The Lake Erie Marshes have been alive with bird activity today. A good second pulse of the second wave arrived overnight and birders have been rewarded with a good variety of warblers and other landbirds. This should continue for the next couple of days with the weather patterns forecast at this time. An earlier post indicated that migration has been "strange" this year, but that isn't exactly true. It's certainly different then last year, but one only needs to extend the memory banks back to 2010 to find a very similar spring migration as this year. What has been strange for the marsh region has been vegetation leaf out. That has made birding more difficult. The volume this year has not been that of last year, but is within normal range for the weather patterns we have been experiencing. The diversity has been there, and quite well observed. Three Kirtland's in one year and all 37 species of warbler seen multiple times during the Biggest Week in American Birding is a good indication of that. Day length drives migration and weather results in minor shifting. In high volume years, the low pressure systems that generate the warm fronts that carry birds northward march across the continent from west to east. When they are in the Oklahoma/Arkansas region we get major movements (ex. 20 birds banded one day and 800 the next). However this year we are seeing the lows being pulled up into the Great Lakes region. We consistently see fewer numbers on this pattern. This year, scientific reports are indicating a westward influx of migrants up the Mississippi River valley with large numbers seen in Wisconsin and environs. Timing of migration has been within normality as well this year. We are seeing a slight increase in "Third Wave" birds at this time as expected. That wave normally occurs around May 25-30. This will be dominated by vireos, flycatchers and the late warblers of Canada, Mourning, Wilson, and American Redstart (most of which will be females). Today's movement was dominated by Magnolias, the majority of which were males (the 2nd wave dominant). There are many things about migration that remain a mystery. But after more than 34 years of studying migratory birds and addressing the many threats birds face on their arduous journeys, I hope that no one will be satisfied with more mystery. Research documents that migration is responsible for over 80% of mortality of landbirds. I think we need more answers, not more mystery. Only knowledge will provide for a viable future for the feathered friends that help maintain proper ecological balance and bring such joy to our lives. Mark Shieldcastle Research Director Black Swamp Bird Observatory Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449 419-898-4070 2011 League of Ohio Sportsmen Conservation Organization of the Year Award 2012 Eastern Maumee Bay Chamber of Commerce Prism Award for Community Improvement <http://www.bsbobird.org/> www.bsbobird.org <http://www.ohioyoungbirders.org/> www.ohioyoungbirders.org <http://www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com/> www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com BSBO on <http://www.facebook.com/BSBOBIRD> Facebook and <http://www.twitter.com/BSBOBIRD> Twitter OYBC on <http://www.facebook.com/ohioyoungbirders> Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/groups/BirdingOhio/> BIRDING OHIO on Facebook ______________________________________________________________________ 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]