May 1 update: Explosion of diversity

Wednesday, May 1: Winds were favorable for the last two nights, so the birding improved somewhat yesterday and then by a huge amount for today's fortunate birders.  Between Magee Marsh and other nearby sites, at least 25 warbler species were found today, along with orioles, tanagers, vireos, thrushes, and other birds of the season.  

Mark Shieldcastle characterized today's flight as representing the second pulse of the first wave of neotropical migrants.  In terms of numbers, the flight was still dominated by Yellow-rumped Warblers, Palm Warblers, and White-throated Sparrows, with lesser numbers of Nashville Warblers and Black-throated Green Warblers, but today there were many other species represented by a few individuals each.  

More than 20 warbler species were found at the Magee Marsh boardwalk.  Some of the best sightings were near the west entrance, where a crowd-pleasing male Cerulean Warbler was present for most of the day along with a very early Mourning Warbler.  Blackburnian, Blue-winged, Prothonotary, Orange-crowned, Black-throated Blue, and Cape May warblers were represented by a few individuals each in this area.  Veery, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Scarlet Tanager were also along the boardwalk. 

At the small woodlot at the end of the road at Metzger Marsh, at least 13 warbler species were seen, including a Hooded Warbler, Cape May Warbler, and early Blackpoll Warbler.  Red-eyed Vireo and White-eyed Vireo were among the other migrants present.

Baltimore Orioles were widespread for the last couple of days, although still in small numbers.  Orchard Orioles were seen at several sites, including the east beach (Wildlife Beach) at Magee Marsh and Maumee Bay State Park.  The latter site also hosted a Prairie Warbler.

Magee boardwalk note: The Ohio Division of Wildlife, which administers the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, has closed off a section of the parking lot adjacent to the new Bald Eagle nest.  The boardwalk is still open, and most of the parking lot is still open.  The closed area is clearly marked; please show your respect for the regulations of the area and stay out of this closed section.

Outlook for May 2-6: It appears that winds will be generally from the southeast over the next few days, with slightly cooler temperatures after Friday and an increasing chance of rain on Sunday and Monday.  We should continue to see more arrivals of migrants in the area, although perhaps not as dramatically as today, through next Monday, and then a shift to northwesterly winds may slow things down a bit.  Still, there are enough migrants present in the area now that the birding should be productive every day.  

Weekend Outlook, Sept. 15-18

Thursday, September 15: It looks like we’ve gotten very lucky with the weather for the Midwest Birding Symposium (MBS). For the next four days there is very little chance of rain, and a big arrival of migrants has just moved in with the north winds, so there should be a lot of birds to watch under pleasant conditions between now and Monday.

We had strong winds out of the south through much of Tuesday, but winds shifted around toward the north that night, and in the time since, many warblers and other migrants have moved into the area. I made a quick check of Meadowbrook Marsh on Wednesday afternoon, and found several small groups of migrants moving along the woodland edge. This site, and all the other MBS birding sites, should offer fine birding from now through Sunday. Reports from this morning indicate that warblers are numerous at the Magee Marsh boardwalk right now. I expect a fair amount of turnover for the next couple of days, and then Saturday night the winds will shift more toward east and southeast, so whatever is around on Saturday will probably stay through Sunday also.

For people who are driving in to Lakeside for the MBS, and coming from the east or west, here are a couple of spots to consider that are NOT official MBS birding sites. They might be worth hitting on the way to or from Lakeside. From east to west, they are:

1. Sheldon Marsh. This state natural area east of Sandusky is often a very good warbler trap in fall. During the first Lakeside MBS in 1997, I led field trips there, and it turned out to be an excellent spot for talking about warbler ID because we were getting good looks at so many. It’s not one of the official sites this time, but if you want to stop there on your own, Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) has a birding map for the area.

2. Resthaven Wildlife Area. This site south of Sandusky Bay has a mix of ponds and woods, and it often holds a lot of songbird migrants in spring and fall. Mark Shieldcastle, BSBO’s Research Director, suggested that the winds of the last couple of days were likely to make this a very productive spot right now. A map and some information can be found at this link.

3. Metzger Marsh. Another area administered by Ohio’s Division of Wildlife, this site lies just west of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. BSBO has a birding map of the area, available through the website. Many waterbirds are often visible along the causeway on the drive in. At the end of the road, the small woodlot often has concentrations of songbird migrants. The beach and the concrete fishing pier may have interesting gulls, terns, or shorebirds if there aren’t too many people around.

4. Maumee Bay State Park. Farther west on the way to Toledo, this park on the Lake Erie shoreline is reached by following Curtice Road 2.5 miles north from State Route 2 (and it’s well marked by road signs). Once inside the park, follow the signs for the beach. At the end of the road there is both a Lake Erie beach and an inland beach, and either or both may have many gulls and terns and a scattering of odd shorebirds. This is one of the more consistent sites in n.w. Ohio for Red Knot, and other species seen there recently include Baird’s Sandpiper and Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Maumee Bay also has a fine wooded areas for songbird migrants; follow the signs for the Nature Center to get to one good spot. Brian Zwiebel reports that the park had excellent numbers and variety of warblers this morning, including Hooded Warbler, rare here in fall. 

5. Finally, farther afield in southeast Michigan, the Detroit River Hawk Watch is the best area nearby to witness the fall migration of birds of prey. On days with northwest winds, hundreds or even thousands of hawks may be seen passing overhead at Lake Erie Metropark and other nearby sites. For more information, go to their website. From Lakeside this would be at least a two-hour drive, so if you go during the Symposium you should plan to miss the rest of the day’s activities. But you could stop there on the way to or from Lakeside if your travels take you in that general direction. At this point, it looks like today, tomorrow, and Saturday should all have decent potential for hawk flights, while Sunday’s southeast winds probably won’t make for good hawk viewing there. But if the weather prediction for Sunday changes, keep this in mind.

And if you'd like to see a long list of other birding sites in northwestern and north-central Ohio, go to the BSBO birding pages and scroll way down the page that is at this link.

Meanwhile, back at the sites closer to Lakeside – the birding should be great for the next four days! We’ll hope to see many of you out in the field, or at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory / Kaufman Field Guides booth at the vendor hall.

Mysteries of the Next Wave

Tuesday night, May 10: I’ve been putting off posting another prediction because the weather has been so confusing. A few days ago, it had appeared that weather conditions would be set up for a big arrival of migrants today (Tuesday) or tomorrow (Wednesday May 11). Those weather conditions fizzled, but a lot of birds arrived today anyway. It’s hard to interpret what’s going on.



Winds have been mostly from the east, not from the south, but on Tuesday May 10 there was a big uptick in the numbers of Magnolia Warblers and American Redstarts – birds typical of the second wave – as well as a good handful of Canada Warblers, Blackpoll Warblers, and Wilson’s Warblers, all birds associated with later in May. Andy Jones reported that there was also a big arrival of migrants on South Bass Island, out in Lake Erie, so clearly a lot of birds were moving, even if it didn’t appear that conditions were favorable.


So the migration at this point doesn’t seem to fit with the weather, making it hard to predict what will happen next. I had a brief note from Mark Shieldcastle, who has been studying weather and migration in this area for years, and he agreed that conditions were confusing. He suggested that all these birds must have been just a little to the south of us before Monday night, so they didn’t have to come far to arrive here Tuesday. It still seems odd to me that they would come in without a tailwind.


My guess – and it IS mostly a guess – is that bird numbers will continue to be very good for the next couple of days, despite the prevailing easterly winds, making for decent birding on Wednesday May 11 and Thursday May 12. Then on Thursday evening, winds may shift to more southerly, and we may see a big (but not huge) arrival on Friday, May 13. Take this with a grain of salt, though, because it may turn out differently.


Notes about local spots: Metzger Marsh continues to host a Tricolored Heron, and Black Terns and Least Bitterns have been found there as well. The best local shorebirding at the moment is on Ottawa-Lucas Road, a dead-end road that runs east from Route 2 about a mile north of the big curve (between Krause Road and Veler Road – see our Ottawa NWR map). Randy Kreager checked this out on Monday and found several species of shorebirds in the flooded fields before the turnaround at the end of the road, including Semipalmated Plovers, Dunlins, Ruddy Turnstones, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and others. Cliff Swallows have returned within the last few days and can be seen locally near water; one good spot is the east end of the parking lot at Porky’s Pizza Trof on Route 2, about 5 miles east of BSBO. Common Nighthawks have also returned; they're most easily heard at night over some nearby towns, including Port Clinton and Oak Harbor.

Awesome May 1st migration

Cerulean Warbler at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio, on May 1, 2011. photo/Kenn Kaufman.

Sunday, May 1: We had predicted that this would be a good day for arrival of migrants, and it turned out to be outstandingly good, certainly the best day of the spring so far.  At least 29 warbler species were confirmed between the three sites of Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, and the Navarre unit of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (where BSBO has its main banding station). Numbers were very impressive at all three sites. Yellow-rumped Warblers were most numerous, as expected at this stage in the migration, but there were also large numbers of Nashville Warblers and Black-throated Green Warblers. (At one point, at the woodlot at the end of the road at Metzger Marsh, I counted 14 Black-throated Green Warblers in one small tree!  A couple of minutes later, the top of the next small tree held a Cerulean Warbler, a Blackburnian Warbler, a Cape May Warbler, a Northern Parula, and a Yellow Warbler all at the same time, for a stunning splash of color.)  At least two Cerulean Warblers (possibly three) entertained birders for hours at Metzger. Highlights at the Magee boardwalk included Worm-eating, Kentucky, and Hooded Warblers, plus Yellow-breasted Chat. Navarre had a female Cerulean Warbler, and a surprisingly early female Mourning Warbler.


 Non-warbler highlights included a good arrival of vireos, with at least five of the six expected species (I didn't see or hear about any Philadelphia Vireos). All five species of brown thrushes were recorded, and several Wood Thrushes were singing at Magee in the evening. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were numerous -- at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Kimberly Kaufman was able to get five males in one photo out the window. Two Blue Grosbeaks, a female and a young male, were on the beach north of the boardwalk parking lot at Magee. Eastern Kingbirds at many sites, Bobolinks and Cattle Egrets near the entrance to Ottawa NWR, and a Merlin at Metzger were among the other sightings. My own oddest bird of the day was a Whimbrel flying over the Magee causeway in the evening; this is an unusually early date for the species.


I haven't looked at the weather in detail yet, but with the sky overcast and the winds shifting to northwest during the night tonight, a fair percentage of today's birds should still be around on Monday.

Black-throated Green Warbler at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio, on May 1, 2011. Black-throated Greens were very numerous at both Metzger and Magee on this day. photo/Kenn Kaufman.

Weekend Outlook 4/30 - 5/1



Palm Warbler at Magee Marsh, April 28, 2011. photo/Kenn Kaufman.

It’s showtime! For the last three days, Tuesday through Thursday, April 26-28, warblers and other neotropical migrants have been all over n.w. Ohio, especially the migrant traps along the Lake Erie shoreline. Looking ahead, it appears that the weekend of April 30 / May 1 should be very good in the area. Although I don’t expect a massive arrival, the numbers and variety should be enough to keep us busy and happy through the weekend.


Mark Shieldcastle and I both have been looking at the weather forecasts independently, to try to get a read on what the migration will be like. The weather has been so unsettled that the forecasts are being revised frequently, so any bird predictions are a little uncertain, but here is how it looks at the moment.


Tonight (Thursday April 28) the wind was still strong out of the west-southwest at dusk. With overcast skies and wind shifting to west, it’s not a great night for migration, so some of the hordes of birds present today should stick around. By mid-morning Friday, the winds are supposed to shift toward the west-northwest. Those winds (not conducive to local migration) are supposed to continue through Friday evening, shifting to more northwest and then north during the night – and then swinging back around to southwest and then south just before dawn on Saturday! That might sound as if it would merely leave the birds confused; but forecasts show a low-pressure area approaching from the west and a high-pressure area moving off eastward over the Appalachians, and between them a sustained flow of air from the south. So despite the seemingly contrary winds for much of Friday night, I’m guessing that we’ll have a good arrival of new birds on Saturday morning. Saturday should be a good day to be outdoors, too, with diminished winds and fairly warm temperatures. Sunday may produce even more migrants, but it’s also likely to rain again, so that’s a factor to take into account.


Okay, so what has been around? Thursday 4/28 produced a phenomenal movement of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and excellent numbers of Palm Warblers, to go with the abundant Yellow-rumped Warblers. Based on what I saw and on reports from others, at least 23 warbler species were present between Magee Marsh and Metzger Marsh on this day, with highlights including Yellow-throated Warbler at both sites and Kentucky, Hooded, and Prairie warblers at Magee. These four warblers are all “overflight” species: they nest mostly to the south of us, and they often show up on the lake shore in late April when they overshoot or overfly their breeding range. (Several years ago, Mark Shieldcastle dubbed the late April wave the “Overflight Wave” because of the predictable occurrence of these southerners.)




Northern Parula at Metzger Marsh, April 28, 2011. photo/Kenn Kaufman.

In addition to the warblers, medium-sized songbirds like Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager, and Baltimore Oriole have shown up, and there have been big daytime flights of Blue Jays. Broad-winged and Sharp-shinned hawks are widespread as single birds, perhaps wind-scattered. I saw a Black Vulture, rare in n.w. Ohio, flying north over the town of Oak Harbor during strong winds on Wednesday April 27. The Tricolored Heron found by Sherrie Duris several days ago was seen as recently as Thursday morning along the causeway at Metzger Marsh.


If you’re coming into the area this weekend, the best strategy for seeing a lot of birds would be to spend time in multiple locations. The boardwalk at Magee Marsh and the woodlot at the end of the road at Metzger Marsh are obvious spots, but the area around BSBO headquarters (just north of Route 2 at the entrance to Magee) has been very active, and the woods behind the visitors’ center at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge should be hopping as well – especially if the wind shifts to the north. East Harbor State Park, just east of Port Clinton, is often jammed with migrants at this time of year, but I haven’t had a chance to check yet. In windy conditions, the downwind side of the woods is likely to have more birds; on a chilly but sunny morning, the birds are likely to be in the areas of the trees that sunlight hits first.


The gift shop / window on wildlife at Black Swamp Bird Observatory will be open essentially every day from now through the end of May; if you’re birding in the area, we’d be pleased if you would stop by and tell us what you’ve seen. Remember that you can download our birding maps for several local sites from the section of the BSBO birding pages titled “Birding hotspots: directions and maps.”

4/27 should be big

Late evening Tuesday, 4/26:  As reported earlier today, this turned out to be a major day for migrants all over n.w. Ohio.  Huge numbers of Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warblers were around, and one Audubon's Yellow-rumped was found near the west entrance to the boardwalk at Magee Marsh.  This western form (which probably will be treated as a full species again in the future) is very rare in Ohio, and I can't resist pointing out that it showed up on John James Audubon's birthday!  Other notables at the boardwalk area included Kentucky Warbler (on the boardwalk near number 27) and Blue Grosbeak (near the west end of the Crane Creek beach). 

Myrtle Warblers swamped everything else in numbers today, but other birds present in numbers included Blue Jays (which stage a massive migration here each spring), Palm Warblers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.  Scarlet Tanagers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks put in their first appearance of the year locally.  Warblers that I saw or heard about at either Magee or Metzger Marsh were Blue-winged, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Northern Parula, Yellow, Cape May, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Yellow-throated, Pine, Palm, Black-and-white, Ovenbird, Kentucky, and Com. Yellowthroat.  Seventeen warbler species is a good total for this early in the season, and a big jump from the day before!

Tonight (Tuesday night) a lot of birds are moving, as indicated on the Nexrad radar images from Cleveland and Cincinnati.  There may be a lot of turnover before morning, but tomorrow (Wednesday 4/27) could be a very big day.  Mark Shieldcastle pointed out this evening that the conditions looked classic for bringing in a lot of birds from the south. 

From the Weather Channel, here are conditions just before 6 p.m. Tuesday.  The low-pressure area centered over eastern Iowa / n.w. Illinois and a high-pressure area off the screen in the Atlantic are contributing to the air flow from the south, which is clearly coming all the way up from the Gulf.  There will be areas of rain overnight, but not enough to shut down the migration.

Also from the Weather Channel, here's a graphical presentation of those winds just before 6 p.m. -- strong winds out of the south, heading right up through our area.  Although the wind speed slowed down considerably after dark, the overall flow is the same.  It's almost certain that Wednesday morning will produce a major number of birds in northern Ohio.  There may be stormy weather in the morning, but in between showers there could be a ton of migrants to sift through. 

Next migrant wave 4/27 or later?

Late evening Sunday, April 24: In an earlier post, I had suggested that we might have a good arrival of migrants in n.w. Ohio on Tuesday, April 26. That still might happen, but the latest weather forecast is making it look less likely. The latest prediction shows a lot of rain overnight Monday night, and winds mostly from the east, not shifting to southeast until shortly before dawn Tuesday. That’s not a good formula for a big overnight arrival of migrants.

Winds are supposed to be southerly on Tuesday and through Tuesday night. We may have a lot of rain and even strong thunderstorms during the day, but overnight it appears there may be a lot less rain. With southerly winds and a break in the rain, a lot of migrants could be moving, especially if there are clear skies anywhere to the south of us. So at the moment, it looks as if Wednesday April 27 could be a moderately good day in the migrant traps along the Lake Erie shoreline. A lot of species could put in their first appearance of the season. At the moment, diversity of warblers and other tropical migrants is a little lower than expected for this date, but that will change in a hurry as soon as a wave arrives.

Looking a little farther ahead, we’ll have rain and shifting winds off and on this week, but there’s a chance that Saturday could offer very good birding. According to some forecasts, by late Friday a large high-pressure area may have moved off to the east of us, with a couple of low-pressure areas lined up just a little to the west, and these could produce a strong southerly flow coming all the way from the Gulf states Friday night. If that forecast holds, that could be a setup for a really major arrival of birds Saturday morning – a good situation for the many birders who can get out most easily on weekends!

In the meantime, unsettled weather often produces records of interesting birds. Good finds today (Sunday) included a beautiful adult Tricolored Heron found by Sherrie Duris at Metzger Marsh, seen from the second pulloff on the causeway on the way in to the marsh. A Yellow-headed Blackbird was being seen on Veler Road, just west of the n.w. corner of Ottawa NWR (please be respectful of private property if you go to look for this bird!). The Black-necked Stilt and Cattle Egret mentioned in the previous post were both seen again today.

Weekend outlook, April 16-17

April 15: We are definitely into the season of full-on migration, with new species appearing practically every day. The birds arriving now are mostly those that winter in the southeastern U.S., but a few of the long-distance migrants from deep in the tropics are starting to show up.


The weather word for the next few days is "unsettled." A strong low-pressure area, currently centered over the Kansas City region, is expected to track toward the northeast, passing north of our area over the weekend. Local conditions over the weekend are likely to be windy (winds near 20 mph), with some periods of rain, and temperatures not rising past the mid-50s. But birders who get out and look are probably going to see a lot of early migrants and perhaps some rarities.


As of Friday morning, April 15, local winds are from the east or east-northeast. Winds should shift to the southeast during the night, and to the south or southwest for much of the day Saturday. Rain is very likely late Friday night and early Saturday morning. By early Saturday afternoon, with south winds and an end to the rain, we may see a moderate movement of birds of prey along the Lake Erie shoreline. Magee Marsh, Metzger Marsh, and Maumee Bay State Park would all be good vantage points. Saturday night will probably produce some more rain, and winds will shift more toward the west by Sunday morning, but Sunday should be mostly clear. Depending on exact wind direction on Sunday, it could also produce some raptor migration along the lake shore: more if the wind is more southwesterly, less if it's directly from the west, so check the wind before you decide to go hawkwatching.


The auto tour at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge will be open on Saturday, the 16th. Two American White Pelicans were seen at the refuge on April 13th (near the Crane Creek estuary) and a male Eurasian Wigeon was found on April 9-10 on MS 8b, which is the first major impoundment to your right as you begin the auto tour route. These birds may still be in the area, and Ottawa usually holds some surprises at this time of year.


Although I don't expect any big waves of songbird migrants to arrive over the next couple of days, there are already many birds in the area, and both days this weekend should provide good birding if you stick to the downwind sides of the woodlots. Sparrow numbers and variety are excellent. Seven sparrow species were at the feeders at Black Swamp Bird Observatory on April 14. There are still surprising numbers of Fox Sparrows around (mainly in thickets very close to the lake) and American Tree Sparrows are still widespread, while we're seeing a good arrival of Chipping, Field, and Swamp sparrows at the woods and marshes, and Savannah and Vesper sparrows in more open country.


Purple Finches have been widespread in the area during the last few days, and we're seeing a decent passage of Winter Wren, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Towhee, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Hermit Thrush, and other typical early migrants. Rusty Blackbirds are past their peak but still present. Both kinglet species are around, although they seem to be in surprisingly low numbers. Many local breeders are arriving back on territory, including Brown Thrasher, Barn and Northern Rough-winged swallows, and Purple Martins.


The warblers, the stars of the show in May, are just now appearing. At least 9 species have been reported in nw Ohio during the last week, mostly in very small numbers. In addition to Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers, of course, this early part of the migration is good for Pine and Palm warblers, and some others such as Black-and-white Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler have shown up as scattered singles. The first Prothonotary Warblers should be here any day now. The latter part of April is the best time in spring to look for Orange-crowned Warbler. This is also the season for "overflight" species: warblers that nest to the south of us, which sometimes overshoot their nesting territories and show up here. Louisiana Waterthrush is annual in April in swampy spots along the Magee Marsh boardwalk, and other "southern" warblers such as Hooded, Worm-eating, Prairie, and Yellow-throated are worth watching for.


Finally, with all the unsettled weather and with winds shifting to the west by Sunday, it would be a good idea to check the lakeshore and open water areas for stray birds such as Franklin's Gull or American Avocet. Wherever you go, have a superb time, and please consider stopping by BSBO to let us know what you've seen.

Spring migration is on now!

March 2, 2011: Here in "The Warbler Capital of the World," the first substantial waves of warblers won't be arriving for another 6 or 7 weeks, and the peak of warbler migration is still more than 2 months away. But other signs of spring are unmistakable. They remind us that this region has a lot more to offer than just warblers.

Here's a brief rundown of some current happenings, arranged by group:

Waterfowl: Ducks, geese, and swans are moving into the region in big numbers. They're not at peak numbers yet, and they're not concentrated -- many of them are spread out over a large area of flooded farm fields, north and south of Route 2 in Lucas and Ottawa counties. Scattered flocks of hundreds of Tundra Swans are widespread, and smaller groups may be seen flying over anywhere. (There are also Trumpeter Swans and Mute Swans in the area, but a really large flock invariably will be mostly Tundras.)

Sherrie Duris saw a flock of nearly 30 Greater White-fronted Goose ( a large number for this region) on Stange Road just south of Rt. 2 on 2/28. Others saw smaller groups on Krause / Stange Roads, and I saw small flocks flying over Metzger Marsh and the Magee Marsh causeway on 3/1. During the last few days, small flocks of Snow Geese have been seen at Metzger, the Magee causeway, and in flooded fields in the region, and Brian Zwiebel saw at least two Ross's Geese at Maumee Bay State Park on 2/28. Large numbers of Canada Geese are now everywhere, and it's worth checking their flocks for Cackling Geese; I saw 2 (loosely associated with Canadas) on the ice at Metzger Marsh on 3/1.

Numbers of ducks are still increasing, and the big arrival of Wood Ducks and others is still ahead, but many Northern Pintails are moving in. There is still enough ice along the Lake Erie shoreline that viewing is poor at many lakeshore sites. At Bayshore Power Plant and Bayshore Park in the city of Oregon (just west of Maumee Bay State Park), there is plenty of open water holding large numbers of Canvasbacks, Redheads, Common Mergansers, and others. One or more Long-tailed Ducks have been seen here recently, and a Red-necked Grebe was seen from the boat launch near Bayshore Power Plant on 2/26 and 2/27.

Turkey Vultures: A few started showing up in the area in mid-February. The first really large movement was on March 1, with moderate SSW winds concentrating the birds near the lakeshore. Around 5 p.m. on 3/1, I watched straggling groups of Turkey Vultures totalling about 220 moving from east to west near the lake at Maumee Bay State Park -- a big number for this early date.

Birds of Prey: There are still scattered Rough-legged Hawks in the area; I've seen them recently on Krause / Stange Roads and at Maumee Bay State Park. Migration of other raptors should crank up soon. On any day with southwest winds, from now through April, it's worthwhile to find a vantage point near Lake Erie and watch for passing raptors. The observation tower at Magee Marsh and the sledding hill at Maumee Bay S.P. are two particularly good hawkwatch spots. Incidentally, I saw a Merlin at the Magee Marsh causeway on 3/1, and Chris Knoll had seen it there a day or two earlier ... an odd sighting for this season.

Shorebirds: Killdeers have arrived in force within the last few days, and the first American Woodcocks were heard at BSBO and Maumee Bay on the evening of 3/1. Wilson's Snipes should be arriving now, and the first Pectoral Sandpipers should show up in flooded fields soon.

Short-eared Owl: At least three are still present along the Magee Marsh causeway, spending most of their time in the southern part. They are very unlikely to be seen during most of the daylight hours. Near sunset they appear, flying around over the marsh with oddly deep, floppy wingbeats. In most years, these wintering birds will stay at least through March.

Crows: Flocks of dozens of American Crows are currently being seen in places near the lakeshore, such as Magee Marsh, Metzger Marsh, and Maumee Bay. This is actually a migratory movement; for most of the year, crows are distinctly scarce in this area.

Northern Shrike: A single bird along the Magee Marsh causeway is being much more elusive this year than in past winters; its main hunting areas must be well away from the road. Scott Hites has seen it a few times, and I finally saw it on 3/1 (flying across the causeway at about the halfway point, and flying straight to the west and out of sight). Based on past records, it could still be around through most of March.

Blackbirds: When Randy Kreager and I went out to the Magee causeway on 2/27, we saw an unmistakable sign of spring: the male Red-winged Blackbirds were scattered out over the frozen marsh, one here, one there, staking out their nesting territories. Other Red-wings are still in flocks, of course, big numbers of Common Grackles are moving in, and we should see a good arrival of Rusty Blackbirds very soon.

There is still some wintry weather ahead, of course. But from now through the end of May there will be new signs of spring every day, so it's a great season to get out and go birding just as often as you can!

Sabine's Gull 11/25 at Metzger, plus access to Magee Marsh

On Thursday, November 25, Delores Cole reports that the Sabine's Gull is still present at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, still providing good looks from the area of the parking lot at the end of the road at around 10:30 a.m. See previous posts for more information.

Delores (along with observers Bill and Ann Toneff) also saw large flocks of Snow Buntings along the entrance road into Metzger. The fields on the north side of the entrance road, just after the turnoff from State Route 2, are often very good for open-country birds like Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs, Horned Larks, blackbirds, etc., and are always worth a look.

On a different listserve, I received a question about access to the causeway at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area (where a Northern Shrike has probably settled in for the winter). According to information from the Ohio Division of Wildlife, the causeway and the areas beyond (boardwalk and wildlife beach) will be open to the public on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 27, and all day Sunday, Nov. 28. These areas will be closed the rest of the time for the next week and a half, through Friday, December 3. Then they should be open on Saturday, December 4, and for the rest of December. So if anyone is considering coming up to look at the Sabine's Gull -- it may not stick around after today -- it has already stayed longer than most previous Sabine's in Ohio. But if you can't get here until Saturday, looking for the Northern Shrike on Saturday afternoon would be an additional possibility.

Sabine's Gull at Metzger 11/24

The Sabine's Gull at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, mentioned in the previous post, is still present as of about 9 a.m. on Wednesday, November 24. Thanks to Erik Bruder for getting the word out quickly. The wind and the cold front that came through yesterday don't seem to have pushed the bird out, but this is a species that nests in the high Arctic, after all.

Sabine's Gull at Metzger Marsh

A juvenile Sabine's Gull turned up at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area on the afternoon of Sunday, November 21. Sabine's Gull is a very rare migrant in Ohio; records are now almost annual along the Lake Erie shoreline in the eastern half of the state, but there are very few records for the region between Toledo and Sandusky. Sabine's Gulls found in fall are often seen for only very brief periods, but this individual actually has stayed for more than a day, and it is still present on Tuesday morning, November 23.

See our map of Metzger Marsh (under "birding hotspots: directions and maps" on the BSBO birding pages) if you're not familiar with the area. The road in to the wildlife area ends at a parking lot on the edge of Lake Erie, with a concrete fishing pier extending out into the lake. The Sabine's Gull has been spending time in the area just east of this pier. Part of the time it rests on the water out on the lake, often with Bonaparte's Gulls, at which time the Sabine's can be picked out by its much darker upperparts. Occasionally it gets up and flies around, showing its spectacular wing pattern.

When I first found the bird I was afraid that it would not even stay long enough for anyone else to see it. Now that it has stayed for more than 24 hours, there is a chance that it will stick around for a few more days. I'll try to post updates here as they become available.

White Pelicans, shorebirds, etc. May 10

Monday, May 10: Some of the attention today shifted away from warblers and toward waterbirds. At Metzger Marsh, 9 American White Pelicans were being seen from the second pullout along the road. From the parking lot at the end of the road at Metzger, looking south from the dike, birders were seeing Black Terns and Yellow-headed Blackbirds.

Meanwhile, at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, the shorebirding was excellent at the Entrance Pool. To reach this site, turn in to the refuge main entrance from Route 2; and instead of going west to the visitors' center, loop around to go straight north. The Entrance Pool will be along the right (east) side of this road. It stretches for at least half a mile north, and today most of the shorebirds were in the northern part of the pool, where there is very shallow water and extensive exposed mudflats. Highlights included at least 3 White-rumped Sandpipers, 5 Pectoral Sandpipers, 1 Short-billed Dowitcher (of the prairie race, hendersoni, and in bright breeding plumage), at least 9 Solitary Sandpipers, 30 Lesser Yellowlegs, 60 Dunlins, 15 Least Sandpipers, 12 Semipalmated Plovers, etc. A telescope is very useful for birding this area, and the light is much better in the afternoon than in the morning when you're looking into the sun. But this spot seems to be having constant turnover now, so if you're birding in the area, it would be worthwhile to check it more than once.

Migration update 5/1, predictions for 5/2

Saturday, May 1: In the migrant traps on the Lake Erie shoreline, today was the biggest day of the year so far for sheer variety of species. As of mid-afternoon, a minimum of 26 warbler species had been reliably reported from the Magee Marsh boardwalk itself, with at least 29 for the area as a whole. The rarest bird at the Magee boardwalk itself by mid-afternoon was a Kentucky Warbler (probably the same individual moving between #16 on the boardwalk and the woods adjacent to the southwest corner of the East Parking Lot). Two Cerulean Warblers were near #17 on the boardwalk, and Greg Links found another individual at the "Wildlife Beach" east of the boardwalk. A female Hooded Warbler was near #6. A few Blackpoll Warblers were somewhat early, including one hanging around the west entrance to the boardwalk. All five brown thrushes were along the boardwalk -- in fact, individuals of all five were seen just north of #6, as well as elsewhere. Other noteworthy birds included a Black-billed Cuckoo near 7a, a Yellow-breasted Chat that moved around quite a bit, and at least four Summer Tanagers (possibly more). For a reference on the numbered spots along the boardwalk, see our detailed map available through the link for "birding hotspots: directions and maps" from the BSBO main birding pages.

Elsewhere in the area, the entrance pool at Ottawa NWR had at least three Solitary Sandpipers, as well as both yellowlegs species and Pectoral Sandpipers. At the woodlot at the end of the road at Metzger Marsh, Greg Links found a Prairie Warbler.

The theme for today was variety, not abundance. Most migrant species were present only in small numbers, but most birders who persisted in searching wound up seeing a lot of different species.

Okay, so what about tomorrow? For Sunday, May 2, I expect birding conditions to be similar. There's still a good flow of wind out of the south-southwest, but there is also (as of early evening) a lot of rain falling in southern Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, so I don't expect many birds to be coming from there tonight. Undoubtedly there will be some turnover, and some birds will continue to move into the better patches of habitat, but I think the overall numbers and variety on Sunday will be similar to today's. We'll probably see heavy showers moving through the area in the morning, but in between rain showers, bird activity should be intense. To see a lot of variety, visit multiple sites: check out the woods at Ottawa NWR, Metzger Marsh, and East Harbor State Park. Look at shorebird habitat at Ottawa and along the Magee causeway: numbers of shorebirds are still building up.

If you're in the area, be sure to stop by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, just north of Route 2 at the entrance to Magee Marsh Wildlife Area. The observatory will be open every day in May from 10 to 6. We'll be glad to share the latest sightings and we'll be eager to hear what you've seen!

Migration update 4/30

Friday April 30: As predicted, there was a good arrival of migrants this morning in the vicinity of the boardwalk at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area. With the strong southerly winds, migrants were concentrated along the north edge of the woods (south edge of the parking lot), but there were also many inside the woods along the boardwalk itself. Birds were continuing to move into and through the area as the morning went on. As of midday, at least 19 species of warblers had been reliably reported from the boardwalk area, with highlights including Blue-winged, Golden-winged, Orange-crowned, and Yellow-breasted Chat. Singing male Blackburnian, Cape May, Black-throated Green, Black-and-white, and Pine warblers were crowd-pleasers. Numbers of Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) and Palm warblers were greatly increased from the previous day, offering a chance to hear the songs of these birds repeatedly -- most birders don't get many opportunities to hear the song of Palm Warbler, a sort of rough trill broken by a repeated dip in tone.

Other notable arrivals today included Eastern Kingbird, Great Crested Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, White-crowned Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. At least four Whip-poor-wills were found roosting near the boardwalk -- one of the advantages of the number of birders present is that it increases the chance that these cryptic nightjars will be spotted. The rarest bird of the morning was a young male Blue Grosbeak seen and photographed near the tower at the west end of the boardwalk.

In terms of diurnal migrants, there were far fewer hawks today than yesterday. (Jen Brumfield called to report that many hawks were moving eastward along the lake shore east of Cleveland, so the migration has shifted since yesterday.) But many Blue Jays, swallows, and American Goldfinches were moving along the lake shore.

The strong south winds were such that birds were not likely to remain in areas that were not at least somewhat sheltered. Lee Garling reported that there were few birds in the woodlot at the end of the road at Metzger Marsh -- that woodlot is probably just too exposed to the wind on a day like this. Birds should filter into the more protected woods now, so the extensive tracts at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge should be excellent for the next several days, especially on the downwind side.

Update: migration forecast 4/29 to 5/1

As of late evening on Wednesday April 28 (4/28): temperatures are going to be chilly again tonight in n.w. Ohio, but the sky is clear and the wind has shifted to southerly already, earlier than had been predicted. I expect there will be a decent arrival of migrants on each of the next three days -- Thursday through Saturday, 4/29 through 5/1. Right now I'm guessing that Friday the 30th will be the biggest day for new migrants to show up, but Saturday may have somewhat more species even if there are fewer individuals. Friday it's supposed to be very warm and windy in the afternoon; Saturday there are likely to be scattered showers but that shouldn't spoil the birding.

As long as the wind is strong out of the south, the biggest concentrations of migrants are likely to be near the immediate lake shore, such as the shoreline woodlots at Metzger Marsh, Magee Marsh, and East Harbor State Park. But the woods at Ottawa Nat'l Wildlife Refuge should also hold a lot of migrants every day from now through the end of May. The boardwalk and trails behind the Ottawa NWR visitors' center are almost always productive in spring, even when the wind shifts and the shoreline spots slow down a lot.

Waterfowl, Rusty Blackbirds, and other early migrants

Northern Pintails flying along the edge of Lake Erie

By now, at the beginning of the second week in March, spring migration is in full swing in northwestern Ohio. Waterfowl are moving through the area in large numbers. With the recent rains and warmer temperatures, the marshes and the lakeshore areas are mostly ice-free. Many ducks and swans are visible from the causeway at Magee Marsh, and Wood Ducks are being seen on the causeway and at the small ponds back by the Magee boardwalk. Metzger Marsh had large numbers of waterfowl today (Monday March 9), with 17 species present. Redhead was the most numerous species, but there were also good numbers of American Wigeon, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, and Lesser Scaup. Hooded Mergansers were concentrated in the canal that parallels the road, not out on the marsh, and the male Hoodeds were actively displaying. (See our map under "Birding hotspots: directions and maps" on the BSBO birding pages.)

American Woodcocks have returned and may be heard doing their flight displays at dusk at many sites in the area. The John Gallagher Memorial Trail, behind BSBO, is a good place to hear them. Other good spots include open fields at Maumee Bay State Park and Mallard Club Marsh.

Large flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles have arrived, and flocks of Rusty Blackbirds are just now becoming widespread. At least 200 Rusties were in the swampy woods near BSBO today, according to Kim Kaufman. I saw about 80 in a woodlot on Stange Road just south of its intersection with Krause Road (just west of Ottawa NWR) and about 30 on the way in to Metzger Marsh. Look for this species in any kind of swampy woods, or sometimes mixed with other blackbirds feeding in open fields.

Raptor migration is under way as well, with Red-shouldered Hawks moving through the area. I saw one over the town of Oak Harbor today and another near Metzger Marsh. Mark Shieldcastle counted at least 20 passing over a site west of BSBO and just south of Route 2 today. At this time of year, we can expect to see migrating Red-shoulders anywhere near the lake shore, especially on days with a southwest wind.

The big waves of warblers are still more than a month away, but there's a lot happening now. Northwest Ohio will be hopping with migrants for the next three months!

Trio of late migrants

Kim and I had been out of town (Autumn Weekend at Cape May) and I should have been catching up on work, but a glance at the weather patterns of the last few days prompted me to go out and see if any odd birds were around today (Tuesday October 31). None of the birds that I saw would be considered rarities for Ohio, but three were very unusual for the end of October. In the small woodlot at the end of the road at Metzger Marsh, I saw one each of Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Wood-Pewee, and Yellow Warbler.

My source for expected dates here is Birds of the Toledo Area by Matt Anderson et al. (2002), backed up by info from The Birds of Ohio by Bruce Peterjohn (1989) and Birds of the Cleveland Region by Larry Rosche (2004). Yellow-billed Cuckoos are essentially gone from the area by the middle of October, although there is a mid-November record for Toledo (and other November records for Cleveland and elsewhere in the state). The latest dates listed for Eastern Wood-Pewee are October 14 for the Toledo area and October 26 for the Cleveland area (Peterjohn's latest date listed for the state is October 21). Considering the lateness of this bird, I studied it carefully for the possibility of Western Wood-Pewee, but it looked typical for an Eastern in all respects. Yellow Warbler is a very early fall migrant, with most leaving northwestern Ohio before mid-September. The late date listed for the Toledo area is November 1, although there are later records elsewhere in the state, but any individual in October has to be considered late. Remarkably, Brian Zwiebel had seen and photographed a Yellow Warbler at Maumee Bay State Park, just a few miles west of Metzger, Oct. 26-30. Looking at his photos, I think my bird was probably a different individual.

This concentration of late dates raises the question: are these just lingerers that haven't made their way south yet, or could they be birds that came up from farther south on the recent strong southwesterly winds? The latter kind of phenomenon is believed to occur at some heavily birded spots on the Atlantic Coast, where strong south winds in fall are often followed by records of such "late" birds. In this case it can't be proven, but I didn't see any of these birds on multiple visits to Metzger in mid-October, so it's possible that they came north in recent days.

Aside from these three, there were very few migrants in the woods at Metzger. The most interesting were a Blue-headed Vireo (also rather late, but not strikingly so) and an Eastern Towhee. A handful of birds seen in a scan of Lake Erie from the end of the road included at least 20 Forster's Terns, 2 Common Terns, one Caspian Tern (getting late), 2 Common Goldeneyes, 14 Lesser Scaup, and 30 Ring-necked Ducks. All of these birds were some distance offshore.