MAY 15, 2011A balmy day threw up some of the worst Erie weather, but
also threw up some top notch warbler viewing along the well-trodden
Magee boardwalk. Rain lashed down in the morning, leaving just the
hardiest birders treading the boards, and leading to just a few teams
competing at Biggest Week in American Birding Big Half Day race for a
shot at the grand prize of a birding holiday in Ecuador. However, for
those stubborn souls who would simply not let a bit of rain and
plummeting temperatures get in the way of their birding, what they found
in the area was some very rewarding birding indeed. Some birds like the
Ottawa NWR SNOWY EGRET even made it too easy, hanging out beside the
visitor center on and off, so that it could be viewed from either the
cozy comfort of a car, or even from the sanctuary of the well-heated
center itself.

Magee Marsh though came out on top form once again, the
stormy conditions, while appearing far from conducive for birding,
turned out to be quite the contrary, with warblers retreating back into
the southern section of the Magee woodlot, where they performed with
aplomb. Birders were bundled up like a balmy day in winter, as well they
should have been, but the faces belied the difficult conditions as they
betrayed the joy that some of the closest views of spring warblers money
can buy had caused. In the sheltered spots a flurry of warblers were
drawn to the low shrubs alongside the boardwalk, allowing for
spectacular views even by Magee's heady standards. A minimum of 24
WARBLER SPECIES were found in the Magee/Ottawa region, with MOURNING
headlining at two or three spots along the boardwalk, although generally
being frustratingly elusive. However, the smashing male HOODED WARBLER
was only enjoyed by one fortuitous birder, to the envy of all others who
tried to refind this cherished southern species today. Although not
around in high numbers the few BLACKBURNIANS glowed orange in the dull
light of the day, with at least one of them doing everything but
perching on our noses as it retreated down very low to the obvious
elation of the birders standing quietly just magical inches away. Some
of the CANADAS were also "playful" with birders and photographers alike,
rejecting all the theories that warbler-watching leads to the famous
malady of warbler neck, as like some of the other usual tree dwellers of
this celebrity family they abandoned the rulebook and fed low down near
or on the ground.The general feeling today was that the night had seen
much of a changeover, with the same healthy species list around today
that was also around on Saturday. All the usual suspects were there in
terms of thrushes, with SWAINSON'S, GRAY-CHEEKED, WOOD, and VEERY all in
evidence in several areas. Vireos were represented by BLUE-HEADED,
RED-EYED, and some really showy PHILADELPHIAS that had obviously taken a
leaf out of the warblers book today and fed low at birder level. The
only newbie seemed to be a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER that flitted so
seductively alongside the boardwalk this afternoon, and walked casually
onto many life lists in the process, momentarily drawing attention away
from the many warblers drawing appreciative comments closeby by virtue
of their wonderfully confiding behavior today.

The Ottawa bus trips
pulled in an unexpected AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, BLACK TERN, and a few
MOURNING WARBLERS of their own, the days only cuckoo, BLACK-BILLED
CUCKOO, along with several WILLOW FLYCATCHERS too. The bus trip operated
out of Black Swamp Bird Observatory visited some other areas south of
Ottawa NWR, and picked up some spritely male BOBOLINKS as well as a
gaudy male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD at Metzger Marsh. The shorebird area
of choice remains the Otawa/Lucas Road (county-line road) that held
DUNLIN and SEMIPALMATED PLOVER for at least some of the day.So in
summary, this was not a day for the faint-hearted, the blustery, damp
conditions on the southern shore of Erie making it unappealing for some
and keeping many away from the famous boards at Magee. However, for
those who ventured out rewards were plenty with super views of warblers
literally just inches away making for a memorable experience and
yielding no complaints (just superlatives) from us all down at Magee!
Even in seemingly crazy conditions to be birding in, this top birding
region seems to always have something very special to offer and this day
was no different.

The Biggest Week in American Birding drew to a close
with these heartstopping views of warblers, which after all is what this
is so often about, and had us looking back at a truly wonderful festival
where hundreds of people have enjoyed memorable twenty plus warbler days
regularly, not least among them a Connecticut or two that walked so
perfectly onto dozens, if not hundreds of lifelists. There were some
surprises, like the wintry species lingering on in many areas, but the
top warbler viewing which is what draws people to the area did not
disappoint, and we look forward to many more spring seasons like this
one.Of course the season is not over, merely this festival, and we await
the second pulse of this second spring migrant wave with nervous
anticipation, knowing well that this may just be the biggest push of
all…

THE WARBLER TALLY:TENNESSEE
NASHVILLE
NORTHERN
PARULA
YELLOW
CHESTNUT-SIDED
MAGNOLIA
CAPE MAY
BLACK-THROATED
BLUE
YELLOW-RUMPED
BLACK-THROATED
GREEN
BLACKBURNIAN
PALM
BAY-BREASTED
BLACKPOLL
BLACK-AND-WHITE
AMERICAN
REDSTART
PROTHONOTARY
OVENBIRD
MOURNING
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
HOODED

WILSON'S
Canada

SAM WOODS

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