Soras and others at Magee Marsh

Just back from out of town, we wanted to check on the progress of spring migration, so Kim and I went to look at the walking trail at Magee Marsh (the walking trail behind the Sportsmen's Migratory Bird Center, not the boardwalk out by the beach). As expected, migration is not so far advanced here as is indicated by recent reports from southern Ohio, but there were a lot of obvious spring migrants. Kinglets were numerous, with at least 35 Golden-crowned and 25 Ruby-crowned seen/heard in a couple of hours. Other typical early-spring birds included Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2), Eastern Phoebe (1), Hermit Thrush (2), "Myrtle" Yellow-rumped Warbler (1), Rusty Blackbird (10), Fox Sparrow (3, including one singing), Chipping Sparrow (20), and Savannah Sparrow (1). Tree Swallows are back in force, and nearby we saw one Barn Swallow. Audible highlights near the far end of the walking trail (where it approaches an extensive marsh area) were the calls of at least two Soras and the songs of at least half a dozen Swamp Sparrows.

Flocks of Bonaparte's Gulls were in evidence near most water areas today, and Great Egrets have returned in numbers, as we saw more than 20 for the day.