Lesser Florican - August 2023

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Wednesday 17 May 2017

Ohio & Michigan  17/5/17

Our last fall day of the trip and it started off as it did yesterday. The isolated location at Maumee Bay was again very productive, and although Warbler activity was less today, a much deserved Black-billed Cuckoo was found, and was later seen with a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the same tree. 
We briefly stopped at the main reserve on the way back and took a quick look at the Eastern Screech Owls but they hadn't changed their position.

The entire day was then spent at Magee Marsh where another decent fall of birds had occurred, though today it was mainly American Redstarts, Magnolia Warblers and Empidonax Flycatchers, which all things considering was a nice chance from Nashville and Yellow Warblers. Also what was noted today were plenty of female Warblers moving through.

We met Dick Filby along the estuary trail who had seen a Connecticut Warbler and so we spent a bit of time searching for this, however we were soon drawn back towards the boardwalk of Magee for some awesome (catching onto the American language) views of Magnolia Warblers.

A fitting last fall day with plenty of migrant activity and a couple of lifers, though tomorrow we still have ten hours of birding before driving back to Chicago so who knows what we'll see.

Highlights from Maumee are:

Common Yellowthroat - 5
American Redstart - 10
Blackpoll Warbler - 2
Bay-breasted Warbler - 3
Magnolia Warbler - 12
Least Flycatcher - 1
Northern Parula - 1
Tennessee Warbler - 1
Willow Flycatcher - 2
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO - 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1
Nashville Warbler - 1

Magee Marsh

Swainson's Thrush - 15
American Redstart - 25
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
Blackburnian Warbler - 8
Magnolia Warbler - 15
Mourning Warbler - 1
Canada Warbler - 2
Prothonotary Warbler - 2
Philadelphia Vireo - 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1
Northern Harrier - 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 1
ALDER FLYCATCHER - 2

 Black-billed Cuckoo at Maumee
 Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Maumee
 Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Magee
 Black-throated Blue Warbler
 American Redstart - by far the commonest Warbler today, with females also outnumbering males
 Blackburnian Warbler
 Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher