Go Birding with Black Swamp Bird Observatory!
FREQUENT FLYER FIELD TRIPS
1st Saturday of every month
Available to BSBO Members
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FREQUENT FLYER FIELD TRIPS
Available to BSBO Members
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January - Maumee Bay State ParkDate: January 4, 2025
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm Where: Maumee Bay State Park Beach (Click for Google Maps link) Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member Participant Limit: 35 Things to Know: There will be restrooms available at the beach and nature center. Expect uneven surfaces on the beach and paved, flat surfaces at the campground. The nature center is fully accessible. Target Species: We will begin our day searching the beach for Snow Buntings, Purple Sandpipers, and waterfowl. The group will then head to the campground area to check for roosting owls like Long-eared Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl, sparrows, and winter finches. Our last stop will be at the Maumee Bay Nature Center feeders so we can check for birds like Purple Finches, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and other winter feeder species. |
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February - Oak Openings Preserve MetroparkDate: February 1, 2025
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm Where: Buehner Center, Oak Openings (Click here for Google Maps link) Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member Participant Limit: 35 Things to Know: There will be restrooms available at several places we will stop. Expect mostly flat, paved trail surfaces that are accessible. Several trails may be flat, dirt trails that may not be accessible depending on weather. The window on wildlife is fully accessible. Target Species: W The trip will start at the Buehner Nature Center where we check the parking lot for Pileated Woodpecker, Barred Owl, and Winter Wren. Next, we will enjoy the warmth of the Window on Wildlife while we watch for feeder birds to come in for close views. Afterwards, we will take a short hike around the pond before transferring to "Tornado Alley" to look for more species like Red-headed Woodpeckers, Red Crossbills, and winter raptors. |
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March - Killdeer Plains Wildlife AreaDate: March 1, 2025
Time: 3:30pm-6:30pm Where: Division of Wildlife Headquarters - Killdeer Plains (Click here for Google Maps link) Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member Participant Limit: 35 Things to Know: Participants are encouraged to carpool together on this trip. There will be limited restroom opportunities other than a port-a-john. Most birding will be done roadside with minimal hiking, on non-accessible trails. Target Species: The trip We will meeting at the Killdeer ODNR Headquarters building. Participants encouraged to carpool as we do some roadside birding to look for Northern Harriers, Rough-legged Hawks and Northern Shrikes. A stop at various ponds should yield views of Tundra Swans and many types of waterfowl. We will meet back at headquarters to try for views of Short-eared Owls as they begin hunting at dusk. |
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April - Magee Marsh Wildlife AreaDate: April 5, 2025
Time: 5:00pm - 8:30pm Where: Magee Marsh Visitor Center (Click here for Google Maps link) Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member |
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May - Magee Marsh Wildlife AreaDate: May 3, 2025
Time: 9:00am - 12:00am Where: Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member Participant Limit: 35 Things to Know: There will be limited restroom opportunities other than a port-a-johns. Birding will be done around the parking lot at Magee Marsh and on some non-accessible grass or dirt trails. Target Species: We will meet at the BSBO Headquarters before transferring to the parking lot at Magee Marsh. We will explore the parking lot area and hike on adjacent trails like the Estuary Trail and Goosehaven Trail. Spring migration should provide great looks at arriving warblers such as Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, and Prothonotary Warbler. Many other songbirds will be arriving like Hermit Thrush, Baltimore Oriole, Green Heron, and Warbling Vireo. Early in migration, there are occasionally birds that overshoot their intended area and this will be a great time to search for those species like Kentucky Warbler, Cerulean Warbler and Worm-eating Warbler! |
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June - Cedar BogDate: June 7, 2025
Time: 10:00am - 12:30pm Where: Cedar Bog Visitor Center (Click for Google Maps link) Fee: $5.00 per person Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member Participant Limit: 35 Things to Know: There are restrooms in the nature center. We will be on an accessible boardwalk for the duration of this trip. Target Species: Members can meet at the parking lot at Cedar Bog. There is a $5 entry fee per person. Cedar Bog is a National Natural Landmark, one of only twenty-five in the state of Ohio – recognized for its national significance. It ranks the highest of any site in the state on the Ohio Floristic Diversity Index for its great diversity of plants. |
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July - Creek Bend FarmDate: July 5, 2025
Time: 8:00am - 10:30am Where: Creek Bend Farm (Click for Google Maps link) Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member Participant Limit: 35 Things to Know: There are restrooms available onsite. There is an indoor nature center with snacks available to purchase. Target Species: Breeding season will be in full swing, so we will look for birds like Warbling Vireo, Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Yellow Warbler, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The trail meanders along the river where we can search for Belted Kingfishers, Wood Duck, and Green Heron. |
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August - Howard Marsh MetroparkDate: August 2, 2025
Time: 8:00am - 10:00am Where: Howard Marsh West (Click for Google Maps link) Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member Participant Limit: 35 Things to Know: There are restrooms available onsite. The walking paths are flat, hard packed gravel. There is no shade at this location, please bring water. Target Species: Members can meet the parking lot at the new section on Howard Marsh. We will walk the path and explore off the boardwalk, looking for young marsh birds. Pied-billed Grebe, Blue-winged Teal, Ruddy Duck, Caspian Tern, and a variety of Swallows will be just a few of our targets during our trip. |
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September - Metzger MarshDate: September 6, 2025
Time: 8:00am - 10:00am Where: Metzger Marsh (Click for Google Maps link) Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member Participant Limit: 35 Things to Know: There are port-a-johns onsite. The parking lot and road surfaces are accessible, but dike paths and paths through the woodlot are uneven and non-accessible. Limited shade will be available throughout the trip, water and sun protection are recommended. Target Species: Our focus will be on migratory species including shorebirds like Dunlin, Stilt Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, Common and Forster's Tern and migrating waterfowl. Early songbird migrants may be present in the woodlot area. Our group will spend some time with our morning flight counter, Gautam Apte, at the Metzger Marsh dike. We will then explore the woodlot and walk the road to search the marsh for shorebird and waterfowl species. |
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October - Lorain ImpoundmentDate: October 4, 2025
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm Where: Lakeside Landing - Lorain Impoundment (Click for Google Maps link) Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member Participant Limit: 35 Things to Know: There are port-a-johns onsite. Limited shade will be available throughout the trip, water and sun protection are recommended. Target Species: Lorain Impoundment is known for being a prime stopover site for migrating songbirds with highlights this time of year are the sharp-tailed sparrows, Nelson's and LeConte's sparrow. Late season migrants should be in full swing with flocks of blackbirds, sparrows, raptors, and possibly even roosting owls being present at the impound. We will explore the small wetland for late season shorebirds and the brushy areas for songbirds. |
We encourage our Frequent Flyers to attend the Ohio Young Birders Club Conference in place of a November field trip!
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November - Haehnle SanctuaryDate: November 1, 2025
Time: More info coming soon! Where: More info coming soon! Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member |
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December - Michigan's Upper PeninsulaDate: December 5 - December 7, 2025
Time: More info coming soon! Where: More info coming soon! Fee: Free for BSBO Members Registration Required - Must be a BSBO Member |