Metzger Marsh: Eurasian Wigeon, Red-necked Grebe

Today (Tuesday March 17) the main impoundment at Metzger Marsh (Lucas County, just north of Rt. 2 and just east of Bono) held at least 3000 waterbirds, mostly ducks and American Coots, with a couple of rarities thrown in: a male Eurasian Wigeon and a Red-necked Grebe in winter plumage.

The Eurasian Wigeon was well to the south of the main road that runs east-northeast along the north side of the impoundment. It was associating with American Wigeon. Through the telescope it was a good view, but it would have been tough to pick out with binoculars.

The Red-necked Grebe was farther east, most easily seen from the parking area at the boat launch near the end of the road. From that point the bird was off to the southeast, in the same general area as many ducks and coots. (If you're unfamiliar with the layout of Metzger Marsh, you can find a detailed map by going to the BSBO birding pages and following the links for "Birding hotspots: directions and maps".)

Among the regularly occurring birds, Redheads were the most numerous ducks, with roughly 1300 present. There were also large numbers of Gadwalls, Ring-necked Ducks, Mallards, American Wigeon, and Lesser Scaup. Many of the birds were far enough from the road that a telescope was necessary to identify them.

Metzger Marsh should remain productive for large numbers of waterfowl through the end of March at least.

Migrants coming: Raptors 3/17, others 3/18

This morning (Monday March 16), just back from Idaho, I was looking at weather maps before heading out to check on today's birds, and it appears that the next two days should be good in northwest Ohio.

Right now the winds are light out of the northeast, but they should swing around to the south by about 2 a.m. tonight. If the prediction holds, by morning the winds will be light out of the south and should gradually increase during the day, shifting to south-southwest by afternoon. These conditions should create a fair hawk flight along the Lake Erie shoreline in the first part of the afternoon on Tuesday, March 17. It's supposed to warm up to the 60s as well, so it won't be the frigid experience that sometimes accompanies March hawkwatching in this region! A couple of good sites for observing migrating raptors would be the observation tower ("hawk watch tower") near the Sportsmen's Migratory Bird Center at Magee Marsh, and the "sledding hill" near the beach at Maumee Bay State Park.

Winds should continue to have a strong southerly component through the night Tuesday night, which should favor movement by nocturnal migrants. The current prediction is for scattered showers on the morning of Wednesday March 18, but anyone who gets out between showers should see a good arrival of early landbird migrants. These could include numbers of Rusty Blackbirds, Fox Sparrows and other sparrows, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Hermit Thrushes, and perhaps a few surprises. Waterfowl migration is in full force now, so even if the other migrant arrivals fail to materialize, there will be flocks of ducks, geese, and swans to enjoy.

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!

Early start to the spring migration

We know that northwest Ohio is one of the great migration hotspots of the continent, but it seems odd to be reminded of that as early as February 11th -- especially after some of the extreme cold and snow of the last two weeks. But I was out this morning between rain showers (and in 50-degree temperatures) near BSBO headquarters and saw two Killdeers flying over, two individuals several minutes apart, calling as they flew toward the northwest.

However, these weren't the only birds on the move. Small flocks of Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs, and Snow Buntings were also flying over, also headed northwest. (Because of the configuration of the shoreline here, that's the usual direction of diurnal migrants in early spring.)

The strong southerly winds of the last couple of days probably played a role in the early appearance of the Killdeers here, giving an extra push to birds already on the move in areas south of us. Killdeers usually arrive in this area in late February, but the 11th is distinctly early. However, the other open-field birds had already shown signs of movement. Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs, and Snow Buntings had all been flying over in a northward direction in this general area since the weekend. (Mark Shieldcastle saw significant numbers of all three species northbound yesterday, the 10th; Greg Links saw many Horned Larks northbound in southern Michigan on the 8th.) I've seen a few American Crows moving north as well; there's a big migration through this area in late February, and it may be under way already.

It was inspiring to have this reminder of the fact that we're located in such a fabulous area for migration! Even if the big warbler waves are still ten weeks away, there will be action from here on out as the whole spectacle unfolds. Within a couple of weeks we should have American Woodcocks displaying on territory, a movement of raptors along the lakeshore with south winds, a big influx of waterfowl, more Rusty Blackbirds, more Red-winged Blackbirds, more American Robins. It's definitely time for me to start making more frequent updates.

February Fun Suggestions

Male White-winged Crossbill. Photo by Kim Kaufman.

February is often considered to be "the doldrums" of birding, the time of year with the least amount of excitement. It doesn't have to be that way. In northwest Ohio we'll start to see the first stirrings of northward migration of waterfowl, etc., by the end of the month. But even before that, there are things to do. Here are three suggestions:

1. Go looking for White-winged Crossbills. The huge invasion that began late last fall is continuing undiminished. In the estimation of Greg Links and other local experts, this is one of the biggest invasions ever for this species. The crossbills might show up in literally any conifer in the northwest quadrant of the state -- even an isolated spruce or hemlock with a few cones on it. For some more sure-fire ideas of places to look, check out the RareBird site for places in the immediate Toledo area where the birds have been seen recently (our biggest concentrations of exotic conifers are in the city and in the Oak Openings area).

2. Go looking for Rusty Blackbirds -- and do it during the period February 7-15, when a continent-wide "blitz" will be trying to quantify where these birds are wintering. In recent years there has been a lot of concern about apparent population declines of Rusty Blackbirds. Scientists from the Smithsonian and other institutions are working to understand the current status of the species, and this "blitz" is part of the effort. Admittedly, there aren't many Rusty Blackbirds in northwest Ohio in February; there will be hundreds here by late March, even thousands in some favored areas, but most of them winter well to the south of us. But for this survey, even negative data are useful. I plan to go out and census some of the swampy woods near Oak Harbor for the blitz, and even if I find no Rusties, I'll report that fact to the central survey. You can do the same thing -- details are at this website.

3. If you don't want to get bundled up and go out in the cold, you can still make a contribution to citizen science by looking out the window and taking part in the Great Backyard Bird Count. This event, sponsored by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, garnered the participation of tens of thousands of birders last year, and counted more than nine million birds. The data can be used in a variety of ways, but more to the point, taking part in the count is a great way to involve friends, neighbors, kids, casual birders, etc., in identifying and counting birds. The GBBC happens this year from February 13 through 16, so you can even make it a part of your Valentine's Day celebration if you get creative about it. All the information you need is on this website.

Who says February is a dull month? For birders, there are plenty of things to do!

Northern Harrier roost at Magee Marsh

Last year, Rita Schneider was the first to draw attention to the fact that numbers of Northern Harriers were roosting communally at Magee Marsh, gathering in the evening along the causeway out to the beach at Magee. Rita has just passed along word that the roost has formed again this year; she and Laura Alldridge saw at least 16 harriers together, just east of the causeway, late in the evening on December 29th. If you happen to be birding the area (where at least one Northern Shrike has been seen repeatedly in the last few weeks), it's worth waiting for dusk to watch the harriers come in. We're accustomed to seeing harriers widely dispersed in the daytime, so to see one of these evening gatherings is quite a sight.

For those who aren't familiar with the area, the road in to Magee Marsh Wildlife Area is well marked from Ohio Route 2, between Rt. 19 and Rt. 590, north and west of Oak Harbor.

Fox Sparrows at BSBO

One of the many great things about birding in northwestern Ohio is that Fox Sparrows can be found reliably, sometimes even in substantial numbers, during migration. They migrate mostly very early in spring and late in fall, so fair-weather birding may not turn them up; but sometimes at the end of March or in early November you can find dozens in the thickets near the Lake Erie shoreline.

Usually they're a lot harder to find in December. But right now (Saturday Dec. 6) there are two Fox Sparrows right outside Anna's Window on Wildlife at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory. The birds have been there for a couple of days, and BSBO web guru Delores Cole and others have been able to get good photos of them. The observatory is open today and tomorrow, Saturday Dec. 6 and Sunday Dec. 7, from 11 to 5. Come out on Sunday between 1 and 5 p.m. and there will be other attractions of BSBO's holiday open house, including special prices, conservation-related gift ideas, refreshments and shade-grown coffee, complimentary gift wrapping, and book signings by Jim Mollenkopf and yours truly. Click here for more information and to download a savings coupon from the BSBO web site.

Magee Marsh for Northern Shrike(s)

Most birders who cover this area regularly are aware that the causeway north across Magee Marsh to the beach and boardwalk is closed for part of the fall season. This year the road was closed most days from October 13 to November 29, open only on Sundays and on Saturday afternoons. During this period, birders with flexible schedules may get out of the habit of visiting. But this is November 29th, so as of noon today the road should be open all week once again.

I went to check it out this afternoon and saw at least one Northern Shrike, possibly two. Around 2:10 - 2:30 pm I watched an adult foraging in the area west of the first (southernmost) pullout on the causeway. About an hour later I went back to the area with Ron and Ryan Steiner; we spent a considerable amount of time scanning from the first and second pullouts, and after we'd been at the third one for several minutes, Ryan spotted a shrike perched up high, far to the west. We had very good looks in scopes but it would have been less satisfying in binoculars, so that's something to keep in mind. Because of differences in distance and lighting, I couldn't be positive, but my impression was that this was a different individual than the first one I'd seen.

Hugh Rose tells me that there had been other sightings near this third pullout during recent weekends. The third pullout is the northernmost one, closest to the beach. This was a good vantage point last winter as well. But the shrike(s) can show up anywhere along the causeway, especially if I'm correct about there being more than one bird.

Also present today were good numbers of waterfowl flying around (including both Tundra and Trumpeter Swans, plus good numbers of Wood Ducks and American Black Ducks). At one point there were five Bald Eagles overhead at the same time. Later in the season there are likely to be a lot of Common Goldeneyes and other diving ducks offshore, but today there were very few birds off the beach, just a few gulls.

Snowy alert

There have been several reports of Snowy Owls in northern Ohio during the last few days, including a couple in our immediate area, although neither of the latter two birds could be refound. Reports from nearby states and nearby areas of southern Canada indicate that this year's southward flight of Snowy Owls will be much larger than usual. The causes are still being debated -- it's possible that there was a high population of lemmings in the eastern Canadian Arctic this summer and that the population crashed abruptly during the fall; generally it's hunger that forces these big Arctic predators southward.

Whatever the reason, it's a good idea to keep an eye out for these birds. This is a species of open country, and in our area it's usually in farm areas or along the lakeshore, not in forested patches. If you find one, please let other birders know, but please remember that the owl is probably stressed by lack of food -- we should watch from a respectful distance rather than trying to approach too closely.

The Bridges of Ottawa County

In Ottawa Co., where State Route 19 crosses the wide Toussaint River (about 2 miles south of Rt 2 and 4 miles north of Oak Harbor), there have been hundreds of Bonaparte's Gulls for the last few days -- almost all adults. On Thursday Nov. 6 they were joined by hundreds of Ring-billed Gulls and a few Herring Gulls, again mostly adults. A fair number of Great Blue Herons are present, and a few lingering Great Egrets. So far I haven't seen anything unusual among this concentration, but it would be worth a check for anyone who's birding in the area. The best place to park is on the north side of the river and west side of Rt 19, where there's a pulloff leading into the Toussaint Wildlife Area. From here you can scope the west side and walk across to scope the east side.

Not far away as the gull flies, Turtle Creek crosses Lemon Road about a mile south of Rt 2 and just north of Duff Washa Road (yeah, that's really the name). Turtle Creek was very low on Thursday Nov. 6, and had extensive exposed mudflats just east of Lemon Road. About 400 Ring-billed Gulls were in the area, but the flats also attracted 41 Killdeer and 17 Pectoral Sandpipers -- a good number of Pecs for so late in the season, considering that they'll mostly go to southern South America for the brief winter and still be back this way by March. The best viewing is from Duff Washa Rd but it's not safe to stop there; best to park up around the corner on Lemon Road and walk back to view the flats.

Anywhere in this general area, keep a keen eye out for Snowy Owls. There have been a couple of reports from just a few miles farther west within the last week. The birds are still on the move and might show up anywhere in open country.