Bird bonanza draws no fair weather crowd

It was raining hard and steady Monday morning, but that did not deter the birders who have flocked to the area for the annual spring migration of songbirds. The parking lots at Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and the Magee Marsh boardwalk were still busy with traffic and displayed a wide array of license plates from across the country. With rain gear and boots on, this legion of dedicated birders were still out in numbers, hoping to see the many colorful, feathered guests that use the marsh areas along Lake Erie as a resting stop before making the long flight north across the lake. The Biggest Week in American Birding continues through Sunday, with events throughout the region.