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May 2007

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From:
Kenn Kaufman <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Kenn Kaufman <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 28 May 2007 19:50:36 -0400
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This weekend (May 26 and 27), the area of Magee Marsh and nearby hot spots
in n.w. Ohio had unsettled weather, with winds and intermittent rain, but
with good birding in between storms.  Today (Monday May 28) was startlingly
calm by contrast, and was clear after the morning fog lifted.

Kim and I spent a couple of hours at Metzger Marsh and about three hours at
the Magee Marsh boardwalk today to get a sense of the state of migration.
Numbers of migrants had definitely dropped a lot since Friday, but there was
still a fair amount of variety.  Wilson's Warblers and especially American
Redstarts were obvious at both locations, most of the latter being young
males, actively singing.  Other classic late migrants included multiples of
Canada and Mourning Warblers, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and Red-eyed Vireos.
We also saw numbers of Magnolia Warblers, plus Bay-breasted, Ovenbird, and
others, but no Connecticut Warbler for us today.  All five species of
Empidonax flycatchers were at the Magee boardwalk, with only one Least but
multiples of the others; two singing Acadians were something of a surprise.
An Olive-sided Flycatcher was there as well.  There apparently had been an
influx of thrushes again: even though we were at Magee in the heat of the
afternoon, we saw 7 Swainson's Thrushes, 4 Gray-cheeked, and a Veery.
Having such a high ratio of Gray-cheekeds was a pleasant surprise; but since
this species breeds farther north, on average, than any of our other brown
thrushes, perhaps it makes sense for it to be a late migrant.

The extensive mudflats at Metzger Marsh (northwest of Magee) continue to see
frequent turnover.  Highlights there at midday today included five Red Knots
(four in breeding plumage), 64 Black-bellied Plovers, and 70-plus Ruddy
Turnstones.  The resting flock of ratty subadult Ring-billed Gulls was
joined off and on by up to 25-plus Common Terns as well as one Forster's,
three Caspian, and two Black Terns.

At this point I don't expect any more big fallouts of migrants, but the
woodlots at Magee, Ottawa NWR, Metzger, and elsewhere along the lakeshore
should have an interesting variety of late migrants for the next week or so,
including sought-after species like Yellow-bellied, Alder, and Olive-sided
Flycatchers, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Mourning and Connecticut Warblers, and
perhaps some surprising strays.  Shorebird migration should continue to make
Metzger Marsh worth checking for another couple of weeks at least.

Kenn Kaufman
Rocky Ridge, Ohio

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