Below is a list compiled, as best we could, by Todd Day and myself, noting
the first report of migrants (and probable migrants) in Virginia this spring.
April is a much harder month to keep track of than is March (and March was
tough), so if you see a species in the field over the next 8 weeks that is
not on this list, or subsequent updates, could you send a note with date,
location, and observers to Todd (BlkVulture@xxxxxxx)? We will post this
periodically through the migration.
The 85-degree weather today means that many more birds will be on their way
into our airspace soon, and some may already be around: Solitary Sandpiper
(seen yesterday in Maryland!), Black-throated Green (Wayne's) and Swainson's
Warblers should be arriving in the Dismal Swamp any day now (may already be
there, in fact), Cliff Swallow (should be in by now) and Great Crested
Flycatcher will be will the same or next wave, along with Prairie Warblers,
the first Prothonotary Warbler, and White-eyed Vireos.
Later in the month, Chimney Swift, Bobolink, Indigo Bunting, Ruby-throated
Hummingbird, Least Bittern, Wood Thrush, Yellow Warbler, Hooded Warbler,
Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, Scarlet and Summer Tanagers, Ovenbird,
Rose-breasted and Blue Grosbeaks, Whip-poor-will and Chuck-will's-widow,
Common Nighthawk, Yellow-throated and Warbling Vireos, and Eastern
Wood-Pewees arrive. By late April and the first week of May, almost any
Neotropical migrant that can show up has already been recorded, though some
flycatchers (Alder, Willow, Olive-sided), Gray-cheeked and Bicknell's
Thrushes, Philadelphia Vireo, and the cuckoos can be notoriously later
arrivals in May. In all of this, we should not forget to note the first
arrivals of shorebirds and terns that don't winter on our coasts.
What I think will be fun to see is how many species are not recorded until
May. With the migration appearing to be gradually earlier from decade to
decade (on average), it seems there are fewer "May only" birds than there
were 30 years ago at this latitude, or at least in eastern Virginia. It will
be interesting to see if we have any record-early arrival dates this year.
(Of course, the first arrivals often don't indicate that the species is "in"
everywhere else in the state, but they let us know to keep our eyes peeled!)
And there are still plenty of mysteries in this season: what are the
earliest-arriving Bachman's and Henslow's Sparrows in the state, for
instance? Who will see the first kites of spring and where? Will anyone
find the increasingly elusive Ruff (their migration peaks in March/April!)?
2003 Spring Arrival Dates: Commonwealth of Virginia
March: Almost-certain immigrants from out-of-state
06 March: Pectoral Sandpiper (25 birds!, Leggetts Bottom, Halifax County;
Jeff Blalock)
10 March: Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Lake Shenandoah, Rockingham County;
Ken Ranck)
11 March: Purple Martin (Williamsburg vicinity; Dana Bradshaw)
12 March: Blue-winged Teal (Dulles Wetlands, Loudoun County; John Drummond)
13 March: Broad-winged Hawk (east of Danville; Jeff Blalock)
19 March: Royal Tern (Cape Charles Beach; Steve Hairfield, Ned Brinkley)
21 March: Yellow-throated Warbler (Williamsburg area?; Dana Bradshaw)
22 March: Barn Swallow (Augusta County; Allen Larner)
22 March: Louisiana Waterthrush (Great Falls NP, Fairfax County; Alex Merritt)
23 March: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Huntley Meadows; Brenda Tekin; and First
Landing SP; Elisa Enders).
23 March: Glossy Ibis (Cape Charles Beach; Ned Brinkley)
25 March: Black-and-white Warbler (Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield
County; Paul Bedell)
28 March: Caspian Tern (Dyke Marsh, Faifax County; Rich Rieger)
March: Earliest arrivals in Virginia away from known or likely wintering
areas (possibly intrastate migrants)
8/9 March: Eared Grebe (Northern Neck; John Spahr, Brenda Tekin et al.)
22 March: American Bittern (Huntley Meadows, Ben Jesup)
23 March: King Rail (Huntley Meadows, Brenda Tekin)
29 March: Marsh Wren, Huntley Meadows, Fairfax County, Dan Kluza.
29/30 March: Common Yellowthroat (Henricus, Richmond; fide Larry Lynch)
April
01 Apr: Northern Parula (James River Park, Richmond; Scott Olmstead)
03 Apr: Eastern Kingbird (Cape Charles town; Mary Reid Barrow, Ned Brinkley)
Compiled by Todd Day and Ned Brinkley
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