If Presque Isle State Park is the biggest part of the northwestern Pennsylvania birding body, Fry’s Landing is its heart.

Fry’s Landing hangs off the southeast end of the peninsula, forming the northern shore of the Horseshoe Pond channel. It’s nearly as far as a migrating bird can fly without hitting the waters of the open lake on a nonstop crossing to Canada. That, combined with the marvelously rich and varied habitat, is why so many birds, and warblers in particular, drop in on Fry’s Landing during spring migration.

Bird banding takes place there, and so does some usually serene but sometimes zealous birdwatching. And there’s always plenty to see.

If you’ve never stopped to take a closer look at a bird in a tree, you might have missed these fellows (all snapped this week by my wife), among others:

Scarlet Tanager. Linda Martin photo

Blackpoll Warbler. Linda Martin photo

Blackburnian Warbler. Linda Martin photo.

Bay-Breasted Warbler. Linda Martin photo.