Called a “warbler mecca” and voted in USA Today the “#1 Birding Destination in North America,” Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in northern Ohio is a truly remarkable place. I was introduced to it some years ago by a co-worker who lived for birding. Between work and Covid, my visits in the past were limited to once, maybe twice if I was lucky, during the spring migration. Retirement has cleared my schedule and this year I’ve gone multiple times.
I’m fortunate to live only two hours away, and every time I visit my head and heart are filled with wonder. The main draw is Warblers, with freshwater marsh birds following as a close second. But one thing I’ve learned hanging out at the Daily Bucket is that there is so much more to being in nature than birdwatching.
So I’m taking a little different approach by starting without focusing so much on birds. This Bucket provides the bigger picture and some of the history of this amazing wetland area on the southwest shore of Lake Erie, and highlights some non-avian fauna and flora. A bird-focused Bucket will follow.
Magee Marsh and neighboring wetlands are the last vestiges of the Great Black Swamp. The swamp was itself the vestige of an early version of Lake Erie, and covered 1,500 square miles.
The original Native American tribe living in the area was the Erie. About the time European settlers arrived, the Wyandot immigrated from Canada to this section of Lake Erie. Early White settlers drained much of the Great Black Swamp for agriculture. John Magee purchased the property with that intent, but was not successful. Plan B was turning it into a private hunting club.
In 1951, the State of Ohio purchased the property,
and Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area was born. Marsh purchases continued through the decade at the state and federal level, including much of what it now the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, opened in 1961, and now over 10,000 acres of once-threatened, Lake Erie marshes are in the public domain. A Brief History of Magee Marsh.
Due to Covid, the Marsh was closed in 2020 during spring migration. Some of the best birding is along the boardwalk. Access to the boardwalk in 2021 was by advance ticketing. Those tickets went fast. In August, 2021, a strong storm swept through the Marsh, leaving severe damage, including to the boardwalk.
For anyone interested in more information, there are three websites devoted to Magee Marsh: the Ohio DNR, Friends of Magee Marsh, and Birding Magee Marsh. The Black Swamp Bird Observatory is located at the entrance road to Magee Marsh and is well worth a virtual visit too.
Here’s some overview photos of the area.
Being a marsh, Magee hosts lots of reptiles. A couple of these I know, but I’ll need help with others.
I’m pretty sure these next two are Garter snakes.
The last of the watery denizens are these two handsome fellas, I’m assuming Bullfrogs, but please correct me!
Next up is trees, plants and flowers. I need help here too. I know the largest trees are cottonwoods.
The last chapter in this non-bird focused Bucket is mammals. They tend to be shy and hard to spot. Other times, they come lumbering down a tree right next to the boardwalk.
More typical are this rabbit and red fox kit. Very well hidden and staying out of the limelight.
The last mammal I’ll share probably wishes it had stayed in the den that day. But it’s all part of the circle of life.
Well, Bucketeers, I hope you enjoyed Magee Marsh Part 1. Part 2 will be birds, birds and more birds!
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