10/12/2026
**BSBO Morning Flight Count Update – October 12, 2026**
It was a bit of a mixed day at Metzger Marsh today, both in terms of weather and birds! Conditions were damp and foggy to start, but eventually cleared to a warm and sunny afternoon, while the bird activity was generally slow with the exception of one notable highlight!
The main feature of the day was a juvenile Parasitic Jaeger (1) that put on a good show offshore, occasionally giving chase to the foraging gulls and terns over the lake before eventually moving on to the west. We are fortunate to have recorded quite a few jaegers already this fall, but this was certainly the most enjoyable view of a Parasitic yet this season, and it was great to be able to share this rare bird with several visitors to the count site!
There wasn’t too much going on otherwise with a modest warbler flight of Tennessee Warblers (7) and Blackpoll Warblers (6) trickling by throughout the morning. Pine Siskins (15) and American Goldfinches (63) were in good numbers again, and another late Barn Swallow (1) came past in the mid-morning.
There weren’t many waterbirds moving over the lake today, likely due to the unfavorably warm conditions. Northern Pintail (14) were the most abundant of the five waterfowl species recorded today.
In total, we recorded 32 species and 839 individual birds in active migration today.
Tomorrow will be warm and windy, which often means things will be generally quiet with the potential for an interesting bird or two at some point. As always, you can keep up with the count live from the field at trektellen.org/count/view/5084/ or better yet, come on out to the outer d**e at Metzger Marsh and see for yourself what’s happening. As a reminder, the count site is located just east of the main lakefront parking lot at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, along the raised d**e that borders Lake Erie.
Photo: Parasitic Jaeger
