**Metzger Marsh Morning Flight Count Update – May 16, 2026**
It was a very interesting day at the morning flight count! Despite a huge arrival of birds in the region and seemingly ideal wind conditions in the morning, we did not observe a big flight of songbirds like we expected today. Whether the wind conditions weren’t quite right or something else was at play, there were actually slightly fewer birds than yesterday flying by today! Nevertheless, we still did see some excellent birds with a few exciting highlights!
The morning started off with a flurry of rare birds, delighting the crowds of visitors that were lucky enough to be there at the right times! A Blue Grosbeak flew over shortly after dawn and briefly perched along the dike offering excellent looks, followed shortly after by a Yellow-throated Warbler passing low overhead. A short while later, an adult Little Blue Heron appeared over the marsh and gave great looks as it slowly moved to the east!
Beyond these highlights, the remainder of the count was generally a muted version of yesterday’s flight. Blue Jays (1,780) and Cedar Waxwings (597) moved in slightly reduced numbers from yesterday, as did other songbirds. Yellow Warblers (22) were the most abundant warbler again, and Baltimore Orioles (29) put in a moderate showing. Indigo Buntings (62) did make another good push.
There were some shorebirds on the move throughout the day, highlighted by a great look at some Short-billed Dowitchers (4) arriving in off the lake and plenty of Sanderlings (20) moving through in the earlier hours. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (18) also made another strong movement.
In total, we recorded 64 species and 3,249 individual birds in active migration today.
Tomorrow’s forecast calls for weaker winds from the south, which should again have potential for a great flight – but we’ll have to get out there and see exactly what happens before we can be sure! You can keep up with the count live from the field at /count/view/3929/ or better yet, come on out to the outer dike at Metzger Marsh and see for yourself what’s happening.
Photo: Baltimore Oriole
Daily Update: Navarre Marsh Banding Station
Date: May 16, 2026
Pictured: Blackburnian Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Great Crested Flycatcher, and Philadelphia Vireo
- Number of Birds Banded: 522
- Number of Recaptures: 15
- Number of Species Banded: 44 (+2 recap only)
- Top Five Species Banded: Magnolia Warbler 161, Gray Catbird 47 (+2 recap), Traill's Flycatcher 34, American Redstart 34, and Tennessee Warbler 25.
- Total Number of Species on Point Count: 41
- Total Number of Species Recorded: 88
- Total Number of Warbler Species Recorded: 24 (30 + 1 hybrid for spring)
- Total Number of Hours Station Operated: 5.00
Notes: Another peak night of migration as we enter the typical timeframe when a majority of warblers pass through the region. The morning was cut short as threatening storms loomed to the west (which would turn out to be a few sprinkles), so who knows how big of a day it could have been. Exemplifying the incredible turnover last night, of our top five species banded, only Gray Catbird had any recaptures from previous days (today's recaps only accounted for 2.8% of the total birds captured).
Going from just 22 banded yesterday, Magnolia Warblers were by far the biggest mover overnight, making up 30.8% of todays banded birds. American Redstart and Tennessee Warbler also made a good push, as well as (but to a lower degree) Canada, Wilson's, Bay-breasted, and Mourning Warbler.
While maggies were the only species to hit triple digits, 12 species made it to double digits, 7 of which were warbler species.
And...flycatchers started making a sizeable push into the region, particularly Traill's Flycatcher (the combined name for Willow and Alder), leading to our first captures of Great Crested and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher for the season.
With warm, south winds leading into tomorrow morning, we're expecting another stellar night of migration!
Follow along with the numbers throughout the season on BSBO's website: /migration-tracking.html
All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.
#BSBOResearch
**Metzger Marsh Morning Flight Count Update – May 15, 2026**
Today marked the arrival of the long-awaited stretch of southerly winds in the area, and it was a very promising start to the next several days! Even though overnight migration wasn’t particularly strong and temperatures remained surprisingly chilly for most of the morning, there were plenty of birds on the move to distract from the conditions!
A huge arrival of Cedar Waxwings (845) was certainly the highlight of the day. Only a few dozen had flown past until today, so it was great to watch some good-sized flocks of these charming birds winging their way overhead through the morning! Also on the move today were Blue Jays (2,770), which continue to travel through the region in good numbers.
Other songbirds were constantly present today, making for an exciting morning flight! Baltimore Orioles (87) streamed over nonstop, as did Indigo Buntings (30) and Yellow Warblers (46). Tennessee Warblers (19) were also particularly abundant today, and we finally recorded the first Chestnut-sided Warbler (1) of the season.
There weren’t too many shorebirds and swallows on the move today, and hardly any raptors except for two slightly late Northern Harriers (2) moving west and a Merlin (1) flying over headed east.
In total, we recorded 53 species and 4,530 individual birds in active migration today.
Tomorrow’s forecast calls for stronger winds from the south and warmer temperatures, which could make things exciting at the count! There is the possibility of some rain at some point during the morning, but we will hope that it remains light and/or nonexistent. You can keep up with the count live from the field at /count/view/3929/ or better yet, come on out to the outer dike at Metzger Marsh and see for yourself what’s happening. As a reminder, the count site is located just east of the main lakefront parking lot at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, along the raised dike that borders Lake Erie.
Photo: Black Tern
Daily Update: Navarre Marsh Banding Station
Date: May 15, 2026
Pictured: Blackburnian Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and Green Heron
- Number of Birds Banded: 163
- Number of Recaptures: 60
- Number of Species Banded: 37 (+6 recap only)
- Top Five Species Banded: Gray Catbird 24 (+10 recap), Magnolia Warbler 22 (+6 recap), Yellow Warbler 20 (+7 recap), Ruby-throated Hummingbird 11, and Tennessee Warbler 10 (+2 recap).
- Total Number of Species on Point Count: 40
- Total Number of Species Recorded: 71
- Total Number of Warbler Species Recorded: 21 (30 + 1 hybrid for spring)
- Total Number of Hours Station Operated: 6.00
Notes: We weren't quite sure what today would be like, but an early morning start to what looks to be several days of southwest winds doesn't seem to have happened quite in time to push many new birds into the marsh. As such, a dawn burst of activity quickly slowed down and turned into a quietly steady morning with lots of recaps.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (RTHU), like the other birds, hit hard during our first couple rounds of net checks and then slowed down throughout the day, so we only ended up with half as many as yesterday. Most birds that we're seeing right now are fairly fat, since they're migrating and need all the energy they can get, and RTHU are no exception. It's always fun to see a especially fat bird, and even more so when it's something as tiny as a hummingbird; one particularly chunky female weighed in at 4.8 grams—nearly a full gram heavier than any of the others!
And while this season's weather has come with some ups and downs, one of the benefits that's come with having such a wet spring is that we caught our second Green Heron today! With only 11 banded throughout the station's history, two in one season is a rare treat. (The downsides of a wet spring have been unexpected boardwalk maintenance and extra weed-whacking...)
Follow along with the numbers throughout the season on BSBO's website: /migration-tracking.html
All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.
#BSBOResearch
**Metzger Marsh Morning Flight Count Update – May 14, 2026**
Although winds were strong from the northwest today, the leafed-out woodlot provided lots of shelter and it was a surprisingly pleasant day to count birds on the move! Numbers were relatively low, but diversity was high and there was a pretty steady flow of birds zipping overhead!
The highlight of the day was certainly Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (33) yet again! Singles of these tiny birds zipped by heading west for most of the day, and we reached our highest total yet this season pretty quickly. Songbird movement was sporadic, but there was a nice diversity of warblers on the move, including an uncommon Yellow-throated Warbler. There weren’t as many Indigo Buntings (2) or Baltimore Orioles (13) as yesterday, but we’ll hope to see more of those species this weekend.
There were a few flocks of shorebirds on the move throughout the day, including more Black-bellied Plovers (21) and singles of Short-billed Dowitcher (1) and Ruddy Turnstone (1). Swallows were similarly moving in smaller numbers than yesterday – mostly Barn Swallows (115) and Bank Swallows (75) today with only small numbers of other species.
In total, we recorded 57 species and 648 individual birds in active migration today.
Tomorrow’s forecast calls for winds from the south, which is ideal for migration at our site! It’s unclear as of now if the conditions overnight will be conducive for nocturnal migrants to arrive in the area, but if there is a large overnight flight it should be very busy in the morning! You can keep up with the count live from the field at /count/view/3929/ or better yet, come on out to the outer dike at Metzger Marsh and see for yourself what’s happening. As a reminder, the count site is located just east of the main lakefront parking lot at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, along the raised dike that borders Lake Erie.
Photo: Nashville Warbler
Daily Update: Navarre Marsh Banding Station
Date: May 14, 2026
Pictured: Cape May Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Canada Warbler, and Orchard Oriole
- Number of Birds Banded: 250
- Number of Recaptures: 53
- Number of Species Banded: 38 (+4 recap only)
- Top Five Species Banded: Gray Catbird 42 (+ 11 recap), Ruby-throated Hummingbird 22, American Redstart 21 (+5 recap), Yellow Warbler 19 (+5 recap), and Common Yellowthroat 17 (+5 recap).
- Total Number of Species on Point Count: 45 (not completed)
- Total Number of Species Recorded: 80
- Total Number of Warbler Species Recorded: 23 (30 +1 hybrid for spring)
- Total Number of Hours Station Operated: 6.08
Notes: Not too bad a morning for having northwest winds overnight! As we usually see for northerly winds, our number of recaps jumped up dramatically, from 14 yesterday to 53 today. And while we often expect north winds to blow birds back farther inland, leading us to have a slower morning, that didn't seem to be the case today as plenty of birds were still hanging around the marsh. Even without a major push of migration, we still had a number of season firsts this morning, including Philadelphia Vireo, Hairy Woodpecker, and the pictured female Orchard Oriole.
Records continue to be set for White-throated Sparrow (only 7 new today, but every one of them was a record-breaker as their total continues to climb!) and for Eastern Whip-poor-will (EWPW), the eighth of which was caught this morning. Prior to this year, 32 total EWPW had been caught in spring throughout this station's history, so this season has been ridiculously good for this species.
And, while not quite record-breaking, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (RTHU) were zooming through the station today, landing them a spot in the top five. The one-day record for RTHU was 25 back in the early 2000s, so we were pretty close with 22 today.
Follow along with the numbers throughout the season on BSBO's website: /migration-tracking.html
All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.
#BSBOResearch
**Metzger Marsh Morning Flight Count Update – May 13, 2026**
It was an excellent day for bird migration along the lakeshore, as the passage of the cold front overnight made for an exciting morning! Winds were strong from the west at first, shifting to the northwest by the end of the day as temperatures dropped steadily.
There was a great flight of songbirds moving in various directions in the first few hours of the day. Indigo Buntings (62) and Eastern Kingbirds (52) streamed over constantly heading west, along with plenty of flocks of Bobolinks (62) and American Pipits (128).
Blue Jays (1,777) put on an excellent show in the first couple hours, amassing to a flock of over a thousand birds at one point that finally departed east over the marsh. Warblers were relatively few but offered good diversity, although most flying over were Yellow Warblers (25). There was also an excellent flight of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (25) which really picked up steam towards the end of the day.
We also saw a diverse shorebird flight today, including plenty of Spotted Sandpipers (13), Ruddy Turnstones (12), Dunlin (83), and even a few Short-billed Dowitchers (17).
In total, we recorded 61 species and 3,323 individual birds in active migration today.
Tomorrow’s winds will again be from the north, which isn’t overly favorable for many birds to be flying. There may still be a few birds moving along the lakeshore, and we’ll hope for enough action to stay busy through the morning! You can keep up with the count live from the field at /count/view/3929/ or better yet, come on out to the outer dike at Metzger Marsh and see for yourself what’s happening. As a reminder, the count site is located just east of the main lakefront parking lot at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, along the raised dike that borders Lake Erie.
Photo: Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Daily Update: Navarre Marsh Banding Station
Date: May 13, 2026
Pictured: Mourning Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and American Redstart
- Number of Birds Banded: 455
- Number of Recaptures: 14
- Number of Species Banded: 45 (+2 recap only)
- Top Five Species Banded: Gray Catbird 95 (+2 recap), Magnolia Warbler 48, Yellow Warbler 36 (+3 recap), American Redstart 33, and Swainson's Thrush 32.
- Total Number of Species on Point Count: 45
- Total Number of Species Recorded: 90
- Total Number of Warbler Species Recorded: 24 (30 +1 hybrid for spring)
- Total Number of Hours Station Operated: 6.08
Notes: Well, migration sure happened last night! Poor weather for a few hours after midnight may have lead to a back up and then mass push north, with inflight birds seeking refuge as the sun crested Lake Erie.
Birds were everywhere right around dawn, with the majority of today's captures coming from around that timeframe. Second-wave birds were on the move, with catbirds, thrushes, and warblers filling the vegetation. Nearly 100 Gray Catbirds were banded, bringing their total banded (so far) already close to average.
Twelve species were banded in double-digit numbers, including 7 warbler species. With the influx of birds, we also added 3 new warbler species to our ongoing warbler tally: Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, and Mourning Warbler. Also, it seems like it took a while, but we captured our first Eastern Wood-Pewee for the season.
In the mix of catbirds, thrushes, and warblers, some sparrows sneaked through, including 18 White-throated Sparrows (WTSP). This now puts WTSP at 901 banded for the season - a number we weren't sure they'd reach, but they continue to trickle though! Raising the new high record higher and higher.
Follow along with the numbers throughout the season on BSBO's website: /migration-tracking.html
All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.
#BSBOResearch
**Metzger Marsh Morning Flight Count Update – May 12, 2026**
The skies brightened up as winds swung around towards the south today, and it turned out to be a very enjoyable day to watch migration along the shoreline! Temperatures were cold to start (low 40s) but warmed substantially through the morning. Winds shifted between the east and southeast several times, and migratory activity was notably busier when it was from the southeast.
Chimney Swifts (172) put on a great show in the early morning, streaming over in good-sized flocks for the first several hours of the day. As the swifts slowed, Blue Jays (1,547) began to fly in moderate numbers, putting in a bigger movement than they have in the last couple of days.
Other songbirds were generally slower (even though migration seemed to be fairly busy on radar overnight), with the exception of Baltimore Orioles (36) which came overhead continuously over the course of the count. Orchard Orioles (6) also flew in fairly good numbers, and a few Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (3) were a highlight.
There wasn’t much of a swallow or raptor flight today, and shorebirds were similarly scarce. The first Sanderling (1) of the season did arrive, but otherwise it was a somewhat quieter morning for waterbirds.
In total, we recorded 47 species and 2,186 individual birds in active migration today.
A cold front will pass through the region tonight, bringing with it cold rain showers and a strong northwest wind by the morning, which isn’t likely to produce a large flight of birds (although we’re willing to be surprised!). You can keep up with the count live from the field at /count/view/3929/ or better yet, come on out to the outer dike at Metzger Marsh and see for yourself what’s happening. As a reminder, the count site is located just east of the main lakefront parking lot at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, along the raised dike that borders Lake Erie.
Photo: Chimney Swift
Daily Update: Navarre Marsh Banding Station
Date: May 12, 2026
Pictured: Northern Roughed-winged Swallow, Cape May Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, and Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warbler
- Number of Birds Banded: 99
- Number of Recaptures: 34
- Number of Species Banded: 29 (+6 recap only)
- Top Five Species Banded: Gray Catbird 16 (+7 recap), Common Yellowthroat 12 (+4 recap), Myrtle Warbler 9 (+2 recap), Yellow Warbler 7 (+2 recap), and Ruby-throated Hummingbird 7.
- Total Number of Species on Point Count: 43
- Total Number of Species Recorded: 75
- Total Number of Warbler Species Recorded: 19 (27 +1 hybrid for spring)
- Total Number of Hours Station Operated: 5.75
Notes: Although the wind did make a minor shift overnight, winds from the east didn't do much to persuade significant migration. Banding numbers were a bit lower than yesterday, but speciation was a bit higher, bringing in some firsts, records, and "rarities."
With it being a little slower - and with a good number around - we decided today would be a great day to focus on female birds! They may not be as flashy as their males, but females are outstanding in their own way; featuring nuanced coloring and patterns that merit close inspection.
As mentioned, we had a couple firsts today including Chestnut-sided Warbler - bringing our warbler tally to 27 species (+1 hybrid) this spring. Brown Thrasher (BRTH) number 25 was banded today, matching their all-time high record.
But the "rarest" bird today came at the end with a diminutive Northern Rough-winged Swallow (NRWS) - only the 7th to be banded at the station! Even though we encounter NRWS in the marsh most days, we rarely capture them. Fitting for today's theme, the NRWS also happened to be a female. Being the source of their name, the outer flight feather on NRWS has tiny barbs that make it "rough," a feature that is reduced on female feathers.
Follow along with the numbers throughout the season on BSBO's website: /migration-tracking.html
All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.
#BSBOResearch
The Bird Gala marks the @BiggestWeek in American Birding. Each spring, an estimated 3.5 billion birds representing over 350 species make their journey north, many pausing along the shores of our Great Lakes to rest and refuel before crossing those vast freshwater horizons.
Grateful to Congressman @BobLatta and our colleagues who joined our bipartisan resolution to designate May 8-17, 2026 as National American Birding Week. We celebrate this event and birders from around the world who visit NW Ohio and our Great Lakes region each year to explore.
Read more here:
/local/environment/2026/05/08/little-birdie-told-me-oak-harbor-now-warbler-capital-of-world/stories/20260509069
**Metzger Marsh Morning Flight Count Update – May 11, 2026**
True to our prediction last night, it was another quieter day for counting on the dike at Metzger Marsh. Temperatures were fairly cold, with a stiff northerly breeze off the lake for the entirety of the count period. Activity was fairly slow, but there were enough birds to stay excited through the morning!
There was a brief burst of songbird activity in the early morning with a few Baltimore Orioles (9) and the first Philadelphia Vireo (1) of the season. Some Black-bellied Plovers (2) also flew by, and a flock of Dunlin (12) winged over the marsh later on.
A few Red-headed Woodpeckers (3) also put on a good show launching east over the marsh. There was also a healthy flight of swallows heading west again. Barn Swallows (137) dominated today, but Bank Swallows (34) also put in a good showing.
In total, we recorded 30 species and 503 individual birds in active migration today.
Tomorrow’s forecast calls for a wind shift to the south, which could be exciting for migration! This change is likely happening too late into the night for many nocturnal migrants to arrive, but there should be a good movement of day-flying migrants as the day warms up. You can keep up with the count live from the field at /count/view/3929/ or better yet, come on out to the outer dike at Metzger Marsh and see for yourself what’s happening. As a reminder, the count site is located just east of the main lakefront parking lot at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, along the raised dike that borders Lake Erie.
Photo: Purple Martin
