Friends of Magee Marsh

In 2000, Wild Bird Magazine rated Magee Marsh the ninth best birding location in North America!

Magee Marsh Wildlife area is the best place in Ohio to witness the spectacle of the spring migration of neotropicals. The visitors come for the orioles, thrushes, vireos, flycatchers, and raptors, but it is the WARBLERS that really attract the attention! There are about 37 species of warblers that usually make an appearance, sometimes in huge numbers. Because of a reluctance to cross Lake Erie, the birds pile in on forested beach ridges in large numbers and provide spectacular bird watching opportunities. According to Wetlands Project Leader Mark Shieldcastle, “Magee is one of only four remaining beach ridges along the southern shore of Lake Erie. It is unique because it provides all of the components vital to a marsh system-beach ridge, deep and shallow water, open marsh, sedge meadow, and blue joint stands. It is also one of the few remaining remnants of the Great Black Swamp.” With about 2000 acres Magee Marsh provides critical stopover habitat for migrating birds. It’s like a giant rest stop where they can rest and re-fuel before continuing on their journey! Although some warblers do nest at Magee, most are going farther north to raise their families. So most of the over 300 species of birds sighted at Magee Marsh are just passing through!

Anytime from mid April through May is good, but typically the peak migration occurs during the first two weeks of May. This is when you are most likely to see the most numbers and species of birds. Also, as the leaves come out it makes it more of a challenge to view the warblers. The key to spectacular bird watching is weather! When low pressure cells build up in Arkansas, and we have good southwest winds with a sharp increase in temperature as a front moves in, one is most likely to witness the heaviest migration. International Migratory Bird Day is celebrated the Saturday before Mother’s Day each year and attracts thousands of birders to Magee each year. The visitors, which include birders and many photographers, come from all across America and even foreign countries to experience the magic of spring migration.

There ar four trails that are open to the public at Magee Marsh. There is also the Sportsmen’s Migratory Bird Center where you can pick up a bird checklist, get a map, purchase a field guide, or find out what birds have been seen. A habitat display area features many of the birds that you are likely to see while at Magee Marsh. The Bird Center is open year round Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. From March through November, the Bird Center is also open on weekends from 11 to 5, with extended hours on Saturdays in April and May. The Wildlife Area is open during daylight hours. Near the Bird Center are two trails that visitors can explore. The Magee Marsh Walking Trail has two half mile loops that begin and end at a 42 foot observation tower. New in 2003 was a connecting trail between Magee Marsh and adjacent Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. The Magee Marsh Beach trail is about a half mile stretch of beach that is open for wildlife viewing only-no swimming please. Although all of the trails offer the chance to see the birds, it is the Magee Marsh Bird Trail, or Boardwalk, that is the most popular. Although it is only seven acres, the Boardwalk can literally be “raining warblers” if the conditions are right!

In 2000, Wild Bird Magazine rated Magee Marsh the ninth best birding location in North America! Magee Marsh Wildlife area is the best place in Ohio to witness the spectacle of the spring migration of neotropicals. The visitors come for the orioles, thrushes, vireos, flycatchers, and raptors, but it is the WARBLERS that really attract the attention! There are about 37 species of warblers that usually make an appearance, sometimes in huge numbers. Because of a reluctance to cross Lake Erie, the birds pile in on forested beach ridges in large numbers and provide spectacular bird watching opportunities. According to Wetlands Project Leader Mark Shieldcastle, “Magee is one of only four remaining beach ridges along the southern shore of Lake Erie. It is unique because it provides all of the components vital to a marsh system-beach ridge, deep and shallow water, open marsh, sedge meadow, and blue joint stands. It is also one of the few remaining remnants of the Great Black Swamp.” With about 2000 acres Magee Marsh provides critical stopover habitat for migrating birds. It’s like a giant rest stop where they can rest and re-fuel before continuing on their journey! Although some warblers do nest at Magee, most are going farther north to raise their families. So most of the over 300 species of birds sighted at Magee Marsh are just passing through! Anytime from mid April through May is good, but typically the peak migration occurs during the first two weeks of May. This is when you are most likely to see the most numbers and species of birds. Also, as the leaves come out it makes it more of a challenge to view the warblers. The key to spectacular bird watching is weather! When low pressure cells build up in Arkansas, and we have good southwest winds with a sharp increase in temperature as a front moves in, one is most likely to witness the heaviest migration. International Migratory Bird Day is celebrated the Saturday before Mother’s Day each year and attracts thousands of birders to Magee each year. The visitors, which include birders and many photographers, come from all across America and even foreign countries to experience the magic of spring migration. There ar four trails that are open to the public at Magee Marsh. There is also the Sportsmen’s Migratory Bird Center where you can pick up a bird checklist, get a map, purchase a field guide, or find out what birds have been seen. A habitat display area features many of the birds that you are likely to see while at Magee Marsh. The Bird Center is open year round Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. From March through November, the Bird Center is also open on weekends from 11 to 5, with extended hours on Saturdays in April and May. The Wildlife Area is open during daylight hours. Near the Bird Center are two trails that visitors can explore. The Magee Marsh Walking Trail has two half mile loops that begin and end at a 42 foot observation tower. New in 2003 was a connecting trail between Magee Marsh and adjacent Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. The Magee Marsh Beach trail is about a half mile stretch of beach that is open for wildlife viewing only-no swimming please. Although all of the trails offer the chance to see the birds, it is the Magee Marsh Bird Trail, or Boardwalk, that is the most popular. Although it is only seven acres, the Boardwalk can literally be “raining warblers” if the conditions are right!
Spring Songbird Migration (This information is a general listing of when bird species will be present at Magee Marsh during spring migration.) Early Migrants (overflight species) Generally last week of April to first part of May
Dominant:	yellow-rumped warbler (male) white-throated sparrow (male)	hermit thrush ruby-crowned kinglet (male)

Subdominants:	song sparrow Nashville warbler (male) western palm warbler	swamp sparrow black and white warbler black-throated green warbler

Overflight species:	worm-eating warbler hooded warbler Louisiana waterthrush	Kentucky warbler yellow-throated warbler prairie warbler


Mid-Migrants (high species variation) Generally 1st two weeks of May
Dominants:	yellow-rumped warbler (female) Swainson's thrush ruby-crowned kinglet (female)	magnolia warbler (male) white-throated sparrow (female) blue jay

Subdominants:	Lincoln sparrow chestnut-sided warbler Tennessee warbler common yellowthroat	veery Nashville warbler (female) black and white warbler yellow warbler

Others:	orioles, tanagers, grosbeaks


Late Migrants (high numbers migrating) Generally last week of May
Dominants:	magnolia warbler (female) indigo bunting cedar waxwing	American redstart Empidonax flycatchers red-eyed vireo

Subdominants:	Wilson's warbler mourning warbler warbling vireo	Canada warbler bay-breasted warbler ruby-throated hummingbird
Fall Migration
Fall migration does not give us the brightly colored hues that adorned many of our feathered friends in the spring, but it does give us more time to enjoy their passage to theeir southern wintering grounds. Fall migrations are much more drawn out and some sort of migration can be seen from as early as July to as late as early January. By knowing the general sequence of migration and the favorable weather conditions, we can enjoy the many sights and sounds of these fall flights.

Weather Watch - Look for Northerly winds and Canadian cold fronts. These cold air masses bring lower temperatures, winds coming in the direction of the migrating birds, and usually clear skies.

August	Waterfowl - Mallards migrate to marshes to molt. Blue-winged teal arrive

	Shorebirds - Migration continues (peaks late August - early September) Yellowlegs, pectoral and semi-palmated sandpipers, and semi_almated plovers

	Passerines - Flycatchers, yellow and prothonotary warblers head south. Bobolinks staging and blackbirds begin roosting in the marshes. Martins and swallow migration peaks

September	Waterfowl - Blue-winged teal migration peaks. Green-winged teal arrive.

	Waterbirds - Rails peak early in the month. Great egrets communally roost in the marshes, and gull and tern migration peaks.

	Raptors - Bald eagle staging at its peak in the marshes. Other raptors peak, but are sporadic in this area.

	Passerines - Migration is in full force with a large variety of warblers, vireos and thrushes. White-throated sparrows come in the end of the month.

October	Waterfowl - Dabbling ducks arrive, including pintail, wigeon and shoveler. Diving ducks begin mid-month. Tundra swans can be seen beginning in late October. Also kep an eye out for Trumpeter swans, which were re-introduced at Magee Marsh in 1996. They can be sighted throughout the year and have green neck collars.


	Shorebirds - Migration is winding down with dunlin and the American woodcock.

	Passerines - The dominants are white-throated sparrows, kinlets, thrushes and myrtle warblers.

November	Waterfowl - Diving ducks peak with scaup, redhead and canvasback being the most predominate species. Dabbling ducks include mallards, American black ducks, and gadwall. Northern Canada geese move into the area


	Waterbirds - Herons and egrets pull out of the area and loons migrate through.

	Raptors - Wintering hawks begin coming into the area (Nothern harrier and some rough-legged hawks).

December	Waterfowl - Red-breasted mergansers, goldeneyes, mallards and American black ducks. Canada geese arrive from the north.



Spring songbird migration information for Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and information in part about fall migration was developed by research conducted by Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Oak Harbor, Ohio.
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