I couldn't help but spend the day after the very successful pelagic trip
look for early arrivals and doing some atlasing in Worcester. Having
bettered the county record for Blue-gray Gnatcatcher last year, it's on to
bigger and better things!
April 4th holds the potential to better the spring arrival records for four
breeders - Ovenbird and Prothonatary Warbler (both 4/5 records), Hooded
Warbler (4/6) and Northern Parula (4/7). Certainly parula seems the most
likely, as the species is regular in late-March to our south. Hooded would
be tough, as this species is a relatively scarce, even in the breeding
season. The Blue-headed Vireo record is also 4/5, while Whip-poor-will, an
early arriving species, has a prior record on 4/4 (unpublished). My
earliest whip was in late-April, so it's one where I was after a tie and
personal best.
Additionally, after the initial arrival of Louisiana Waterthrush,
Yellow-throated Warbler and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, the next most likely is
Black-and-white Warbler, with one odd March record, and then a number
starting 4/1. White-eyed Vireo and Common Yellowthroat come next.
All Worcester records for these second-tier species on 4/10 and earlier are
listed below.
Up until 7:30 am the weather cooperated, and I birded the Colburne area, but
the storm blew and the relatively light singing this time of year died down
quickly. The highlight was a pre-dawn Whip-poor-will along Laws Road, in an
area thick with them in summer. It tied the Worcester arrival record from
1955 (from none other than John Terborgh, now a well-known ornithologist).
The only other bird on the seek list were 2 Black-and-white Warblers singing
on Old Beech Road. I tallied 5 gnatcatchers, 14 waterthrushes, and 11
Yellow-throated Warblers. Data from Terborgh's trips is available for four
species:
Whip-poor-will
WPWI 04/04/1955 1 PSWAMP/N, (Terborgh, J. W.) (CSR)
Yellow-throated Warbler
YTWA 04/04/1955 25 PSWAMP, MB "good count for early in season". CSR
"Pocomoke". MB "P. Swamp". (Hailman, J., Terborgh, J. W.) CSR cites JWT.
(CSR MB 11:61)
Black-and-White Warbler
BAWW 04/04/1955 4 PSWAMP, AN date, 04/05/1955, in error. CSR/AN
"Pocomoke". (Terborgh, J. W.) AN cite no obs. (CSR AN 11:34)
Louisiana Waterthrush
LOWA 04/04/1955 10 PSWAMP, "Pocomoke". (Terborgh, J. W.) (CSR)
Interesting to compare the old and the new .
Mark L Hoffman
Appendix 1 Worcester County Records of Early Migrants, 4/10 and earlier.
Whip-poor-will
WPWI 04/04/1955 1 PSWAMP/N, (Terborgh, J. W.) (CSR)
White-eyed Vireo
WEVI 03/26/1998 1 FLEMRDDIVC, FN "record early arrival for MD". MB "very
early". MB and FN "Dividing Creek, WC". (MLH) (MB 55:29 FN 52:314 Unpub.
Obs.) Photos. FN "though overwintering would seem possible there".
0755:0818.
WEVI 04/02/1977 1 MASSEYXING, MB & AB "state arrival record by 6 days".
AB "WC". (Vaughn, C. R.) (MB 33:124 AB 31:986)
WEVI 04/06/1991 1 NASS, "early". (Garland, M.) (MB 47:123)
WEVI 04/06/1991 1 SHADLSP, "early". (Garland, M.) (MB 47:123)
WEVI 04/09/1991 3 VAUGHWMA, (O'Brien, M., Wierenga, H. L.) (MB 47:123 AB
45:429)
WEVI 04/09/1994 1 VAUGHWMA, MB arrivals (partial). MLH center and south
areas. MB WC/S. (MLH) (MB 51:119 Unpub. Obs.)
WEVI 04/09/1994 1 WC/CW, MB arrivals (partial). 113-St.
Lukes-Halfway-Stevens-Whitesburg- (MLH) (MB 51:119 Unpub. Obs.) F.
Mill-364-McMaster. MB WC/S. 0930:1230.
Blue-headed Vireo
BHVI 04/05/1981 1 PSWAMP, ADT. "early". County not specified. (Mignogno,
D.) (MB 37:109, 119)
BHVI 04/07/1946 1 SNOWHILL, WT & S&R58 cites no #. S&R58 extreme spring
arrival dates. CSR "S to Mataponi Landing and back". S&R58 "WC". (Robbins,
C. S., Stewart, R. E., et al.) S&R58 and WT cite no obs. (WT 1:14 Stewart
and Robbins 1958) WT "arrival"
Northern Parula
NOPA 04/07/1946 1 NASS, S&R58 and WT no #. S&R58 extreme spring arrival
date. S&R58 "WC". CSR "Nassawango Pond, up Nass. Creek, & return". (Robbins,
C. S., Stewart, R. E., et al.) WT & S&R58 cite no obs. (CSR WT 1:14 Stewart
and Robbins 1958) WT "P. R
NOPA 04/07/1946 1 RTSHPR, S&R58 and WT no #. S&R58 extreme spring arrival
date. CSR "river". S&R58 "WC". (Robbins, C. S., Stewart, R. E., et al.) WT &
S&R58 cite no obs. (CSR WT 1:14 Stewart and Robbins 1958) WT "P. River in
vicinity of Snow Hill, wel
NOPA 04/07/1946 1 SNOWHILL, S&R58 and WT no #. S&R58 extreme spring
arrival date. CSR "S to Mataponi Landing and back". S&R58 "WC". (Robbins, C.
S., Stewart, R. E., et al.) WT & S&R58 cite no obs. (CSR WT 1:14 Stewart and
Robbins 1958) WT "P. River in
NOPA 04/08/1981 1 DIVIDINGCR, County not specified. (Mignogno, D.) (MB
37:120)
NOPA 04/08/1989 1 NASS, "early". (Swift, C.) (MB 45:113)
NOPA 04/09/1959 1 PSWAMPWILL, MB "early". (Dyke, S. H.) (MB 15:104 AN
14:202)
NOPA 04/09/1991 1 OC, MB "early". AB "first". (O'Brien, M.) (MB 47:123 AB
45:429)
NOPA 04/09/1994 1 WC/CW, MB arrival. 113-St.
Lukes-Halfway-Stevens-Whitesburg- (MLH) (MB 51:119 Unpub. Obs.) F.
Mill-364-McMaster. MB WC/S. 0930:1230.
Black-and-White Warbler
BAWW 03/18/1972 1 PSFOREST/S, ADT. MB "State record arrival", AN "early".
(Rowlett, R. A.) (MB 28:107, 115 AN 27:192)
BAWW 04/01/1948 6 PSWAMP/N, (Robbins, C. S., Stewart, R. E.) (CSR)
BAWW 04/02/1994 1 BLADESRD, MB "early". (MLH, O'Brien, M.) (MB 51:120
Unpub. Obs.) 0715:0840.
BAWW 04/03/1938 2 NEWARK, A38 "earliest". PCF "arrival". (Ammann, G. A.)
(PCF Ammann 1938)
BAWW 04/04/1955 4 PSWAMP, AN date, 04/05/1955, in error. CSR/AN
"Pocomoke". (Terborgh, J. W.) AN cite no obs. (CSR AN 11:34)
BAWW 04/04/1982 1 WC, ADT. (Unknown) (MB 38:91)
BAWW 04/05/1959 1 PSWAMPWILL, (Unknown) (AN 14:202)
BAWW 04/05/1993 2 PSFOREST, First arrival. (O'Brien, M.) (MB 51:18)
BAWW 04/05/1998 1 BLADESRD, ad. m. (MLH) (Unpub. Obs.) "singing".
0700:0815.
BAWW 04/06/1963 8 PSWAMP, (Unknown) (MB 19:68)
BAWW 04/07/1946 4 MATTAPONIL, "Mattaponi Landing Rd". (Robbins, C. S.,
Stewart, R. E., et al.) WT cites no obs. (CSR WT 1:14) WT "P. River in
vicinity of Snow Hill, well distributed". 0745:0815.
BAWW 04/07/1946 6 NASS, "Nassawango Pond, up Nass. Creek, & return".
(Robbins, C. S., Stewart, R. E., et al.) WT cites no obs. (CSR WT 1:14) WT
"P. River in vicinity of Snow Hill, well distributed". 0640:0730.
BAWW 04/07/1946 4 RTSHPR, (Robbins, C. S., Stewart, R. E., et al.) WT
cites no obs. (CSR WT 1:14) WT "P. River in vicinity of Snow Hill, well
distributed".
BAWW 04/07/1946 1 RTSTWEL, (Robbins, C. S., Stewart, R. E., et al.) WT
cites no obs. (CSR WT 1:14) WT "P. River in vicinity of Snow Hill, well
distributed". 1040:1100.
BAWW 04/07/1946 2 SNOWHILL, CSR "S to Mataponi Landing and back".
(Robbins, C. S., Stewart, R. E., et al.) WT cites no obs. (CSR WT 1:14) WT
"P. River in vicinity of Snow Hill, well distributed".
BAWW 04/07/1981 1 WC, ADT. (Unknown) (MB 37:109)
BAWW 04/07/1990 1 NASS, No #. "Nass. Creek". (Dyke, S. H.) (AB 44:410)
"feeding among cypress knees in cold (28 F) wet snow".
BAWW 04/09/1973 1 WC, ADT. (Unknown) (MB 29:117)
BAWW 04/09/1994 1 WC/CW, 113-St. Lukes-Halfway-Stevens-Whitesburg- (MLH)
(Unpub. Obs.) F. Mill-364-McMaster. 0930:1230.
Prothonotary Warbler
PROW 04/05/1975 1 POCOMOCITY, MB ADT. AB "very early". AN "early". AB
"near POCOMOCITY". (Dyke, S. H.) (MB 31:112 AB 29:836 AN 31:36) No details
in MB.
PROW 04/06/1991 1 WHITONXING, MB "first". AB "early". (Pitney, E. L., et
al.) AB cites ELP. (MB 47:124 AB 45:429)
PROW 04/08/1951 1 WC, MB ADT. S&R58 no #. S&R58 extreme arrival date.
(Cutler, D. A.) MB cites no obs. (CSR MB 8:14 Stewart and Robbins 1958) In
DAC letter to CSR, "early".
Ovenbird
OVEN 04/05/1993 1 PSFOREST, First arrival, "early". (O'Brien, M.) (MB
51:19)
OVEN 04/06/1991 1 WHITONXING, MB "first". AB "early". (Pitney, E. L., et
al.) AB cites ELP. (MB 47:124 AB 45:429)
OVEN 04/07/1998 1 WHITONXING, (MLH) (Unpub. Obs.) Heard once, some doubt
re. id. 1137:1200.
OVEN 04/08/1995 1 GIRDLETREE, "early". (Broderick, C., Broderick, D.) (MB
52:90)
OVEN 04/09/1991 3 VAUGHWMA, "early". (O'Brien, M., Wierenga, H. L.) (MB
47:124)
OVEN 04/09/1994 1 VAUGHWMA, MB "early", tied arrival. MLH center and
south areas. MB WC/S. (MLH) (MB 51:120 Unpub. Obs.)
OVEN 04/09/1994 3 WC/CW, MB "early", tied arrival. 113-St.
Lukes-Halfway-Stevens-Whitesburg- (MLH) (MB 51:120 Unpub. Obs.) F.
Mill-364-McMaster. MB WC/S. 0930:1230.
Common Yellowthroat
COYE 03/25/1991 1 AI/NE, (MLH) (MB 47:125 Unpub. Obs.) MB "may have been
an early migrant".
COYE 04/05/1993 1 PSFOREST, First arrival. (O'Brien, M.) (MB 51:19)
COYE 04/06/1991 1 AI/LL, (MLH) (Unpub. Obs.)
COYE 04/07/1991 2 AI/PT, (MLH) (Unpub. Obs.)
COYE 04/10/1960 1 WC, (Dyke, S. H.) Infer obs. (AN 15:204)
COYE 04/10/1994 1 CAMPBELLRD, (MLH) (Unpub. Obs.)
Hooded Warbler
HOWA 04/06/1996 1 NASS, FN "extremely early, but not w/out precedent".
NAB "Nassawango Creek, WC". FN no county. (Jenion, S.) (NAB FN 50:265) FN
"remarkable nonetheless".
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