If you love warblers, this Bucket is for you. A warbler was my spark bird, and the reason I ventured from homebase in the Detroit suburbs to Ohio. I had been to Magee Marsh Wildlife Area a few times over the years during warbler migration. But thanks to retirement and enthusiastic birding pals, I made the trip on six separate days this spring.
Magee Marsh Part 1 fills in the background, including the history of this wetland refuge in northern Ohio along Lake Erie, and focuses on plants and non-bird wildlife. I promised a bird follow up Bucket. The problem was figuring out which birds. There are so many, from the waterfowl on the road in, to the heard but rarely seen Sorahs and Rails, to the nesting Bald Eagles in the parking lot. I decided I had to go back to my first love, so it had to be warblers.
Warblers are tiny and flitty. As colorful as they are, many blend in well with their habitat. Spotting them can be challenging. To show how small they are, here’s a comparison photo from my backyard bird fountain.
Magee Marsh makes it easy, especially along the boardwalk. Warblers are busy fueling up for the next leg of their migration, and are often out in the open at eye level. Birding Magee Marsh warns:
On really good days the birds will actually walk on the boardwalk looking for tiny morsels . . . . So please be careful not to step on any warblers!
Other warblers stay true to their secretive ways and are difficult to spot much less photograph.
Throughout peak migration in mid-May, Magee Marsh can get crowded, especially the boardwalk. But it’s rare that other birders aren’t eager to share what they have spotted. One day a man came walking down the boardwalk announcing that he saw a rare Kirtland’s Warbler on the beach and it was “showing nicely.” There wasn’t a mad rush, but the beach was well attended that day, including by me.
I have many warbler photos to share and decided to group them by habitat, from ground probers to canopy gleaners. I’ve been using The Warbler Guide by Tom Stephenson and Scott Whittle. The habitat classifications and facts come from this very useful and easy to use book. There’s also an app, but I’ve been using Merlin. I’d be interested to hear from anyone using the Warbler Guide app.
First are the ground residents. They are very difficult to spot and word travels fast up and down the boardwalk if someone has spotted one. (One thing I’ve learned at Magee is that there is a special talent for describing the position of a bird in dense cover.)
Northern Waterthrush
Ovenbird
Mourning Warbler
Moving up in habitat, I have only one to share that hunts on tree trunks and lower branches.
Black and White Warbler
Proceeding up in habitat, the next group of warblers prefers the understory — bushes and the lower part of trees.
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Palm Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Other warblers in the understory include the Golden-winged, Hooded, Kirtland’s and Orange-crowned. Maybe next year.
Well, I still have 12 more Magee Marsh Warblers to share, and this Bucket is already long winded. So I’ve decided to leave warblers of the mid-story and canopy for Part 3.
Now it’s your turn. What’s up in nature in your part of the world?
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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