Chris, et al., I'm replying to the entire Listserv regarding Chris's question about the timing of migration in the Lake Erie Marsh Region i.e.- (Magee, Ottawa, Metzger areas). The Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) has been fielding several calls per day from folks looking for this information, so I thought I'd reply this way, just in case there are others who are wondering too. Chris was asking about the birding in these areas around April 24th. While this is bit early for the big diversity that will arrive between the first and second week of May, the area is currently playing host to numbers of Brown Creepers, Golden-crowned Kinglets (a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets too) and Fox Sparrows; smaller numbers of Eastern Towhees, Brown Thrashers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Winter Wrens; Rusty Blackbirds are still numerous; and shorebirds (Dunlin, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs), are beginning to come through in small numbers. If you stay till just past dusk you stand a very good chance of encountering the courtship dance of the American Woodcock as well. Last Friday night, as part of the Lake Erie Wing Watch Weekend, BSBO hosted an American Woodcock program that included a walk afterwards and 40+ participants were treated to a performance that left us all smiling from ear to ear. I'm sure that many (including yours truly) declared the "timberdoodle" their favorite bird after witnessing the show! For more information on the American Woodcock - _Click here: All About Birds_ (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Woodcock_dtl.html#fig1) If you're into waterfowl, the area is still holding good numbers of ducks, looking quite snappy in full breeding plumage. And if it's birds of prey you seek, you should have no trouble seeing Bald Eagles while you're in the area. There are several active nests in the marsh region, including one that will be visible from Ottawa's spectacular new visitor's center. (Grand opening is scheduled for International Migratory Bird Day, May 12th.) The Black Swamp Bird Observatory conducts a Hawk Watch from the tower east of the Sportsman's Migratory Bird Center at Magee Marsh and the tower is staffed seven days a week from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM. If you're in the area, be sure to stop in and check the tally board (located at the base of the tower) to see what hawks have been moving through as well. BSBO has been conducting passerine (songbird) migration studies in the Lake Erie Marsh Region for the past 15 years, and the main banding site is just a few miles east of these well known birding areas, in similar habitat. The daily sightings from this station (as well as banding totals) are available on the Observatory's website at: _www.bsbobird.org_ (http://www.bsbobird.org) and this offers birders detailed information on the timing of migration. This can be extremely helpful when you're trying to plan your "sick day" from work around the time when Connecticut Warblers will be arriving at the boardwalk at Magee! Good birding (as if there's any other kind...) Kim Kaufman Education Director Black Swamp Bird Observatory (http://www.bsbobird.org) ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]