Kelly Mcallister wrote:
"I believe that April 6 may be the earliest Washington Purple Martin date
I've ever heard of."

In any question concerning dates, behavior, or avian trivia, I have long
since discovered that we are seeing very little that was not documented by
the old-timers (Gene Kridler not necessarily included in this :-))

I checked the 1953 Birds of Washington State account for "Northern Purple
Martin" (pp 452-453), where it notes "In migration to Tacoma, Apr. 1, 1905
(Dawson, 1909; 329); Bellingham, Apr. 2, 1921 (Edson); Seattle, Apr. 6, 1899
(Rathbun); Puget Sound region, about Sept. 1 (Dawson, 1909; 329)."

"While the earliest recorded spring arrival is March 29, the usual date of
the martin's appearance is about May 1; and even after this date the birds
keep coming in for some time. In 1919 the species was observed to be about
three times as numerous the first of July as on the first of June."

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net