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May 2011

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From:
Sam Woods <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Sam Woods <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 11 May 2011 21:04:39 -0700
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MAY 11, 2011

It is all too easy to focus your attentions on the
warbler magnet of Magee Marsh at the expense of other great Ohio birding
venues, and today this would have cost you dearly. Of the 25 WARBLER
species roaming the lots today, two of the A-listers were roaming the
woodlot behind Ottawa NWR, where both GOLDEN-WINGED AND BLUE-WINGED
WARBLERS had the Magee Marsh crowd jealously eyeing the posts form
Ottawa as they were absent from the famous boardwalk today that held all
the other species in the area, bar them. The feeling today was that
although there had been some shift in birds overnight (maggies on the
up, "butter buts" dropping), overall diversity and numbers were similar
making for quite another enjoyable days birding in this exciting birding
region. Other notable warblers at Mageee included a dowdy PINE WARBLER
at the western end of the popular parking lot, and BLACKPOLLS were once
again visible and frequently available to all, as were all several
TENNESSEES hanging around at the "business" end of the boardwalk (the
west end). Once again BLACK-THROATED BLUE-WARBLERS were conspicuous and
readily on hand to add to people's list and consisted of mostly striking
males, with a few females in the mix too. A healthy handful of CAPE MAYS
were also on hand to boost life lists wherever needed, with a mix too of
cinnamon-patched males and subdued females too. Another trend was a rise
in CANADA WARBLERS roaming up and down the boardwalk, having received an
overnight bump, and a spike too was evident in AMERICAN REDSTARTS
fanning their distinctive tail patterns at Magee, with an interesting
mix of young males, "Halloween" adult males, and females among them.
Shocking citrus PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS continued to survey cavities along
the Magee boardwalk and keep photographers busy with their infinitely
photogenic antics. Good numbers of NASHVILLES persisted at Magee too,
and were clearly continuing to enjoy a bumper year for the species in
the region, although one of the other first wavers that have dominated
earlier in the week seem to be on the fall, with distinctly fewer PALM
WARBLERS than just a few days back hinting at a change in the air and a
move towards the second wave species to come very soon. Another
latecomer to the warbler party, the WILSON'S WARBLER was still limited
in its appearances due to the few numbers in the Magee woods, and will
surely be booming later in the season yet.

Warblers dealt with what
else was happening in the Magee/Ottawa region today?
Vireos seemed
sparse relative to the day before with a few BLUE-HEADED, a lone
RED-EYED, and a distinct absence of Phillys and Yellow-throated (that
had been so readily available just the day before) although
significantly more WARBLING VIREOS in the Magee lot. Thrushes continue
to be scarce and still have not appeared in anything like the numbers
that can come in this month of peak migration. A few VEERY, SWAINSON'S
and just the odd GRAY-CHEEKED around today, although thin on the ground
generally and so thrushes are sure to be more visible in the coming
pulses and waves in this fast-evolving migration season. WHIP-POOR-WHILL
once again made us wait until the afternoon for them to become visible
to the Magee masses. A fortuitous "mustard-picker" kicking up one from
the obscured edge of the swamp well off the boardwalk, and flushing it
up into a near tree for all to see just off the well-trodden walkway. A
boost in flycatcher numbers today did not also render a boost in variety
with LEAST FLYCATCHERS being virtually the only one involved in this
clear increase. A few more RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS were also around
today, amusing many with their high-speed, high jinx.

Comments have
been made about the strange wintery species that are lingering at this
time of the migration that included some ducks on the Ottawa bus trips
(that are part of this vibrant festival), including a lonesome
CANVASBACK, and several REDHEAD. (That were mixed in with new arrivals
that usually herald the oncoming spring like ALDER FLYCATCHER, SCARLET
TANAGER, and even a single BLACK TERN). Among the other lingerers from
the cool months of winter included a pair of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES,
several DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and a party of PINE SISKINS along the famous
boardwalk on the shores of Erie. Last, but by no means least, the rare
TRICOLORED HERON continued to show off at Metzger Marsh and boost many a
local list and satisfy the many visiting birders too.

I cannot finish
this post without mentioning the well-publicized forecast from the
"birds and weather gurus from Black Swamp Bird Observatory" whose
detailed studies of the bigger picture of the gust and wind maps
entwined with their intimate knowledge of the bird migration patterns in
the region have led them to a confident prediction of good bird
movements coming this way tomorrow and even more so on Friday 13th. This
latter day may be famously unlucky for some but we hope might just be
very lucky indeed for this A-list North American birding region...

SAM
WOODS


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