May 13, 2009
Shortly after dawn at Magee Marsh it was clear there had been a changeover 
in the shifts of migrants present. While some individual warblers seemed to 
have clocked out, an interesting assortment of other migrants had came in 
for the next shift. Thus the morning was spent chasing some different birds 
around than over the previous days. This kept us all on our toes, and 
certainly spiced things up a little. A chilly gray morning gave a clear 
indication of the impending storm to come in the afternoon, and the result 
was a lot less warbler songs emanating from the woods by the entrance to the 
boardwalk. The rains began in the afternoon, and by the end of the day the 
few persistent birders at Magee Marsh found they had some late star finds 
all to themselves.

While some warbler numbers at first appeared to be down, diversity was good, 
with some of the A-list warblers in town. Topping this list was cool 
Cerulean Warbler that sent waves of excitement along the boardwalk when news 
got out. It may have only been a lowly female, but try telling that to the 
pack of birders massing around marker 21B on the Magee boardwalk. This 
powder-blue capped bird duly popped up for all to see in the willows right 
beside the boardwalk while hundreds of birders stood elated around it. 
Clearly it had taken a leaf out of “The Crane Creek Official Warbler Rule 
Book”, as it too gave us the “Classic Crane Creek Experience” (CCCE), 
whereby many of them seem to abandon their more usual treetop existence and 
come and hang out right alongside the birders on the boardwalk, providing 
smashing views in the process. Mourning Warbler migration at Magee also has 
started to pick up pace, with at least four different birds seen in these 
“Erien” woods today, and a few more also banded in the area. At least 
one of these was found just a short skip and hop from the west entrance to 
the boardwalk. While giving some people great looks, they could also run for 
the title of “master-skulker” at times, as they would melt back into the 
brush at a moments notice. Other warbler fodder in the woods included 
multiple Cape Mays, a slippery, spanking male Blue-winged that managed to 
evade most of us, and a surge in Magnolias around the boardwalk. Arguably 
these were the biggest show boaters of the afternoon, dangling unashamedly 
within inches of many a flabbergasted birder, and salivating photographer. A 
trickle of Canadas, Wilson’s, and Bay-breasteds still hung in the woods, 
though numbers of the latter were probably down on a few days ago, as they 
were surprisingly tough to find today. Another top draw “warbler” for 
the day was a Yellow-breasted Chat that was about the only thing that 
managed to divert birders attentions from the first big Cerulean show in the 
morning. Unfortunately, the chat had not read the rule book, and clearly did 
not like the “media frenzy” that followed its appearance, rapidly 
managing to slip through the net and promptly disappear soon after. Even 
late in the afternoon after gray skies had dumped a significant amount of 
rain on Magee migrant watchers new birds turned up, one lone birder finding 
a sharp-dressed Golden-winged Warbler just east of the eastern end of the 
Magee Marsh Boardwalk parking lot. This was more than ample payoff for 
refusing to be budged or diverted by the storm sweeping in. 

On the “non-warbler” front in this lakeshore lot there were also some 
notable changes from the previous days. The leaf litter rustled from a new 
wave of thrushes that had jetted in overnight, larger numbers of 
rusty-backed Veerys being particularly in evidence, alongside the now 
regular Swainson’s Thrushes. No Gray-cheekeds however were reported at 
all. Cuckoos are always a thrill to see, and while Yellow-billeds were 
conspicuously absent, at least a few Black-billed Cuckoos were conspicuously 
present, and put out for the morning trailblazers. Wherever you walked today 
it seemed there was incident and something to talk about.  One huddle of 
birders that had their lenses pointed straight down at their feet drew 
people’s attentions to a tame roosting Whip-poor-will that rocked the 
Crane Creek crowd today. The afternoon weather felt a little balmy, although 
the birds on show were obvious signs of spring migration well on its way, 
although a few goodies are still being held back, and we await them with 
eager anticipation. The spring-like feel was only dampened by reports of 
Winter Wren and Hermit Thrush turning up in their nets over at the Black 
Swamp Bird Observatory banding station. 

Good stuff all round, and what with alluring weather moving in as I post 
this we await the next wave to drop in tonight…Connecticut Warbler in the 
morning anyone??!! 

Sam Woods/Tropical Birding (www.tropicalbirding.com)
Black Swamp Bird Observatory Bird Guide in Residence (www.bsbobird.org/)
Lost in Birding blog (www.samwoodsbirding.blogspot.com)


 

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