Hi,

While the spring reporting period begins March 1, Spring the season begins
on the vernal equinox, the day when the length of the day and night are
equal.  This year that will be on Tuesday March 20.

I think that for me, at least in northern Ohio, a true spring migrant must
be a complete migrant, that is a species which >99.997% of the population
vacate the breeding range in the non breeding months.  For me the
harbingers of springs are true neotropical migrants.  I expect to begin
hearing Louisiana Waterthrushes singing on territory on April 1
Eastern Phoebes soon after but they winter in the Southern US.
 Black-throated Blues and Greens may be found in the region around this
time, but not  here on the higher elevations. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks on
the other hand are among the first true neotropic migrants to appear in
good numbers here on the front of Allegheny Plateau.  Mid April would be
quite early for that species, but 5 days latter they will show up in good
numbers and to me signal the beginning of peak migration.

Spring begins in 3 weeks!

Haans Petruschke
Kirtland

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