White-crowned Sparrow is a common spring migrant in n.w. Ohio, with numbers
peaking during the first two weeks of May. This spring, there have been
significantly more than usual in the general Magee Marsh region (eastern
Lucas Co. and western Ottawa Co.). I've been seeing and hearing dozens of
individuals every day, especially in areas a short distance south of the
lake shore.  My impressions of abundance are backed up by results from the
Black Swamp Bird Observatory banding operation at Navarre Marsh (east of
Magee); Mark Shieldcastle tells me that exceptional numbers have been
banded there during the last few days.

Among these concentrations of White-crowns, I've noticed more "Gambel's"
White-crowns than usual.  This subspecies (Z. l. gambelii), which breeds
west of Hudson Bay, is usually a rare migrant through here.  Since moving
to n.w. Ohio in 2005, I've averaged one or two per spring.  Today I saw
three at Black Swamp Bird Observatory (one banded bird which has been
around since winter, plus two unbanded individuals) and a fourth at a
private residence north of Oak Harbor.  I've seen two others within the
last week.  This represents only a few data points, of course, but it
suggests that more of these birds than usual are passing through this
region.

Birders who are out during the next few days might want to keep an eye out
for these birds.  The vast majority of our migrant White-crowns are of the
eastern subspecies, Z. l. leucophrys, with black lores cutting off the
white eyebrow from the base of the bill, giving the bird a fierce or
imperious expression.  On Z. l. gambelii, the white eyebrow extends forward
to the base of the bill, and the lores are pale gray, creating a more
"gentle" expression.  There are some intermediate birds (probably from
immediately west of Hudson Bay), so some individuals can't be identified to
subspecies, but typical "Gambel's" are easy to pick out with a little
practice.  I suspect that a lot more would be reported in Ohio if more
birders were watching for them.

Kenn Kaufman
Oak Harbor, OH

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