Prelude to The Biggest Week in American Birding - 30 Apr 2016


With only a couple of days from the start of The Biggest Week in American Birding Festival in NW Ohio I decided to make a run down to Magee Marsh and the Boardwalk. Despite cool, breezy temps and slight overcast the place was hopping with birds and people. This Ruby-crowned Kinglet was singing and foraging near a (hopefully) receptive female.


I spotted this Brown Thrasher on the drive into the boardwalk area. Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets, Pectoral Sandpipers, a Wilson's Snipe, and Lesser Yellowlegs were in the marshes along the main drive.



Yellow Warbler was the first official warbler photographed this spring. I had to shoot through vegetation to get it.


Palm Warblers and Yellow-rumped Warblers are the dominant warbler right now, but that will change w/ the next wave of birds in a day or two. Things are a bit stagnant with  the cool, wet weather of the past few days.


Louisiana and Northern Waterthrushes were spotted on the boardwalk. A Field Sparrow, Swamp and Song Sparrows were spotted, as well. Gray Catbird and more Brown Thrashers (left) were moving through the understory. Overhead the Tree Swallows were actively nesting and chattering. I would dip on Pine Warbler and Prothonotary Warblers. Even Chipping Sparrows made an appearance!



A walk along the Estuary Trail stirred up several House Wrens, and a very cooperative Warbling Vireo. I digiscoped it from 25' away.


Magee Marsh--Boardwalk, Lucas, Ohio, US
Apr 30, 2016 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
20 species

Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)  1
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  2
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)  2
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  2
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  2
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  6
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  1
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  1
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  1
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)  1
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)  2
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  1
Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla)  1
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)  1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  2
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S161599962

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

I drove over to Ottawa NWR and photographed the Trumpeter Swans on nest.



Just before driving out I spotted these adorable Killdeer babies.






I'll be in Miami this week, but hope to get back here next week when the next wave of warblers come in!

Ottawa NWR--Visitor Center and Boardwalk, Ottawa, Ohio, US
Apr 30, 2016 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
2 species

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)  2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  6     2 adults and 4 chicks in parking lot

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S161600208

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)