Weekend Preview

Downtown Erie?

Lots of talk in Erie County about the wildfire smoke from Canada. (Good job on that forestry mgmt., Canada.) With the humid conditions, really it’s more like a light fog. A brown, smelly, eye-stinging fog. Anyway, the shot above was taken Friday lunchtime at “Vista 2 Parking Lot” at Presque Isle, looking towards downtown Erie and N/S Piers. And yes, both are usually easily visible from this vantage.

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) @ ‘Pine Tree Meadows’

Smoke aside, Presque Isle State Park’s greening up nicely, with plenty of summer bird/insect activity. Trail conditions as expected (e.g., mud in the usual locations like B Trail and Long Pond west end). Looks like rain Saturday afternoon through Monday, then a great day Tuesday for the US Independence Day holiday.

Meanwhile, recent birds:

House Finch (m – left; f – right) @ Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”)
House Finch (m)

Beautiful Cedar Waxwing @ ‘Pine Tree Meadows:’


Common Merganser west of Budny Beach
Field Sparrow @ ‘Pine Tree Meadows’
Gray Catbird! @ Pine Tree Trail

Lovely Eastern Towhee (m) off the Pine Tree Trail:


Wishing everyone a nice weekend! #more_bird