Wild Birds blog page

Life Bird List

Annual records of my first-of-season sightings of migratory birds.

Annual arrival dates

This page was last updated:

Top ~ Spring/Summer/Fall ~ Winter ~ Semi-migratory ~ Resident ~ Misc.

Migratory birds:
Spring/Summer/Fall

NOTE: The tables below, which remain incomplete, show the first arrival dates for migratory bird species typically seen in Virginia. They exclude sightings of uncommon birds and apparent "vagrants." Most migratory birds are considered uncommon, except as noted. See color key at end of table.

Shorebirds, Raptors, etc.	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Green heron	Sep. 7	May 16	Apr. 25	.	.	.	May 30	May 26	May 12	May 4	June 13	Apr. 25
Great egret	.	.	.	.	.	Mar. 30	.	July 22	.	Oct. 1	May 13	.
Snowy egret	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Spotted sandpiper	May 18?	.	Apr. 18	May 6	.	Apr. 30	.	May 15	Apr. 27	May 7	May 6	.
Solitary sandpiper	-	-	Apr. 27	Apr. 30	.	.	.	May 2	Apr. 27	.	May 20	.
Greater yellowlegs	.	.	.	Apr. 30	.	.	.	.	Apr. 27	.	Apr. 4	.
Lesser yellowlegs	.	.	.	May 6	.	.	Sep. 3	.	.	.	.	.
Semipalmated sandpiper	-	-	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Least sandpiper	-	-	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	May 6	.
Wilson's snipe	-	-	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Feb. 23
Broad-winged hawk	-	Sep. 20	Sep. 24	Apr. 10	.	.	Apr. 24	(Aug. 12)	Apr. 9	Apr. 13	.	Apr. 24
Osprey	.	.	.	Apr. 15	.	.	Apr. 24	(Aug. 12)	May 1	(July 12)	.	.
Common nighthawk	.	May 16	May 9	Aug. 19	May 18	.	June 22	May 15	Apr. 30	(July 7)	Aug. 27	.
Swallows, Flycatchers, etc.	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Tree swallow	Apr. 13	.	.	.	Apr. 15	.	Apr. 1	Mar. 20	Mar. 18	Mar. 26	Mar. 25	Mar. 5?
Barn swallow	??	May 3	Apr. 10	Apr. 5	Apr. 13	Apr. 5	Apr. 11	May 5	Apr. 27	Apr. 25	Apr. 4	Apr. 11
Northern rough-winged swallow	-	-	May 4	Apr. 23	.	.	Apr. 11	Apr. 10	Apr. 2	Mar. 26	Mar. 30?	Apr. 10
Cliff swallow	.	May 24	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	(July 12)	May 5	.
Purple martin	.	.	.	July 1	.	May 11	.	.	.	May 7	May 20	.
Chimney swift	Apr. 19	Apr. 9	Apr. 6	Apr. 9	Apr. 9	Apr. 17	Apr. 29	Apr. 17	Apr. 18	Apr. 15	Apr. 14	Apr. 18
Ruby-throated hummingbird	July 27	May 6	June 6	May 5	Apr. 21	Apr. 26	Apr. 23	Apr. 25	May 4	Apr. 22	May 2	May 9
Eastern phoebe	(Sep. 15)	May 29	Jan. 1	X ?	Apr. 27	.	Apr. 14	Mar. 19	Feb. 6	Apr. 1	Mar. 13	Jan. 9
Great crested flycatcher	May 7	May 16	May 10	May 10	May 1	May 4		Apr. 24	May 5	Apr. 22	Apr. 30	Apr. 29
Acadian flycatcher	-	July 19	May 8	May 7			June 29	May 15	May 29	May 20	May 26	.
Eastern kingbird	.	July 18	.	.	Apr. 22	May 13	.	May 15	May 23	May 7	Apr. 24	May 3
Eastern wood pewee	May 28	May 18	May 8	May 7	June 9	May 4	.	May 15	May 14	May 27	May 13	.
Willow flycatcher	-	-	-	June 18	.	June 1	.	May 19	May 23	May 23	May 21	.
Least flycatcher	-	-	-	-	June 10	May 20	.	.	Sep. 13	May 5	.	.
Vireos and Warblers	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Red-eyed vireo	May 17	May 6	May 8	May 3	May 5	Apr. 26	June 14	Apr. 24	May 7	May 4	May 5	Apr. 26
White-eyed vireo	-	July 17	May 8	May 5	Apr. 22	.	June 5	June 3	May 1	.	Aug. 7	May 12
Blue-headed (ex-Solitary) vireo	Apr. 26	Apr. 29	May 29	Mar. 30	May 5	Oct. 12	May 8	Apr. 24	Apr. 14	Apr. 2	Mar. 31	Apr. 24
Yellow-throated vireo	July 6?	.	.	July 9	.	May 4	.	May 15	May 14	.	June 16	.
Warbling vireo	-	-	-	Aug. 16	Apr. 22	.	.	May 15	.	.	.	.
Pine warbler	Apr. 6	Feb. 22	Mar. 20	Mar. 4	May 26	Mar. 30	.	May 5	June 10	Mar. 19	Mar. 31	Apr. 29
Tennessee warbler	Apr. 27	.	Sep. 10	Sep. 16	Sep. 9	Oct. 4	Sep. 5?	.	Oct. 2 *	Sep. 23	.	.
Orange-crowned warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	(Mar. 2)	.	.	Sep. 9	.	.
Cerulean warbler	May 3	Apr. 22	May 29	.	.	May 4	Apr. 27	.	May 22	May 29	May 13	.
Worm-eating warbler	-	May 13	July 27	.	Aug. 18	May 10	June 22	Apr. 24	May 12	Apr. 29	Apr. 24	Apr. 20
Hooded warbler	July 5	June 14	.	Apr. 29	.	May 4	June 14	Apr. 24	June 5	Aug. 16	Apr. 29	.
Wilson's warbler	Sep. 5	Oct. 9	.	.	May 14	.	(Feb. 28)	Oct. 10	May 10	May 7	.	May 14
Prothonotary warbler	-	-	-	Apr 15	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Kentucky warbler	-	-	July 14	.	July 1*			Sep. 29		.	.	.
Nashville warbler	Sep. 13	Aug. 17	.	.	.	.	(Feb. 28)	.	May 8	.	May 9	.
American redstart	May 9	May 6	May 13	May 2	May 24	Apr. 26	Apr. 29	May 19	May 1	May 13	May 10	May 3
Black & white warbler	May 9	July 18	.	June 18	Apr. 21	Apr. 27	Apr. 29	May 30	May 16	Apr. 29	Apr. 21	Apr. 24
Northern parula	May 11	May 10	July 20	Apr. 15*	.	May 10	May 8	May 15	Apr. 14	Apr. 29	Apr. 24	Apr. 27
Louisiana waterthrush	-	Sep. 28	.	Apr. 30	Apr. 15	Mar. 30	Apr. 16	Aug. 4	June 12	May 20	Mar. 31	Apr. 23
Northern waterthrush	-	-	May 8				May 17?		May 2	.	.	.
Ovenbird	.	.	May 29	May 3	June 3	May 7		Apr. 24	May 22	.	May 5	.
Common yellowthroat	Apr. 27	July 26	Apr. 28	May 2	May 13?	May 1	June 22	May 14	May 10	May 1	Sep. 3	Apr. 26
Blackburnian warbler	May 9	Sep. 12	Oct. 8	May 23			June 22	May 15	May 29	Apr. 29	Apr. 24	.
Yellow warbler	May 7	.	May 5	May 2	May 15	May 16		May 19	May 2	Apr. 27	Apr. 24	Apr. 28
Magnolia warbler	May 9	Sep. 20	Sep. 5	Sep. 5	May 14	May 7	May 20	Aug. 23	May 14	Sep. 3	Sept. 1	.
Chestnut-sided warbler	May 4	June 14	May 29	May 6	Aug. 26?	May 10	July 5	July 13	May 14	May 4	May 12	.
Bay-breasted warbler	-	-	-	-	Sep. 9	.	.	.	May 14	May 13	.	.
Canada warbler	May 18	.	May 15	May 2	.	Sep. 6	May 20	July 13	June 5	Sep. 3	May 16	.
Cape May warbler	-	-	-	Oct. 3	.	Oct. 7	.	.	Sep. 25	Sep. 10	.	Apr. 28
Black-throated green warbler	Oct. 1	Sep. 25	Sep. 12	May 3	Sep. 15	Oct. 12	May 8	May 8	May 29	Apr. 29	Apr. 29	Apr. 26
Black-throated blue warbler	-	May 10	Sep. 22	May 7	Sep. 9	Apr. 27	.	July 13	.	May 4	May 12	.
Prairie warbler	July 31	Apr. 30	May 18	Apr. 30	.	.	.	.	.	Apr. 27	.	May 12
Yellow-throated warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	May 4	.	Sep. 27	.	.	.
Palm warbler	-	Sep. 13	.	Apr. 1	.	Apr. 27	.	May 19	May 2	.	Apr. 22	.
Blackpoll warblers	May 17	May 9	May 9	May 12	May 16?	May 9	May 8	May 8	May 16	May 15	May 13	May 14
Yellow-breasted chat	.	July 11	.	July 9	Sep. 12	May 4	.	.	.	.	.	May 12
Sparrows, other songbirds	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Scarlet tanager	May 11	X ?	May 5	Apr. 30	May 19	May 4	Apr. 29	May 15	May 12	May 29	Apr. 29	May 3
Baltimore (ex-Northern) oriole	July 12	May 3	May 22	May 5	May 6	May 5	May 8	May 21	* Apr. 27	May 7	Apr. 24	Apr. 29
Orchard oriole	-	May 17	May 5	May 6	May 13	May 11	.	June 7	* June 18	May 7	May 21	.
Indigo bunting	May 8	Apr. 30	May 5	May 6	May 10	Apr. 23	Apr. 29	May 1	May 5	Apr. 22	Apr. 24	May 3
Field sparrow	.	.	.	.	.	Mar. 30	Mar. 25	Feb. 8	Apr. 6	Mar. 12	Mar. 25	.
Chipping sparrow	Apr. 30	Apr. 16	Apr. 8	Mar. 4	June 3	Mar. 30	Mar. 28	Mar. 26	Apr. 9	Apr. 1	Mar. 26	Apr. 8
Savannah sparrow	-	-	-	-	Apr. 15	Mar. 30	.	Sep. 29	Apr. 9	May 7	.	.
Grasshopper sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	June 1	May 17	June 29	.	(July 11)	.	.
House wren	X ?	Apr. 27	May 5	June 20	X ?	May 9	July 14	May 29	June 5	Apr. 16	Apr. 30	Apr. 25
Blue-gray gnatcatchers	May 24	Apr. 25	Apr. 25	Apr. 15	Apr. 22	Apr. 26	Apr. 11	Apr. 24	Apr. 9	Apr. 22	Apr. 21	Apr. 17
Brown thrashers	Apr. 10	Apr. 22	Apr. 20	Apr. 8	Apr. 15	Apr. 9	Apr. 11	Apr. 18	Apr. 11	Mar. 27	Apr. 19	Apr. 19
Gray catbird	Apr. 22	Apr. 21	Apr. 24	Apr. 21	Apr. 27	Apr. 26	Apr. 29	Apr. 26	May 2	Jan. 8	Apr. 29	Apr. 17
Yellow-billed cuckoo	July 13	July 26	May 8	May 7	June 6	May 9	June 8	June 22	May 14	Aug. 20	May 26	.
Rose-breasted grosbeak	May 16	Sep. 24	.	May 3	May 19	May 4	.	May 30	May 12*	(July 9)	Apr. 30	May 3
Blue grosbeak	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Aug. 7	.
Common grackles **	.	.	.	.	.	.	Mar. 12	Feb. 15	Mar. 18	Mar. 7	.	.
Brown-headed cowbirds **	.	.	.	Mar. 4	.	.	Feb. 15	Feb. 21	Mar. 12	Apr. 20	.	Mar. 23
Red-wing blackbirds **	.	.	.	.	.	.	Apr. 1	Mar. 28	Mar. 12	Mar. 7	.	.
Wood thrush	June 29	May 3	May 8	May 3	May 12	May 4	Apr. 29	June 25	May 22	.	Apr. 30	Apr. 23
Swainson's thrush	-	-	-	-	-	May 7	.	.	Sep. 25	Oct. 5	.	.
Veery	.	.	May 9	May 7	.	.	.	.	June 5	.	June 16	.
KEY
.	Transient: Seen in Spring and Fall, but breeds in the highlands or North during the summer; winters in Tropics.										.
.	Out-of-season sightings, etc. (links to blog posts, where available)										.
**	Formerly classified as Year-round resident.										.
(PARENTHESES):	Denotes sighting outside of Virginia or U.S.A.										.

Top ~ Spring/Summer/Fall ~ Winter ~ Semi-migratory ~ Resident ~ Misc.

Migratory birds: Winter

NOTE: For wintering migratory birds, the first arrival dates as given below are for the earlier year if the month is Sep.-Dec., and for the latter year if the month is Jan.-Apr.

Ducks, Raptors, etc.	1997-98	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Green-winged teal	-	-	-	-	-	Jan. 11	Feb. 1	Dec. 8	.	Apr. 1	Jan. 9	.
Blue-winged teal	-	Aug 17	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Apr. 8	.	.
Ruddy duck	-	-	-	-	-	Oct. 27	Dec. 16	Oct. 30	Oct. 23	Oct. 3	.	.
Ring-necked duck	-	-	-	-	-	-	Oct. 25	Jan. 28	Nov. 5	Feb. 27	.	.
Lesser scaup	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Feb. 24	.	.
Greater scaup	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	.	.
Redhead	-	-	-	-	-	Jan. 25	.	Feb. 5	Dec. 8	Mar. 24	.	.
Shoveler (duck)	-	-	-	-	-	-	Sep. 3	.	Dec. 8	Mar. 24	Feb. 9	.
Bufflehead (duck)	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Mar. 26	Feb. 3	.	.
Hooded merganser	-	-	-	Jan. 14	.	Nov. 23	Feb. 29	Dec. 3	.	Mar. 24	Feb. 9	.
Gadwall	-	-	-	Jan. 14	.	Dec. 28	.	Jan. 12	Dec. 8	Nov. 12	Feb. 9	.
Northern pintail	-	-	-	Feb. 9	.	.	.	.	.	Feb. 3	.	.
Pied-billed grebe	Nov. 16	Oct. 24	Oct. 30	.	Mar. 30	.	.	.	Nov. 6	Oct. 3	.	.
Horned grebe	-	-	-	-	Apr. 7	.	.	.	.	Apr. 1	.	.
American coot	-	-	-	Jan. 17*	Nov. 10	.	Nov. 2	Oct. 30	Nov. 6	Oct. 29	.	.
Herring gull	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Ring-billed gull	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Laughing gull	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	Aug. 7	.
Bald eagle	-	-	Jan. 17*	.	*Feb. 17	.	(Aug. 12)	May 22	(July 13)	.	.	.
Northern harrier	-	-	Aug. 31	.	.	Jan. 26	Oct. 12	Sep. 29	Nov. 30	.	.	.
Short-eared owl	-	-	-	-	-	Jan. 20	.	Feb. 8	Jan. 8	.	.	.
Sparrows, Finches, other songbirds	1997-98	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Yellow-rumped warbler	Nov. 27	Oct. 28	Oct. 13	Oct. 8	Oct. 15	Oct. 6	Oct. 12	Oct. 10	Oct. 12	Oct. 14	Oct. 1	.
White-throated sparrow	Oct. 19	Oct. 12	Oct. 13	Oct. 13	Oct. 19	Oct. 12	Oct. 19	Oct. 24	Sep. 29	Oct. 9	Oct. 7	.
White-crowned sparrow	-	Nov. 27	.	Oct. 22	Oct. 15	Oct. 25	Oct. 25	Oct. 25	Oct. 23	Oct. 14	.	.
Swamp sparrow	.	.	May 2	.	.	Oct. 24	Oct. 19	Oct. 23	Oct. 20	Oct. 14	.	.
Fox sparrow	Dec. 7	.	.	.	.	Oct. 27	Nov. 27	Nov. 20	Nov. 27	Feb. 12	.	.
Dark-eyed junco	Nov. 9	Oct. 19	Oct. 16, 27	Oct. 19	Oct. 20	Oct. 21	Oct. 26	Oct. 30	Oct. 17	Oct. 26	Oct. 14	.
Purple finch	Jan. 4	.	Feb. 24	.	Oct. 20	.	Oct. 19	Nov. 8	Oct. 29	.	Oct. 6	.
Pine siskin	-	-	Oct. 27	.	Apr. 23	.	.	* Nov. 10	Apr. 12	.	.	.
Hermit thrush	.	Nov. 12	Oct. 31	Oct. 22	Nov. 4	Oct. 19	Nov. 17	Nov. 11	Oct. 31	Oct. 30	.	.
Winter wren	Dec. 20	.	.	Oct. 22	Nov. 4	.	Nov. 9	Oct. 10	Nov. 27	.	.	.
Yellow-bellied sapsucker	Oct. 7	Nov. 12	Sep. 26	Oct. 24	.	Oct. 4	Oct. 4	Oct. 3	Oct. 4	Oct. 4	Oct. 6	.
Brown creeper	Jan. 13	Nov. 12	Oct. 8	.	Nov. 4	Oct. 12	.	# Nov. 21	Nov. 5	Mar. 31	Oct. 11	.
Red-breasted nuthatch	Dec. 20	.	Oct. 31	.	Oct. 20?	.	.	Nov. 21	.	.	Aug. 18/Oct. 1	.
Ruby-crowned kinglet	Nov. 3	Sep. 30	Oct. 8	* Oct. 18	Sep. 30	Oct. 4	Oct. 12	Oct. 10	Sep. 29	Sep. 25	Oct. 6	.
Golden-crowned kinglet	Oct. 19	Oct. 10	Oct. 30	Oct. 19	Oct. 19	Oct. 12	Oct. 19	Oct. 30	Nov. 5	Nov. 10	.	.
Horned lark	-	-	-	Oct. 3*	.	Jan. 26	.	.	Jan. 8	.	Jan. 9	.