Erie, Pennsylvania

August Nature Happenings

Aug 1 & 31: Full Moon, Aug 17: New Moon.

Perseid Meteor Shower peaks August 12th and 13th.

Purple Martins and other swallows begin congregating at staging grounds before heading south.  See thousands of Purple Martins gather at Presque Isle this month.  The best place to view them is along the bay, near the first parking lot.  Martins will also congregate at the marina, perching on any available surface.

Orioles are gone by the end of the month.

Monarch Butterflies begin migrating.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird migration peaks late August / early September.

Flocks of Common Nighthawks and Chimney Swifts can be seen in the skies over Erie late in the month.

Shorebird migration builds and waterfowl migration starts.  Conneaut Harbor in Ohio is a great place for shorebirds, especially in the early morning before beach-goers arrive.

Early warblers (Cape May, Magnolia, Blackburnian), many flycatchers, and Broad-winged Hawks migrate through the area.

American Goldfinches finish nesting late August.

Month of the spider - their numbers and webs reach peak volume.

Puffball mushrooms are up.

Peak month for summer wildflowers to bloom.  Look for cardinal flower, ironweed, blue-eyed grass, coneflowers, wood sunflowers, Joe-Pye-weed, goldenrods, and more.

Blackberries are ripe.