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BSBO News and Events

Introducing BSBO's First Morning Flight Count Project

Spanning March 1 to May 31, this project is designed to capture a full season of standardized data documenting active, visible migration over a designated site on the Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area. This data will be used primarily for BSBO research projects, and the count itself will serve as an avenue for public outreach and communications work.

FREQUENT FLYER BIRDING WITH BSBO!
MONTHLY MEMBERS-ONLY GUIDED FIELD TRIPS

Your membership supports our mission to help people fall in love with birds and build support for bird conservation. In addition to many other benefits, we want to express our gratitude by offering members-only guided monthly field trip for 2025. Join us the first Saturday of every month for a guided trip with BSBO staff at some of the best birding spots Ohio has to offer. Let’s go birding together!

Birds at Home
Virtual Learning Series

Join BSBO and our lineup of speakers for fun, informative, interesting, and uplifting virtual presentations and workshops - delivered to you in the comfort of your own home!

Check out upcoming presentations and past recordings here >>

Birds at Home is made possibly by a generous grant from the Frederick S. Upton Foundation

Next Birds at Home:

Northwest Ohio Birding Hot Spots

DATE: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
TIME: 7 p.m. Eastern Time

Presented by Rob Ripma

Join Biggest Week field trip coordinator Rob Ripma to learn all about the best birding hotspots at the Biggest Week in American Birding. From Point Mouillee in southeast Michigan to Pipe Creek in Sandusky and everywhere in between, Rob will show you the spots you should be sure to visit during your time at the festival and northwest Ohio.

2025 BSBO Membership and Donation Optics Drive

Thanks to our friends at Land Sea & Sky, we are excited to offer another year of our annual membership drive! Help Black Swamp Bird Observatory help the birds by joining as a member, renewing your membership, or donating at least $25. This enters you for a chance to win an optics package valued at $4,400! The package includes a Leica Noctivid 8x42 binocular and a Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 binocular!

EXCITING FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AT BSBO!

Shop the BSBO Swamp Shop

When you shop in our online Swamp Shop, give a gift membership, or make a donation in honor of friends and loved ones—or all of the above!—100% of the proceeds help BSBO help the birds!

Stay Connected

Support BSBO While YOU Shop

If you shop at Kroger in the Columbus area and/or northern Ohio (excluding Springfield), we ask that you (and your family and friends) link your Kroger Plus cards to BSBO’s Kroger Community Rewards account, number BG821. All of the dollars you spend with Kroger throughout the year will help us be eligible for a quarterly contribution through this program. Click HERE to register your Kroger Card for BSBO!

If you're looking for a new way to help BSBO, please consider looking through our Amazon Wishlist. This will help us with supplies needed to carry on the work that BSBO does for birds every day!

We just added some equipment we need to power our songbird banding research!

Click HERE to check out our list!

If purchasing items, please have them shipped to:
Black Swamp Bird Observatory
142 W. Water Street
Oak Harbor, OH 43449

Latest From Our Blogs

FROM THE FIELD: BABY PIED-BILLED GREBES by Tracy Marr

The pied-billed grebe. A small diver with big feet. Cute, not beautiful. Subtle coloration, not gaudy. The ability to do a submarine sink beneath the water and a distinctive call you can hear across the marsh. For some reason, I love them. Several years ago, I realized it’s very peaceful to watch them float on the water, dive and re-appear, dive and re-appear.

Read More >

BSBO Blogs

Outreach and Education Blog

Bird Bander's Blog

Conservation News

Conservation is at the heart of BSBO's mission. All of our projects and programs are designed to raise awareness and appreciation for birds and the importance of habitat conservation. We believe that connecting people to the joys of birding is the first step in building support for conservation; people care more about the things they love.

Special Announcements

BSBO Nature Store Closed Until Further Notice

We are undergoing an exciting renovation! Our Nature Store is closed for in-person visits until further notice. Please follow our Facebook page and subscribe to our monthly eNews for announcements about reopening our center and the Nature Store.

You can still support us by shopping at our online Swamp Shop.