Average Spring Arrival Dates
for the Cayuga Lake Basin:
1903-1993

This list presents dates of first arrival for spring migrants from the Cayuga Lake Basin.  Arrival dates are averages of recorded observations from 1903 through 1993.  114 species are listed.  Species reported 15 or more times on the Ithaca Christmas Bird Count since 1963 are not included here (e.g. Yellow-rumped Warbler, Eastern Meadowlark).  Prepared by Charles R. Smith, Department of Natural Resources, Fernow Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY  14853-3001 (e-mail: crs6@cornell.edu), as part of an ongoing research program in avian conservation and ecology.

Species
Average Arrival Date
Number of Records
(1903-1993)
Killdeer
March 13
51
Red-shouldered Hawk
March 22
48
Fox Sparrow
March 23
73
Green-winged Teal
March 25
48
Eastern Phoebe
March 25
71
American Woodcock
March 26
62
Tree Swallow
March 31
79
Loggerhead Shrike
April 1
54
Northern Shoveler
April 2
47
Savannah Sparrow
April 2
72
Blue-winged Teal
April 3
59
Field Sparrow
April 3
56
Vesper Sparrow
April 3
76
Common Snipe
April 4
68
Turkey Vulture
April 5
58
Chipping Sparrow
April 6
69
Hermit Thrush
April 9
67
Osprey
April 12
71
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
April 13
64
Barn Swallow
April 15
84
Louisiana Waterthrush
April 15
82
Peregrine Falcon
April 16
46
Broad-winged Hawk
April 18
72
Spotted Sandpiper
April 19
81
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
April 20
82
Red Knot
April 21
7
Green Heron
April 22
78
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
April 22
42
Purple Martin
April 23
79
House Wren
April 23
81
Brown Thrasher
April 23
69
Pine Warbler
April 23
70
Pectoral Sandpiper
April 24
38
Chimney Swift
April 24
84
Blue-headed Vireo
April 25
80
Bank Swallow
April 26
82
Upland Sandpiper
April 27
27
Yellow Warbler
April 27
84
Black-and-white Warbler
April 27
84
Northern Waterthrush
April 27
83
Virginia Rail
April 28
71
Black-throated Green Warbler
April 28
84
Palm Warbler
April 28
78
Solitary Sandpiper
April 29
79
Gray Catbird
April 29
66
Grasshopper Sparrow
April 29
78
Wood Thrush
April 30
83
Warbling Vireo
April 30
84
Baltimore Oriole
April 30
71
Cliff Swallow
May 1
77
Nashville Warbler
May 1
84
Common Yellowthroat
May 1
73
Sora
May 2
71
Least Flycatcher
May 2
84
Eastern Kingbird
May 2
81
Veery
May 2
78
American Redstart
May 2
83
White-crowned Sparrow
May 2
63
Ovenbird
May 3
84
Bobolink
May 3
84
Dunlin
May 4
42
Caspian Tern
May 4
38
Common Tern
May 4
64
Great Crested Flycatcher
May 4
80
Marsh Wren
May 4
68
Yellow-throated Vireo
May 4
81
Black-throated Blue Warbler
May 4
83
Blackburnian Warbler
May 4
81
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
May 4
80
Henslow's Sparrow
May 4
56
Chestnut-sided Warbler
May 5
63
Black Tern
May 6
63
Red-eyed Vireo
May 6
81
Blue-winged Warbler
May 6
39
Northern Parula
May 6
80
Magnolia Warbler
May 6
83
Cape May Warbler
May 6
77
Scarlet Tanager
May 7
80
Whip-poor-will
May 8
64
Swainson's Thrush
May 8
80
Lincoln's Sparrow
May 8
57
Tennessee Warbler
May 9
79
Indigo Bunting
May 9
82
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
May 10
81
Eastern Wood-Pewee
May 10
77
Prairie Warbler
May 11
37
Cerulean Warbler
May 11
73
Canada Warbler
May 11
81
Golden-winged Warbler
May 12
59
Bay-breasted Warbler
May 12
79
Wilson's Warbler
May 12
78
Least Sandpiper
May 13
63
Yellow-throated Warbler
May 13
5
Prothonotary Warbler
May 13
28
Black-billed Cuckoo
May 14
78
Sedge Wren
May 14
33
Philadelphia Vireo
May 14
58
Yellow-breasted Chat
May 14
75
Semipalmated Sandpiper
May 15
50
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
May 15
74
Common Nighthawk
May 15
80
White-eyed Vireo
May 15
18
Blackpoll Warbler
May 15
83
Worm-eating Warbler
May 15
14
Mourning Warbler
May 15
76
Hooded Warbler
May 15
42
Gray-cheeked Thrush
May 16
54
Orchard Oriole
May 16
47
Alder/Willow Flycatcher
May 17
71
Ruddy Turnstone
May 19
29
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
May 20
54
Olive-sided Flycatcher
May 21
46
Acadian Flycatcher
May 21
30
Kentucky Warbler
May 21
4