After seeing some posts about the massive flight that seems to have taken place last night, I decided to spend my lunch hour birding in downtown Cleveland.  I had planned on heading to Erie Street cemetery but I never got past the Northeast quadrant of Public Square just in front of KeyTower this afternoon.  It was one of the birdiest hours I've spent there in sixteen years birding downtown. 

I was thankful to meet fellow "urban birder" Mike Egar who pointed out several birds and was as awestruck as I about the diversity of warblers in the trees in the Square.  I birded again at 6:00pm on my way home and the activity had diminished only slightly.  NOTE: we were able to identify almost all these warblers without binoculars!  The proximity of the trees to the walking areas allowed amazingly close looks that reminded me of the diminutive size of these tiny birds, something I sometimes fail to appreciate when birding with bins.

Between Mike and I, the following birds were noted: 

Mourning Warbler (heard singing at mid-day; I got good looks at 6:00pm)
Canada Warbler 
Northern Parula 
Black and White Warbler (2) 
Chestnut-sided Warbler (2) 
Magnolia Warbler 
Yellow-rumped Warbler 
Palm Warbler 
Yellow Warbler 
Northern Waterthrush
Ovenbird (~15) 
Common Yellowthroat 
American Redstart 
Sedge Wren (first I've seen downtown since one at Donald Gray Gardens in '96)
empidonax flycatcher sp. 
Lincoln's Sparrow 
White-crowned Sparrow 
White-throated Sparrow 
Gray Catbird (~12) 
American Robin
Peregrine Falcon (flying high over Public Square at 6:00pm) 

In addition, probable Blackburnian and Bay-breasted warbler females were briefly seen without a confirmed identification. 

Big day out there!  Somewhat makes up for not being out at Magee Marsh today. 

Have a great migration!

Tim Colborn
North Olmsted, OH

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