Magee-nolia Warblers - 17 May 2026

The Biggest Week in American Birding "officially" ended this past Friday, but Magee Marsh and surrounding areas will see heavy concentrations of birders through next week as birds such as Connecticut and Mourning Warblers will be moving through. I wanted to get down there so this evening (Sunday) should have fewer numbers on the boardwalk. 

Arriving a bit before 6 pm skies were mostly clear, warm (84ºF), but windy with gusts up to 20 mph blowing trees and the shoreline. This was probably helpful since many of the warblers were low in the trees and putting on a show for us birders and photographers.

At the east entrance to the boardwalk Chestnut-sided Warblers were plentiful and close to eye-level. 

As were American Redstarts. 

I was happy to see a handsome Bay-breasted Warbler. 

A Black-and-White Warbler made a brief appearance but was mostly uncooperative.

The highlight of the visit were the numbers of Magnolia Warblers appearing along the entire boardwalk from east to west. It was a great opportunity to see both male and female birds. It was also a chance to see  males in different stages of breeding molt. Note that the more extensive black on the back, and white wing patches the more "breeding" the male is. This breeding male shows the black back and white wing patches that otherwise may look like wing bars.

This non-breeding male shows more olive on the back and less extensive white on the wing.

This female / immature bird lacks the black face mask and shows thinner black necklace on the chest and flanks. Note that adult females have a mask but it is not as dark as the male.

While chasing Magnolia Warblers this Canada Warbler made a brief appearance. I had trouble getting focus through the heavy vegetation so it was a frustrating few moments.

Another non-breeding male Magnolia Warbler.

A breeding male Magnolia Warbler.

While walking the boardwalk I ran into my old digiscoping pal Robert Wilson and his friend Diana. Robert is/was a scope rep for Kowa and is considered one of the greatest phone-skopers in the world. He is truly a legend. 

While chatting a Prothonotary Warbler flew past us and landed on the boardwalk railing about 30' away.

While making a second loop of the boardwalk I came across a few more Chestnut-sided Warblers,

and had a gorgeous male Black-throated Blue Warbler in the shadows.

A Whip-poor-will was roosting on the back side of a tree trunk about 60' back from the boardwalk. Its a miracle that anyone spotted it. It drew quite a crowd.

As I left the boardwalk I checked the woods next to the parking lot and found several American Redstarts working the ground. 

The Sun was starting to set so I headed to the car and drove home. Hopefully this is not my last warbler outing of the spring.

Magee Marsh--Boardwalk, Lucas, Ohio, US
May 17, 2026 5:54 PM - 7:32 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.565 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Pt cloudy, breezy 85F
35 species

Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus)  1
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  1
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  2
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  1
Eastern Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  19
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  6
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  1
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  4
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  3
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  1
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  2
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  1
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)  2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  4
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  6
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)  2
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  2
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)  2
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  1
Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis)  1
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S341378641

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