Big weekend coming

We're actually out of state right now (in Texas) but I've been watching the reports and the weather in Ohio, and it appears that this coming weekend (April 12-13) should offer great birding along the lakeshore in northwest Ohio. Friday April 11 should bring a relative heat wave, more rain, and south winds, with cooler temps Saturday but still winds from the southwest. Places like the boardwalk and trails at Magee Marsh should continue to have big numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Hermit Thrushes, and both kinglet species, and observers who watch closely for the more elusive birds should have good views of Winter Wren, Fox Sparrow, and Rusty Blackbird. (At Magee, the favored habitat for Winter Wren is under the boardwalk -- watch for these little gnomes zipping in for shelter ahead of you.) Louisiana Waterthrush continues to be a good possibility this weekend. I also halfway expect something really odd to show up -- some very early individual or some out-of-the-way stray that wouldn't normally be this far north. With big numbers of ducks still around and with new arrivals possible every day, this is a great time to be out. Those attending WingWatch in Huron this weekend should have a good time in the field as well as in the indoor sessions.