ML426806411

Observation details

Rare. Wow! This bird is 8 days earlier than the current M&V vicinity record (27 March 2020), which was 4 days earlier than the prior record (1989). Saw reports of whips over the past two days in Albemarle and Fairfax, VA, and thought I would give it a shot. Went to the spot where I confirmed Whip-poor-wills breeding during VABBA2, and had one whip begin singing just a startling few feet away (first uploaded audio). Looks to be another year like 2020, which produced numerous early arrival records; already had first arrivals of BRTH and BHVI (14 days and 3 days, respectively) earlier than I had previously recorded.