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 ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. 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