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 September 27, 2018

The Biggest Week In Birding: Maumee Bay, OH

One of the most extraordinary events in the world of birding occurs on the shores of Lake Erie in early spring. Each year, thousands of colorful warblers converge to feed and rest here as they prepare for an arduous journey to their nesting grounds in Canada.

A trip to Magee Marsh in northern Ohio on Lake Erie is on the bucket list of most birders. Over the years, we’ve occasionally said to one another, “That would be a really fun thing to do someday.” Someday arrived for us in early May.

Ohio was a lovely surprise. As we made our way north from Louisville, we traveled through a peaceful landscape of rolling green hills and bucolic farms.

Cincinnati: Crossing Paths With Family

On our way to the birding festivities, we stopped in Cincinnati for a couple of nights to meet up with Eric’s sister and brother-in-law, who had flown in from San Diego to embark on a Bourbon Cruise. It was a quick visit on a rainy day, but we managed to squeeze in an excursion to the colorful American Sign Museum, had lunch at the excellent Maplewood Kitchen, and enjoyed catching up with each other.

Winton Woods County Park, Cincinnati, Ohio

Lunch with Penny & Tom
Lunch with Penny & Tom
Main Street in the American Sign Museum
Main Street in the American Sign Museum
American Sign Museum
American Sign Museum

Should you find yourself in Cincinnati, Winton Woods County Campground is beautiful, with several miles of hiking trails. I’m sure there’s a lot more to explore in Cincinnati, but after our Savannah-Charleston-Asheville-Nashville-Louisville extravaganza, we were ready for some non-city time, and Winton Woods was a good place to regroup.

Campsite Winton Woods County Park

Meeting Up With Our Ohio Birding Buddies

We continued north to meet up with our friends Ed and Diana, fellow bird enthusiasts we met on the trails at Dauphin Island, Alabama a couple of years ago. We shared several days of birding adventures, happy hours, and dinners back in 2016, and they spontaneously decided to caravan with us to New Orleans for the French Quarter Festival for a few days on their way home to Ohio.

Ed and Diana have been to Magee Marsh many times, and seeing their photos and hearing their stories was a big impetus in getting us to Ohio. Plus, we wanted to have the chance to hang out with them again. We spent two nights at their beautiful home north of Columbus and then headed out together for five days at Magee Marsh.

Delicious dinner with Ed & Diana; grilled pork with cherry salsa, sweet corn, and grilled asparagus

Their beautiful kitty Eze
Their beautiful kitty Eze
An Ohio covered bridge
An Ohio covered bridge
Mail Pouch barn sign
Mail Pouch barn sign
An Amish horse and buggy
An Amish horse and buggy

The Biggest Week In American Birding: Magee Marsh

Birding at Magee Marsh is everything we imagined and more. What makes this place so remarkable is not only the vast numbers of birds that pass through, but they’re easy to see and fairly easy to photograph. Warblers are small birds, and most of the time, they’re perched on high branches. There’s a malady called “warbler’s neck” caused by craning one’s neck for hours at a time trying to locate a little bird that you can hear but not see. Speaking from experience, it’s a real thing, and it’s painful.

Magee Marsh birding trail

On the Magee Marsh boardwalk
On the Magee Marsh boardwalk
Many Amish are avid birders
Many Amish are avid birders

This Is The Place To See Warblers!

At Magee Marsh, there’s a lot of shrubbery at eye level where the birds tend to hang out. It’s fantastic. Not only that, but the shrubs and trees haven’t yet fully leafed out when the warblers are passing through, offering a relatively unobstructed view. Many avid birders learn to “bird by ear,” which means they recognize birds by their songs, chirps, and tweets. That’s a fine skill to have (and a difficult one to master), but given the choice, I like to see my birds.

Click on any photo for a larger image

Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
American Redstart
American Redstart
Black-and-White Warbler
Black-and-White Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Cape May Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

If you’re interested in meeting up with fellow birders and participating in field trips, there’s a well-organized festival at Magee Marsh called “The Biggest Week In American Birding” that takes place the first half of May. Because we had our own personal guides (Ed and Eric) we opted to do our own thing. There are many places to bird nearby, and we had a great time exploring, photographing, adding a dozen new birds to our life list, and hanging out with our good friends. We’re already planning a return visit.

Eastern Screech Owl male, rufous morph
Eastern Screech Owl male, rufous morph
Eastern Screech Owl female, gray morph
Eastern Screech Owl female, gray morph
Tree Swallow
Tree Swallow
Eared Grebe
Eared Grebe
Trumpeter Swan
Trumpeter Swan
Black-bellied Plover
Black-bellied Plover

A Visit To The Toledo Museum Of Art

Toledo, about 20 miles from Maumee Bay, is a city that has obviously had a rough time. It’s easy to imagine a once thriving downtown. Hit hard by economic downturns, the streets are now lined with empty buildings and vacant store windows.

But there’s the Toledo Museum of Art, with an exquisitely curated collection. It’s considered one of the top museums in the country, for good reason. Founded by Toledo glassmaker Edward Drummond Libbey in 1901, it’s one of the finest art museums we’ve visited in our travels. And it’s free.

Toledo Museum of Art
Toledo Museum of Art
Exhibit of Alexander Wilson's bird drawings
Exhibit of Alexander Wilson’s bird drawings
Fabulous collection of art
Fabulous collection of art
In the Modern Wing
In the Modern Wing
More modern art
More modern art
In the Glass Pavilion
In the Glass Pavilion

About The Campground

Maumee Bay State Park is beautiful. The sites are electric only (which is weird—someplace like the desert southwest, where water is at a premium, makes sense. Ohio, where there’s more than enough water, makes no sense at all).

Fortunately, there are nice bathhouses and plenty of faucets for filling water tanks. Verizon is good, and there are many beautiful trails for biking and hiking. The campground is enormous and all of the sites are roomy, but the cul-de-sac sites are the nicest of all.

Maumee Bay State Park

Up Next: Indiana Dunes National Park & Big City Fun In Chicago

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Categories : Ohio, Travel
Tags : American Sign Museum, Biggest Week In Birding, Magee Marsh, Maumee Bay State Park, Toledo Museum of Art, Warbler festival
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Comments

  1. Sue says:
    September 27, 2018 at 12:09 pm

    Oh, the birds!!!!!! And not so very far from our cottage! We’ll make a try for it in the spring on our way home. Any other thoughts on camping in the area, with full hookups or even just water and electric for us sissies? Great pictures when you see them full sized, thanks.

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 27, 2018 at 8:12 pm

      Sue, you and Dave would love the birds at Magee Marsh, and as you said, it’s right on your way home! Unfortunately, I didn’t pay attention to other places to stay. We loved Maumee Bay SP. I think you would like it there, even without water hookups. There’s a wonderful boardwalk in the park—that’s where we saw the owls. :-)

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  2. Bob Harris says:
    September 27, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    Beautiful birds and such a wonderful trip you’re on…

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 27, 2018 at 8:15 pm

      Thanks, Bob. It is a wonderful trip, and we love seeing the birds!

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  3. Pamela Wright says:
    September 27, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    You know me and the birding…haha! But…you found so many cute colorful birds which I do enjoy seeing. The screech owls are so adorable especially the female peaking out. What a great find:) The Trumpeter Swan is so pretty. So nice that you were able to see family along the way.

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 27, 2018 at 8:17 pm

      Pam, I know you love the colorful birds even if you don’t care about the rest! There were lots of bright colored little beauties during spring migration when they’re all dressed in their finest feathers. We had fun seeing family along the way and meeting up with friends for our birding adventures.

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  4. Metamorphosis Lisa says:
    September 27, 2018 at 4:26 pm

    What a fantastic variety of birds…and about eye level to boot!

    Looks like a fantastic time in an area I’ve never visited. I guess that’s one of the positives about moving across country each year–the incredible variety of places you get to pass through! Looks like you had some beautiful sites to stay in as well.

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 27, 2018 at 8:23 pm

      Lisa, you are absolutely right. We’ve often remarked that our need to travel cross-country every year (twice! back and forth!) gets us to places that we otherwise wouldn’t experience. So we’re grateful for that. And grateful that we can move at a reasonably slow pace so that we can enjoy it all along the way.
      The birding in Ohio was fabulous! We’re happy we could be there when the warblers were migrating. And the Ohio parks are beautiful.

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  5. Ingrid says:
    September 27, 2018 at 4:41 pm

    Always a joy to return to nature after time exploring a city(s). This sounds like the perfect nature experience after your city time, and sharing it with friends makes it even more enjoyable.

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 27, 2018 at 8:26 pm

      Ingrid, we really enjoy our city experiences—and we’re always happy to return to nature. We feel fortunate to have met up with so many kindred spirits in our travels and to be able to share adventures.

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  6. Debbie says:
    September 27, 2018 at 4:48 pm

    You got some great photos. It helps having your own personal guides.

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 27, 2018 at 8:27 pm

      Thanks, Debbie. We had the best guides! :-))

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  7. Pam says:
    September 27, 2018 at 5:57 pm

    Amazing!

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 27, 2018 at 8:27 pm

      Good to hear from you, Pam. Are you traveling?

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  8. Laura says:
    September 27, 2018 at 9:37 pm

    I love all of your bird photos, but your featured image is a WOW!!! What a fantastic picture! Also, we are in Bandon at the moment, closely following the “Laurel and Eric guide to Bandon,” and OMG… love it!! The cheese, the chocolate, the cliff side hikes, the Chuck’s smoked teriyaki tuna!!!!! Oh yeah we did! So awesome! Thank you!

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 28, 2018 at 8:31 pm

      Thanks so much Laura—I was delighted to get up-close photos of the warblers, and that Yellow Warbler was REALLY close.
      I’m so glad you’re enjoying Bandon. We’ve spent many happy times there—it’s not too far from our hometown of Ashland. Isn’t Chuck’s smoked teriyaki tuna the best?!! You’re welcome! You are so appreciative, I’m happy to share our favorite things with you. :-)

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  9. Jodee Gravel says:
    September 28, 2018 at 7:52 am

    Oh what a treat to see all those little beauties! The pic of all the photographers is hysterical. I can only imagine how the birds tell that story :-)) Personal guides are always the best – both for the information and the good times shared. Nice to catch family along the road too.

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 28, 2018 at 8:35 pm

      Haha, that’s a hilarious thought, Jodee! I never considered how the birdies might view all of the photographers and those gigantic lenses. It’s quite a spectacle—fortunately, people are respectful and well-behaved.

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  10. Sherry says:
    September 28, 2018 at 5:47 pm

    Having lived in Ohio for my first 18 years, I cannot imagine that park in Cincinnati. Is it on the Ohio River? LOVE the picture of you two under the Magee Marsh sign – envy envy envy. The bird photos are beyond words. So many, so colorful, so clear. I’m eating my heart out. Even owls and water fowl. WOW!! No water at Maumee probably because they don’t want to have to deal with so many pipes in winter. I’ve heard really nice things about the park. Your pictures show them to be true. Wonder what time of year might be good to check out more of Ohio’s State Park. They have a Passport America discount thing I’ve heard. So thrilled to see this post. THANK YOU!!

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 28, 2018 at 8:50 pm

      Sherry, I thought about you when we were at Magee Marsh, knowing how much you would love it. It’s remarkable to be so close to the warblers. Thanks for your nice comments about our photos. :-)
      Maumee Bay is a beautiful state park, and I totally forgot that they offer a 50% discount from Sunday through Wednesday with Passport America. It’s a great deal! And it was really okay to not have water hookups because the showers are so nice. I think you’re right, that they don’t want to have to deal with freezing pipes in winter.

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  11. John Little says:
    September 29, 2018 at 7:22 am

    You Guys Are “Living The Dream”!

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 29, 2018 at 9:47 am

      We’re having a great time, John, but it would be even better if you and Judy joined us for some adventures. It’s been too long since we traveled together! See you soon in Ashland! :-)

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  12. Henry says:
    September 29, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    Well I guess if anything is going to ever get us to Ohio, great birding would be it.
    Some day…………….
    Love the photos, especially that one at the very top. WOW!
    I think I spotted a rare sighting in one of the pics………Amish birders?

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 30, 2018 at 4:50 pm

      Henry, thanks for your nice comment about our photos—you and Loretta can get close-up photos, too, if you make the trip to Ohio! Seriously, you would love Magee Marsh in the spring. And yes, you’re right—those are Amish birders. Birding is apparently a popular hobby among the Amish.

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  13. MonaLiza says:
    September 29, 2018 at 8:35 pm

    I am definitely jealous! Wow, I wished I were with you on this birding extravaganza! Since I dont think we will ever be that way again, thank you so much for sharing this little colorful birds. Love all the great photos , especially the featured image, its an OMG!
    I was actually waiting for this post :)

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 30, 2018 at 5:03 pm

      Thanks, MonaLiza. I thought about you when we were at Magee Marsh, and I was wishing you were with us! You’re our birding buddy. :-)) You would love so much to be up close with the birds with so many opportunities for photography. We’re going to go back, maybe you should plan to meet us there! It’s worth the trip.

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  14. LuAnn says:
    September 30, 2018 at 8:44 am

    You hit the birding jackpot at Magee Marsh. Your photos are amazing! Our next visit to family may have to be in the spring. Thanks for showing us a piece of Ohio that neither of us knew about.

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      September 30, 2018 at 5:05 pm

      We did hit the birding jackpot, LuAnn—especially the warbler jackpot. Magee Marsh is known for warblers in spring migration, and we’ve wanted to go there for years. We’re so happy we finally made the trip! Ohio is far more beautiful than either of us realized. Glad you enjoyed the photos. :-)

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  15. Marsha Weaver says:
    October 1, 2018 at 4:46 pm

    We all went ice fishing in Maumee Bay. We caught nothing. Really pretty area in the fall though.
    Magee Marsh looks so awesome. You photos are gorgeous. What a treat to see so many different birds in one area. We may have to take a trip up that way.
    I love the campgrounds. Looks so lovely.

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    • Laurel (AKA chickadee) says:
      October 3, 2018 at 2:31 pm

      Marsha, I never thought about ice fishing in Ohio! That sounds cold but fun. I’ll bet it’s beautiful in the fall with the leaves changing color. I think you would love it in the spring, too. It’s probably not too far from your home! :-)

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