Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon - Gulls, Terns Occurrence
This is the 1930 to present seasonal report archive for
The Loon, journal of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
The last 2 years are available to MOU members.
Seasons
Families
Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks
New World Quail
Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys
Grebes
Pigeons, Doves
Cuckoos
Nightjars
Swifts
Hummingbirds
Rails, Gallinules, Coots
Limpkin
Cranes
Stilts, Avocets
Plovers
Sandpipers
Jaegers
Alcids
Gulls, Terns
Loons
Shearwaters and Petrels
Storks
Frigatebirds
Boobies and Gannets
Cormorants
Pelicans
Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons
Ibises
New World Vultures
Osprey
Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles
Barn Owls
Screech-Owls, Owls
Kingfishers
Woodpeckers
Caracaras, Falcons
Flycatchers
Vireos
Shrikes
Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows
Chickadees, Titmice
Larks
Martins, Swallows
Kinglets
Waxwings
Silky-flycatchers
Nuthatches
Creepers
Gnatcatchers
Wrens
Thrashers, Mockingbirds
Starlings
Dippers
Thrushes
Old World Flycatchers
Old World Sparrows
Pipits
Finches
Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Towhees, Sparrows
Yellow-breasted Chat
Blackbirds, Orioles
Warblers
Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks

Seasons
Species: Gulls, Terns
Black-legged Kittiwake
Ivory Gull
Sabine's Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Black-headed Gull
Little Gull
Ross's Gull
Laughing Gull
Franklin's Gull
Short-billed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Herring Gull (American)
Herring Gull (Vega)
Iceland Gull
Iceland Gull (Thayer's)
Iceland Gull (Kumlien's)
Iceland Gull (Iceland)
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Slaty-backed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous Gull
[Herring Gull X Glaucous Gull]
Great Black-backed Gull
Least Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Forster's Tern
[Sterna tern]
[Royal Tern]
Sandwich Tern
Elegant Tern
[Thalasseus tern]

Slaty-backed Gull(Larus schistisagus)
YearSeasonNS
2006Summer First state record 7/21+ Cook (adult at Grand Marais) KMH; photographed by m.ob. with written documentation by †DAB, †PBB, †PCC, †KRE, †MLH, †SES, †FVS, †PHS.
2006Fall First Minnesota record at Grand Marais 7/21–8/14 Cook (The Loon 79:11–14).
2006Winter2 An adult was well documented 12/3–5 and again 12/9–13 Dakota (Black Dog Lake) providing Minnesota's second record †JPM, †BAF, †ADS, †PEB, m.ob. Amazingly, the state's third record was soon discovered 1/14–25 Washington and Dakota (Pt. Douglas Park and Mississippi River off Prescott, WI) ph. †JPM, †MAO; documentation also provided by †PEB, ph. †BAF, ph. DWK, ph. †PHS. After its initial discovery, this bird spent most of its time on the Mississippi River just south of Pt. Douglas, on both sides of the state line (Dakota County, MN and Pierce County, WI); towards the end of its stay, it was found roosting at Black Dog Lake (DWK, ChM). This was likely a fourth-cycle bird based on markings in a few rectrices as well as on the bill. It bore a strong resemblance to an individual previously seen and photographed in LaCrosse, WI (D. Jackson fide DWK).
2007Winter1 Adult in definitive basic plumage 1/10, 1/12, 1/13, 1/27 St. Louis (Duluth) ph. JWL, ph. †PHS, MLH (The Loon 80:171–173). Presumably the same adult frequented the Superior Landfill in Douglas County, Wisconsin, 12/21 through 4/12 KJB, m.ob., but the only sighting in Minnesota after January was 3/15 †PHS. Fourth state record.
2008Spring1 An adult overwintered in Duluth/Superior, WI and was last seen in Minnesota 3/15 St. Louis †PHS. Fourth state record.
2009Spring1 Adult found 3/28 in Lyon at Black Rush Lake was the fifth state record and the first for western Minnesota, ph. †RJS.
2009Fall1 Third-cycle bird present in St. Louis (Minnesota side of Superior Entry) beginning 10/28 ph. †MLH, ph. †KJB, ph. †PHS, ph. †KRE, ph. EBr and observed intermittently through the end of the season. Sixth state record, all since 2006.
2009Winter1 The sixth state record was a third-cycle first found 10/28 (see Fall report) and still present 12/4–13 St. Louis (Canal Park and Superior Entry, Duluth) ph. †KJB, †PHS, KRE, ph. MLH, ph. MSS.
2010Winter1 Adult first seen on 12/19 at the Superior Landfill in Wisconsin was later found that same day in St. Louis at Canal Park where it was exhaustively documented and photographed ph. †KJB, ph. †PHS (The Loon 83:141–142). It was last seen in Minnesota on 1/16 KJB. Seventh state record and third for St. Louis.
2012Winter1 One adult seen 12/30–1/5 St. Louis (Superior Entry then at Canal Park) ph. †KJB, ph. †PHS, ph. JLK, m.ob. This is the eighth record for the state.
2018Fall1  A well documented third-cycle represented the ninth state record of this species 10/28–11/01 Cook (Grand Portage Marina) ph. † KRE, ph. † EzH, ph. ASu, ph. REn, m.ob.
2020Fall1 The tenth state record was an apparent late second-cycle or early third-cycle found 8/28 St. Louis (Port Terminal) ph. †PHS. This represents the second earliest record for the state.
2021Fall1 The first south report of this species since 2009 was an adult found 11/22 Wabasha (Lake Pepin) ph. †PEJ. It was last reported in early December.
2021Winter1 One report: 12/3 Wabasha (adult continuing from 11/22, Lake City) ph. †PEJ.
 
 Eleven records: one spring, one summer-fall, three fall, one fall-winter, four winter, and one winter-spring. Recorded in three of the last ten years, most recently 2021.

Notes:

Click on the bird name to see a photographic image of the bird.
Column N  Number of counties where the bird was seen in the North.
Column S  Number of counties where the bird was seen in the South.