Metzger 28-Apr-2003 - After watching raptors at Maumee Bay, I stopped at Metzger to check on the passerines. I didn't bird the boardwalk at Magee. I birded Metzger around Noon for about 90 minutes, and it was hopping. At Metzger, I conservatively counted 85 Yellow-rumps, 15 Palms, 5 Nashvilles, and 5 Black-throated Greens. At Metzger, I also saw a Blue-winged and a Blackburnian Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, Red-headed Woodpecker, 2 White-crowned Sparrows, a White-eyed Vireo, White-throated Sparrow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cooper's Hawk, Chipping Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, and Yellow Warbler.

I went back to Metzger in the evening with D and C. The Blackburnian was not relocated, but we saw the Black-and-white, and we had real nice, close looks at the Blue-winged Warbler. All of what was seen at Noon was still around in the evening minus the Red-headed Woodpecker and the White-crowned Sparrows. The numbers of birds were a bit lower, but there was still a lot of action. There was also action by the bugs. I think they were mosquitoes, but I'm not sure, because they looked bigger than a normal mosquito. Whatever they were, they were biting. There were other clouds of bugs wafting around the place. That's the thing about Metzger is it's reallly buggy, which is good for the birds. I noticed the dandelions are in bloom in the fields around here.