What is the big week of birding?
The Biggest Week in Birding is an internationally famous 10-day festival held in Northwest Ohio. This area is called “The Warbler Capital of the World,” since it is one of the best places in North America to view migrating songbirds
What is a warbler (Merriam Webster)
A warbler is a small, active songbird known for its melodic singing, typically found in trees or shrubs. They are insect-eaters, and often sing complex, high-pitched songs
- Big Week by the numbers
- Second week in May
- 90,000 birders flock to the area for the big week
- 325 species visit the region
- Birders can see up to 120 species in a day
- Over the years visitors came from all 50 states, 6 continents and over 50 countries.
The birds stop in NW Ohio to rest and eat before flying over Lake Erie. Bad weather means good birding. Birds arrive every day and they will not leave until they have good flying weather.
Every year there is a bird you see more than any others. Geese and Redwing Blackbirds do not count. Our first year it was the American Redstart, they were everywhere. This is still one of my favorites.
We booked a campsite at Maumee Bay Start Park. This is a great campground with large private sites and well maintained facilities. Everyone is very friendly.
We set up camp, went for a walk and than had popcorn by the fire with our friends.
A rabbit crashed the bird festivsl.
The next morning as I was drinking my coffee I kept hearing this noise on the outside the van. I could not figure out what it was until I took the privacy screens off the side window. There is no way I would have guessed this:
The Yellow Warbler visited every morning and then again at dinner time. At first he just attacked the driver side but then added the passenger side to his agenda. He made a mess on the mirror and side window.
MAGEE MARSH WILDLIFE AREA
I always take more pictures of plants than birds, plants don’t move.
You can always tell when there is a good bird, this is a Warbler jam. Someone is always pointing.
- Birds I liked:
- Northern Parula
- Blackburnian Warbler
- Palm Warbler
- Cape May Warbler
- Saw Whet Owl, this was a first for the Whytes.
- Black and White Warbler
- Prothonotary Warbler
- Whiporwill
- Bay Breasted Warbler
- Northern Water Thrush
- Mourning Warbler
- Black Throated Green Warbler
- Chestnut Sided Warbler
- Yellow Rump Warbler
- Baltimore Oriole
- Scarlet Tanager
- Black Throated Blue Warbler
OTTAWA NATIONAL WLIDLFE REFUGE
- Birds I liked:
- Great horned owl
- Purple Martin
Leann was very worried about the geese. Mom, Dad and babies would feed along the road and then decide to cross causing a traffic jam. If you got too close the male would hiss at you.
HOWARD MARSH METRO PARK WEST & EAST
- Birds I liked:
- Caspian Tern
- Pied Billed Grebe
- Gadwall
- Yellow headed black bird
MAUMEE BAY STATE PARK BOARDWALK
Leann and the Castors in the eagles nest
This would be an awesome puzzle.
This Snapping Turtle was in an aquarium at the visitor center. What is he/she thinking?
- Birds I liked:
- Tennessee warbler
- Virginia Rail
JOHN T KENNEDY PARK
We heard there was a Dickcissel sited at this park. This would be a new bird for Leann so off we went. Leann and Anita on the hunt.
We visited 3 times looking for a for a Dickcissel and struck out each time.
- Birds I liked:
- Horned lark
- Osprey
MAGEE MARSH VISITOR CENTER
Anita got an alert that a Kirtland’s Warbler was spotted at the Magee visitor center. This is the rarest Warbler. Here is our first effort to see one of these elusive birds.
We headed that way but it was chaos, people were parking everywhere and police were called to limit car damage to the vegetation. Birders are crazy. The Kirtland’s cooperated and everyone got a good view of it.
“Warbler Neck” is a common injury experienced by birders, particularly during spring migration. It is characterized by pain, stiffness, or numbness in the neck and shoulders. It is caused caused by holding the head at a 90-degree angle for extended periods while looking up with binoculars.
- Birds I liked:
- Kirtland warbler
Drum roll for this year’s BIG WEEK OF BIRDING award winners:
FIRST CATEGORY: MOST COMMON SPECIES
And the winner is Yellow Rump Warbler, they were everywhere.
SECOND CATEGORY: BIRD THAT CAUSED THE MOST EXCITEMENT.
This was close but coming in second was the Saw Whet Owl.
And the winner is Kirtland’s Warbler! It was a rock star.
I can’t wait until next year.
HAPPY BIRDING, STEVE