A Trip to Erie for a Vermilion Flycatcher ~ November 8, 2024

A Vermilion Flycatcher had been found at Presque Isle State Park in Erie on the 7th and continued there until dark, so Jason Horn, Rick Wiltraut, and I left around midnight and started the six-hour drive to Erie. I actually takes me less time to drive to Canada from my house than it does to get to Erie, so I always say, "Oh crap!" to myself when I hear there's a state bird there because I dread the long drive there and back.

We got to Leo's Landing inside Presque Isle State Park before first light and walked the short trail out to the point. There were a flock of about 40 Dunlin flying back and forth in the cove.

Dunlin

A small sandbar held a Greater Yellowlegs and a Bonaparte's Gull among the other gulls.

Greater Yellowlegs

Bonaparte's Gull

We ended up seeing 46 species there, but the flycatcher had apparently moved on. All of the Vermilion Flycatchers found in Pennsylvania have been "one-day wonders" and this one unfortunately followed this trend. Additional birds of note included Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, American Black Duck, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Red-breasted and Common Merganser, Ruddy Duck, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Winter Wren, Snow Bunting, and Swamp Sparrow.

We left the park around noon and made the long, disappointing drive back home.

---