2008 Cayuga Lake Basin First Records
Compiled by Matthew Medler
| Species | Locality | Observer(s) | Date | |
| 1 | Greater White-fronted Goose | Ithaca Christmas Bird Count (CBC) | Jan. 1 | |
| 2 | Cackling Goose | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 3 | Canada Goose | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 4 | Gadwall | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 5 | American Wigeon | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 6 | American Black Duck | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 7 | Mallard | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 8 | Green-winged Teal | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 9 | Canvasback | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 10 | Redhead | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 11 | Ring-necked Duck | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 12 | Greater Scaup | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 13 | Lesser Scaup | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 14 | White-winged Scoter | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 15 | Long-tailed Duck | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 16 | Bufflehead | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 17 | Common Goldeneye | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 18 | Hooded Merganser | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 19 | Common Merganser | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 20 | Red-breasted Merganser | Myers Point | Susan Danskin | Jan. 1 |
| 21 | Ruddy Duck | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 22 | Ring-necked Pheasant | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 23 | Ruffed Grouse | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 24 | Wild Turkey | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 25 | Common Loon | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 26 | Pied-billed Grebe | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 27 | Great Blue Heron | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 28 | Turkey Vulture | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 29 | Bald Eagle | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 30 | Northern Harrier | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 31 | Sharp-shinned Hawk | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 32 | Cooper's Hawk | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 33 | Northern Goshawk | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 34 | Red-shouldered Hawk | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 35 | Red-tailed Hawk | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 36 | Rough-legged Hawk | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 37 | American Kestrel | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 38 | American Coot | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 39 | Ring-billed Gull | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 40 | Herring Gull | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 41 | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 42 | Great Black-backed Gull | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 43 | Rock Pigeon | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 44 | Mourning Dove | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 45 | Eastern Screech-Owl | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 46 | Great Horned Owl | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 47 | Barred Owl | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 48 | Northern Saw-whet Owl | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 49 | Belted Kingfisher | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 50 | Red-bellied Woodpecker | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 51 | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 52 | Downy Woodpecker | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 53 | Hairy Woodpecker | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 54 | Northern Flicker | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 55 | Pileated Woodpecker | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 56 | Northern Shrike | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 57 | Blue Jay | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 58 | American Crow | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 59 | Fish Crow | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 60 | Common Raven | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 61 | Horned Lark | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 62 | Black-capped Chickadee | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 63 | Tufted Titmouse | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 64 | Red-breasted Nuthatch | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 65 | White-breasted Nuthatch | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 66 | Brown Creeper | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 67 | Carolina Wren | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 68 | Winter Wren | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 69 | Golden-crowned Kinglet | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 70 | Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 71 | Eastern Bluebird | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 72 | Hermit Thrush | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 73 | American Robin | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 74 | Northern Mockingbird | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 75 | European Starling | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 76 | Cedar Waxwing | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 77 | Pine Warbler | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 78 | American Tree Sparrow | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 79 | Field Sparrow | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 80 | Song Sparrow | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 81 | Swamp Sparrow | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 82 | White-throated Sparrow | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 83 | Dark-eyed Junco | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 84 | Snow Bunting | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 85 | Northern Cardinal | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 86 | Common Grackle | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 87 | Brown-headed Cowbird | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 88 | Purple Finch | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 89 | House Finch | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 90 | Common Redpoll | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 91 | Pine Siskin | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 92 | American Goldfinch | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 93 | Evening Grosbeak | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 94 | House Sparrow | Ithaca CBC | Jan. 1 | |
| 95 | Rusty Blackbird | Burdett | John and Sue Gregoire | Jan. 2 |
| 96 | White-winged Crossbill | Summer Hill State Forest | Matt Young | Jan. 2 |
| 97 | Snow Goose | Mud Lock | Jay and Perri McGowan | Jan. 3 |
| 98 | Tundra Swan | Cayuga Lake | Jay and Perri McGowan | Jan. 3 |
| 99 | Northern Pintail | Treman State Marine Park | Dave Nutter | Jan. 3 |
| 100 | Horned Grebe | Aurora Bay | Jay and Perri McGowan | Jan. 3 |
| 101 | White-crowned Sparrow | Town of Dryden | Kevin McGowan | Jan. 3 |
| 102 | Red-winged Blackbird | Town of Seneca Falls | John Van Niel | Jan. 3 |
| 103 | Pine Grosbeak | Summer Hill State Forest | Jay and Perri McGowan | Jan. 3 |
| 104 | Red Crossbill | Summer Hill State Forest | Jay and Perri McGowan | Jan. 3 |
| 105 | Hoary Redpoll | Montezuma NWR | Jay and Perri McGowan | Jan. 3 |
| 106 | Long-eared Owl | Dryden Lake | Ellen Sears | Jan. 4 |
| 107 | Lapland Longspur | Town of Groton | Dave Nutter | Jan. 4 |
| 108 | Pacific Loon | Aurora Bay | Jeff Gerbracht and Chris Wood | Jan. 5 |
| 109 | Peregrine Falcon | Stewart Park | Anne Marie and Tim Johnson | Jan. 5 |
| 110 | Iceland Gull | Van Cleef Lake | Jeff Gerbracht and Chris Wood | Jan. 5 |
| 111 | Glaucous Gull | Cayuga Lake State Park | Jeff Gerbracht and Chris Wood | Jan. 5 |
| 112 | Short-eared Owl | Center Road, Town of Ovid | Susan Danskin, Jeff Gerbracht, Gary Kohlenberg, Bob McGuire, Ann Mitchell, & Chris Wood | Jan. 5 |
| 113 | Merlin | Coddington Road | Dave Nutter | Jan. 8 |
| 114 | Yellow-rumped Warbler | Howland Island | Joe Brin and Bill Purcell | Jan. 8 |
| 115 | Mute Swan | Montezuma NWR | D.M. Kennedy | Jan. 9 |
| 116 | Ross's Goose | Montezuma NWR | Gary Chapin, Dominic Sherony, and Jeanne Skelly | Jan. 12 |
| 117 | Northern Shoveler | Montezuma NWR | Jay and Perri McGowan | Jan. 13 |
| 118 | Red-necked Grebe | Cayuga Lake north of Aurora | Meena Haribal | Jan. 13 |
| 119 | Slaty-backed Gull | Cornell Compost Piles, Town of Ithaca | Jay McGowan | Jan. 22 |
| 120 | Eastern Towhee | Red Jacket Yacht Club | Mike Harvey, Tim Lenz, Glenn Seeholzer, Chris Wiley | Jan. 26 |
| 121 | Eared Grebe | Dean's Cove, Cayuga Lake | Tom Johnson and Jay & Perri McGowan | Jan. 27 |
| 122 | Wood Duck | Six Mile Creek, City of Ithaca | Dave Nutter | Jan. 30 |
| 123 | Little Gull | Stewart Park | Bob McGuire | Jan. 30 |
| 124 | Bonaparte's Gull | Stewart Park | Dave Nutter | Jan. 30 |
| 125 | American Pipit | Myers Point | Chris Tessaglia-Hymes | Feb. 3 |
| 126 | Red-headed Woodpecker | Cornell Plantations (Flat Rock) | Eric Rittmeyer | Feb. 15 |
| 127 | Surf Scoter | Treman State Marine Park | Dave Nutter | Feb. 21 |
| 128 | Red-throated Loon | Dean's Cove, Cayuga Lake | Gary Kohlenberg and Ann Mitchell | Feb. 23 |
| 129 | Eastern Meadowlark | Town of Lansing | Ryan Douglas | Feb. 24 |
| 130 | Bohemian Waxwing | Cornell University | Tom Johnson | Feb. 26 |
| 131 | Killdeer | Cornell University | Jay McGowan | Mar. 3 |
| 132 | Golden Eagle | Mt. Pleasant | Dave Nutter | Mar. 3 |
| 133 | Eastern Phoebe | Town of Dryden | Nathan Senner | Mar. 3 |
| 134 | Fox Sparrow | Brooktondale | Steve Fast | Mar. 4 |
| 135 | Wilson's Snipe | Brooktondale | Steve Fast | Mar. 6 |
| 136 | American Woodcock | Town of Lansing | Mike Harvey | Mar. 6 |
| 137 | Eurasian Wigeon | Cayuga Lake, Town of Seneca Falls | Mike Harvey and Tom Johnson | Mar. 7 |
| 138 | Gray Catbird | City of Ithaca, near Cass Park | Dave Nutter | Mar. 10 |
| 139 | Chipping Sparrow | City of Ithaca | Tom Johnson | Mar. 11 |
| 140 | Tree Swallow | Montezuma NWR | Steve Fast | Mar. 14 |
| 141 | Osprey | Town of Tyre | John and Fritzie Blizzard | Mar. 16 |
| 142 | Double-crested Cormorant | Sapsucker Woods | Chris Wood | Mar. 20 |
| 143 | Blue-winged Teal | Montezuma NWR | Stephen Hill | Mar. 21 |
| 144 | Greater Yellowlegs | Myers Point | Paul Hurtado | Mar. 24 |
| 145 | Caspian Tern | Long Point State Park | Chris Wood | Mar. 25 |
| 146 | Sandhill Crane | Carncross Rd., Town of Savannah | Bob McGuire | Mar. 28 |
| 147 | Purple Martin | Stewart Park | Chris Wood | Mar. 31 |
| 148 | Savannah Sparrow | N. Landon Rd., Town of Dryden | Sydney Penner | Apr. 2 |
| 149 | Barn Swallow | Neimi Rd., Town of Dryden | Kevin McGowan | Apr. 3 |
| 150 | Vesper Sparrow | Neimi Rd., Town of Dryden | Kevin McGowan | Apr. 3 |
| 151 | Dunlin | George Rd., Town of Dryden | Kevin McGowan | Apr. 8 |
| 152 | Louisiana Waterthrush | Leonard Rd., Town of Caroline | Steve Fast | Apr. 8 |
| 153 | Pectoral Sandpiper | Montezuma NWR | Steve Fast and Bob McGuire | Apr. 9 |
| 154 | Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Myers Point | Bob McGuire | Apr. 10 |
| 155 | Broad-winged Hawk | Beam Hill, Town of Dryden | Jay McGowan | Apr. 11 |
| 156 | Lesser Yellowlegs | George Rd., Town of Dryden | Gary Kohlenberg | Apr. 11 |
| 157 | Forster's Tern | Southern Cayuga Lake | Mike Harvey and Tom Johnson | Apr. 11 |
| 158 | Brown Thrasher | Dryden Lake | Jay and Perri McGowan | Apr. 11 |
| 159 | American Bittern | Marten's Tract, N. Montezuma Wetlands Complex | Susan Danskin and Bob McGuire | Apr. 12 |
| 160 | Virginia Rail | Dryden Lake | Bard Prentiss | Apr. 12 |
| 161 | Common Tern | Mud Lock | Susan Danskin and Bob McGuire | Apr. 12 |
| 162 | Blue-headed Vireo | Grove School Rd., Town of Caroline | Jeff Gerbracht | Apr. 12 |
| 163 | Black-throated Green Warbler | Irish Settlement Rd., Town of Dryden | Rachel Vallender | Apr. 12 |
| 164 | Black-crowned Night-Heron | Factory Street Pond, Union Springs | Kevin McGowan | Apr. 13 |
| 165 | Spotted Sandpiper | Stewart Park | Susan Danskin | Apr. 13 |
| 166 | Palm Warbler | Comstock Knoll | Tom Johnson | Apr. 14 |
| 167 | Warbling Vireo | George Rd., Town of Dryden | Jeff Gerbracht and Chris Wood | Apr. 16 |
| 168 | Northern Parula | Fall Creek Dr., City of Ithaca | Tom Johnson | Apr. 16 |
| 169 | Green Heron | Sapsucker Woods | Mary Winston | Apr. 17 |
| 170 | American Golden-Plover | Town of Montezuma | Tim Lenz and Chris Wood | Apr. 17 |
| 171 | House Wren | Sapsucker Woods | Ryan Douglas | Apr. 17 |
| 172 | Marsh Wren | Montezuma NWR | Tim Lenz and Chris Wood | Apr. 17 |
| 173 | Bank Swallow | Cornell University | Tom Johnson | Apr. 18 |
| 174 | Northern Waterthrush | Sapsucker Woods | Nate Senner | Apr. 18 |
| 175 | Great Egret | Marten's Tract, N. Montezuma Wetlands Complex | Spring Field Ornithology (Bill Baker) | Apr. 19 |
| 176 | Sora | Marten's Tract, N. Montezuma Wetlands Complex | Tom Johnson and Jay McGowan | Apr. 19 |
| 177 | Upland Sandpiper | Martin Rd., Town of Seneca Falls | Tom Johnson and Jay McGowan | Apr. 19 |
| 178 | Chimney Swift | Collegetown, City of Ithaca | Tim Lenz | Apr. 19 |
| 179 | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Fuertes Sanctuary | Chris Wiley | Apr. 19 |
| 180 | Least Sandpiper | Town of Montezuma | Ted Floyd, Mike Harvey, Tom Johnson, Tim Lenz, and Mike Powers | Apr. 20 |
| 181 | Black-and-white Warbler | Dryden Lake | Jay and Perri McGowan | Apr. 20 |
| 182 | Yellow Warbler | George Junior Republic, Town of Dryden | Matt Young | Apr. 21 |
| 183 | Nashville Warbler | Danby | Bill Evans | Apr. 23 |
| 184 | Cliff Swallow | Neimi Rd., Town of Dryden | Ryan Douglas | Apr. 24 |
| 185 | Solitary Sandpiper | Sapsucker Woods | Dave Nutter | Apr. 25 |
| 186 | Ovenbird | Genung Nature Preserve | Mark Chao | Apr. 25 |
| 187 | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Grove School Rd., Town of Caroline | Jeff Gerbracht | Apr. 25 |
| 188 | Black-bellied Plover | Montezuma NWR | Paul Hurtado and Nick Sly | Apr. 26 |
| 189 | Great Crested Flycatcher | West Danby | Geo Kloppel | Apr. 26 |
| 190 | Yellow-throated Vireo | Hog Hole | Tom Johnson | Apr. 26 |
| 191 | Red-eyed Vireo | Burdett | John and Sue Gregoire | Apr. 26 |
| 192 | Wood Thrush | Town of Ithaca | Stuart Krasnoff | Apr. 26 |
| 193 | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Beam Hill, Town of Dryden | Jay McGowan | Apr. 26 |
| 194 | Blackburnian Warbler | Summerhill | Mickey Scilingo | Apr. 26 |
| 195 | Cerulean Warbler | Fuertes Sanctuary | Tom Johnson | Apr. 26 |
| 196 | Lincoln's Sparrow | 700 Warren Rd., Town of Lansing | Chris Wood | Apr. 26 |
| 197 | Baltimore Oriole | Montezuma NWR | Tim Lenz and Chris Wiley | Apr. 26 |
| 198 | Least Flycatcher | Montezuma NWR | Mike Harvey, Tom Johnson, and Jay McGowan | Apr. 27 |
| 199 | Eastern Kingbird | McIlroy Preserve | Steve Fast | Apr. 27 |
| 200 | Veery | Fuertes Sanctuary | Paul Hurtado | Apr. 27 |
| 201 | Blue-winged Warbler | Lindsay-Parson Biodiversity Preserve | Mike Harvey, Tom Johnson, and Jay McGowan | Apr. 27 |
| 202 | Common Yellowthroat | McIlroy Preserve | Steve Fast | Apr. 27 |
| 203 | Grasshopper Sparrow | Sandbank Rd., Town of Ithaca | Mike Harvey, Tom Johnson, and Jay McGowan | Apr. 27 |
| 204 | Bobolink | Sandbank Rd., Town of Ithaca | Spring Field Ornithology (Meena Haribal) | Apr. 27 |
| 205 | Black Tern | Montezuma NWR | Mike Harvey | Apr. 28 |
| NB1: Trumpeter Swans continue to be recorded in the Cayuga Lake Basin. However, since this species is not on the official New York State Checklist, the relevant first record information is included separately here: | ||||
| Trumpeter Swan | Cayuga Lake State Park | Jeff Gerbracht and Chris Wood | Jan. 5 | |
| NB2: The following report, which is noteworthy due to both the species and the extremely early date, is listed separately here pending review by the New York State Avian Records Committee. |
| Least Tern | Mud Lock | Susan Danskin and Bob McGuire | Apr. 12 |
Last updated April 28.
