Festival talley includes 36 of 38 possible warblers. The two missing Canada and
Conn.(?)
appear later in month. I have met some birders who are here all month. Magree
Marsh is free and open every day during daylight hours.
A few of our favorites have been Cape May and Magnolia W., Balti Oriole with
many all along the boardwalk and especially the parking lot. Gray Night Hawk,
Screech Owl, many other W, esp black throat green, videos, bald eagles, Gosling
Canada Geese, many GE in the area, almost more than we see in Florida, Woodcock
great view, lots of Oven birds, many Lincoln Sparrows, usually within same area
as Oven birds, Green Heron, one Sora at 6 to 8 ft.....and more. A yellow head
blackbird and 2 other rare birds were at nearby Ottowa preserve , but we did
not see. We saw the Kirkland Warbler our first day after only one hour here,
but it was gone by the next morning.
Optics tent people were great for new gear and advice.
Found out another copy of the J.J. Audubon Elephant Folio is in the Cleveland
Museum of History.
Suggest on your trip stay several days allowing for wx days. Prepare for 42 deg
to 75 deg and the wind chill off the cold Lake Erie, and have rain gear. Some
birders wore gloves in the early morning.....Many motels in Port Clinton.
You have never seen so much camera gear.
Greg Miller was here. Next year we will register for the festival, only
$25/person/ 10 days(?). As great speakers w/small additional charge, ($15), and
includes small evening meal.
There are many led trips but Magee Marsh on your own, free, is by far the main
event. I did a rough count of vehicles at Magee Marsh this morning-360
vehicles, the main lots were almost full, but the overflow lot close to one of
two active Bald Eagle nests was empty and it is very close to one end of the
boardwalk where the Sora was located. There are no official led trips on the
Magee Marsh boardwalk. Some of the birds above do cause birder jams on the
boardwalk, but that did not bother me at all.
Largest yearly bird festival in world and the birds, esp. Warblers are, guess
what, the reason why as low to the ground and close for easy observation and
photography!
We had a few warblers as close as 5 ft, and many 10 to 20 ft. and at eye level.
Preston Forsythe, Browder, KY
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