This year’s trip down to visit Magee Marsh looked like our very wet tour from a few years back, but the weather held. We even had a spot of blue sky on the way down and about 90 seconds of sunshine while on the boardwalk.

Seven birders joined for this annual tour of Magee Marsh west to the Howard Marsh Metropark. After meeting at the east end of the Magee Marsh property we walked the boardwalk east to west for about 3 hours. As expected, all 18 warblers seen on the trip were observed here. There were sightings of Mourning and Canada, but we did not get either.

Notable for us was a Hooded Warbler, several (and one very friendly) Prothonotary Warbler and an Olive-sided Flycatcher.

After the board walk and lunch, we took the cars and drove over to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. We checked the entrance Pool and then did the Wildlife Drive. During this 2-hour drive, parts of the group peeled off. We saw about a dozen Bald Eagles during the drive.

The three of us remaining finished birding with a drive through the Howard Marsh Metropark. Then we had ice cream!

The day’s total was 71 species. The eBird Trip Report is available at:

2025-05-13 JAS Magee Marsh & Surrounds Trip - eBird Trip Report