During the past two days at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge / Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area, in Ottawa and Lucas Counties; myself, my wife Denise, and fellow birder Jeff Harvey, recorded no less than 95 species of birds. Not bad for a fall weekend! Our visit to the area, was in conjunction with The Ohio Ornithological Annual Conference being held at Lakeside on the Marblehead Peninsula, on the southwestern shores of Lake Erie. The biggest weekend highlight sighting was seen today, Sunday, compliments of a find by Sherrie Duris. We had great views of 4 Hudsonian Godwits, first resting in the midst of a large group of gulls, then in flight when flushed by a terrorizing Peregrine Falcon. To see these beauties, a half hour walk along The Death March Trail, as it is sometimes called, from the old Ottawa trailhead parking lot, was required. On Saturday at this same sighting location, were thousands of Forster's and Common Terns, nearly as many Bonaparte's Gulls, and 3 American White Pelicans. Numerous American and Black-bellied Plovers could also be found. 6 Snowy Egets were there today. A total of 14 species of shorebirds were found. At the Magee Boardwalk, the special moment of the day on Saturday was Denise finding a gorgeous male Golden-winged Warbler, also seen by Jeff and I, and others. A total of 10 warbler species were seen. From the end of The Crane Creek Estuary Trail, the highlight both days was two very cooperative Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Some of the other exciting shorebirds seen were Red Knot, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Snipe, and numerous Pectoral Sandpipers. This was a memorable Fall weekend we were lucky to share with many of our present birding friends, and glad to have had the opportunity to meet many new ones.
 
Bob Lane / Mahoning County   

                                          
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