In the Magee Marsh / Ottawa NWR area of n.w. Ohio, as predicted, Wednesday May 14 saw an excellent arrival of migrants.  Then the wind shifted around to northerly again and most of those migrants have persisted in the general area through today, May 16, so that the birding has been quite good for the last three days. But the wind is supposed to shift around to southwest by this evening and I think there will be another very good arrival of migrants tomorrow morning, Saturday May 17.  More details and information at http://www.bsbobird.org/birding/  

A couple of things to be aware of if you're in the area.  

One -- there will be a public bird-banding demonstration on Saturday from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory nature center, just north of Route 2 at the entrance to Magee Marsh.  This is a great chance to learn about migration research and to see some birds up close.  

Two -- May 17th is the day that the Toledo Naturalists' Association (TNA) holds the annual North Coast Open (NCO).  The members of the TNA are ordinarily fine naturalists and rational people, but the NCO turns them into maniacs as they scramble about in pursuit of the biggest possible bird list within a limited five-county area.  If you should happen to run into some of us -- I mean, them -- on Saturday, please forgive us (I mean, them) if we don't stop to talk.  It's a serious competition, and every second is precious!  If any NCO teams do stop to talk to you, you can always strike up a conversation by telling them that the "Flycatchers in the Rye" are certain to win the competition again this year.  I'm sure they'll all be pleased to hear that.  

Good birding to all this weekend! 

Kenn Kaufman
Rocky Ridge, Ohio 

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