**Metzger Marsh Morning Flight Count Update – 5/21/2025** The east winds had one more day in store for us today, shutting down migration for much of the morning again. There was an interesting eastbound flight of Common Terns in the first couple of hours, and once the wind died down a few passerines including a Cape May Warbler began to fly over. In the marsh, the continuing local Common Loon and Yellow-headed Blackbird made brief appearances along with some Black-necked Stilts flying around. By the end of the morning the weather was altogether quite pleasant and it was a nice morning to count! In total, we recorded 30 species and 770 individual birds in active migration today. Tomorrow’s conditions are forecast to be a little colder with a wind out of the west, which could mean a bit of a change of pace here at the count. We’re not expecting a large flight with a stiff northerly wind component along with overnight rain continuing into the morning, but we could see a slightly different set of species on the move compared to the last few days. Come out and visit us at the count, check back for tomorrow’s update, or follow along live in the morning at https://trektellen.org/count/view/3929/! Photos: Blue Jay (missing its tail!), Common Tern (fb)

Daily Update: Navarre Marsh Banding Station Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Pictured: Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca), Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) - Number of Birds Banded: 172 - Number of Recaptures: 70 - Number of Species Banded: 36 (+9 recap only) - Top Five Species Banded: Red-winged Blackbird 23 (+7 recap), Magnolia Warbler 18 (+9 recap), Yellow Warbler 16 (+6 recap), and American Redstart and Swainson's Thrush both with 14 (+1 recap). - Total Number of Species on Point Count: 40 - Total Number of Species Recorded: 77 - Total Number of Warbler Species Recorded: 23 (30 for spring) - Total Number of Hours Station Operated: 6.08 Notes: For the past two days, winds coming off of Lake Erie near dawn haven't made for great banding conditions (especially yesterday). But despite the wind direction (which, coming from the east or northeast tends to drive birds farther inland) warblers seem content to hang around the lakeshore in heaps. Along with a surprising number of new birds being around given the wind, previously banded birds are also sticking it out with a whopping 70 recaptures today. This holdover until a favorable wind arises has been evidenced by the amount of fat either new birds have or recaptures have put on. Some of the Blackpoll Warblers have been storing fat at levels similar to their fall fat reserves (which are generally copious as they prepare to fly non-stop over the Atlantic Ocean). Red-winged Blackbirds (RWBL) are also moving quite heavily throughout the understory in search of food (their first clutch must have hatched, which seems about a week or so early), with females making up the majority of today's RWBL captures. Head over to the BSBO website for a full breakdown of the spring numbers (so far) and to keep track with us as we head into migration: https://www.bsbo.org/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 (fb)