behaviour:
Weather today in Erie County, Pennsylvania: mostly cloudy, cool. Recent snow mostly melted. Rain forecast for this weekend, but conditions should be ok for waterfowl observation. Happy birding!
Seeing Grebes reminds us the Lakeport, CA, grebes and how much fun they were to watch doing their mating rituals! And the beautiful sound they make while swimming.
The Jay is fantastic! Very fat bird!
Could have been any one of several+ different grebe species at Clear Lake, even maybe Eared Grebe. And yes, the cardinal was nice to see, especially since it was right by the road, making for relatively close shots. Always fun to see foraging activity.
actually I meant the Cardinal… nothing like having someone take pictures when you’re enjoying lunch!