All across North America, birders will be celebrating International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) this Saturday. This year the event was so big it has been expanded to 10 days, known as “The Biggest Week in American Birding”. The theme this year is “The Power of Partnership”. This week the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Magee Marsh and Ottawa National Wildlife Refugee will be hosting mostly free events centered around birds, particularly the warblers.
In early May northwest Ohio has one of the best birding spots in North America. Over 150 migrating birds rest on the marshland and woodlands of the southern shore of Lake Erie before crossing into Canada. During their migration, they may fly 1000 miles at a time, so when they stop they need to rest and refuel. Many species will stay for days at a time, fattening up for the next leg of their migration. Swarms of slow flying midges—non-biting mosquitoes that breed abundantly in the marshes along Lake Erie—make a high protein food source for these birds. An overabundance of adult midges fill the edges and undergrowth of woods and supply food for the migrating birds. The concentration of woodlots focused near the lake make this habitat critical for migrating birds.
Magee Marsh is known as one of the top ten bird watching sites in the country and the “Warbler Capital of the World.” Insect-eating warblers are not birds that will visit bird feeders, however dozens of the warbler species can be spotted at Magee Marsh during this week. Warblers are small, brightly colored songbirds with fine pointed bills. Thousands of birders visit Magee Marsh to spot these beautiful birds.
IMBD activities are dedicated toward conservation of all migratory birds including songbirds, shorebirds, raptors and waterfowl. Activities include bird walks, bird counts, talks and presentations, workshops on bird ID, photography and natural history. Admission is free, parking is free, and most events are free. Birding guru and author Kenn Kaufman will be presenting evening talks over nine nights of the festival.
IMBD is an international educational program that explores birds and their conservation. IMBD is the signature program of Environment for the Americas (EFTA). EFTA provides information and materials that inspire people of all ages to get outdoors, learn about birds and the importance of conservation. Public awareness and concern are important components of migratory bird conservation. Enthusiastic citizens who are informed about threats to migratory birds can make a tremendous contribution to maintaining healthy bird populations.
For more on local events, go to http://www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com/schedule.htm.
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