Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon - Towhees, Sparrows 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: Towhees, Sparrows
Cassin's Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Lark Bunting
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)
Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided)
Dark-eyed Junco (White-winged)
Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed)
White-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow (Eastern)
White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's)
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
[Dark-eyed Junco X White-throated Sparrow]
Vesper Sparrow
LeConte's Sparrow
Nelson's Sparrow
Baird's Sparrow
Henslow's Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Abert's Towhee
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Eastern Towhee
[Spotted Towhee X Eastern Towhee]
[Pipilo towhee]

Spotted Towhee(Pipilo maculatus)
YearSeasonNS
1981FallThree reports of western race 10-15 Hennepin SC, 11-19 Houston female EMF, 11-25 Houston male EMF.
1995Fall8/18 Pine (St Croix S. P.) BSe. [Corrected]
1996Spring Early south 5/5 Lincoln JA, RgS, 5/7 Cottonwood ED (no details on either record).
1996Fall Only report 9/29–10/2 Murray ND.
1996Winter Overwintered in Rochester, Olmsted Co. mob.
1997Spring All reports: overwintered through mid-March at Assisi Heights Convent in Rochester, Olmsted Co. fide AH, 5/10 Lyon RbS, RgS, 5/14 Otter Tail SDM.
1997Summer One record: 7/7–8 Hennepin (New Hope) HH.
1997Fall All documented reports: 9/27 (female) Lyon RgS, 10/7–12 Moulton Twp., Murray Co. (male) ND, 10/13 Brown (male) JSp, 10/15 Iona Twp., Murray Co. (male) ND.
1997Winter Reported 12/21–1/3 Otter Tail (Fergus Falls) SDM (The Loon 70:171–172).
1998Spring Only documented report: 5/4 Rock (Blue Mounds S. P.) KE, PS.
1998Fall All reports: 10/3 Rock (1) and Pipestone (2) KE, WM, 10/10 Rock AH, 11/21 Ramsey JH.
1999Spring Reported 5/3 Cottonwood (male in Mountain Lake) ED. This was the only report from the southwest region, where this species is now expected during late April and early May. An undocumented report from Rice Co. was excluded since it fell outside this migration corridor and would have been a county first.
1999Summer Second summer record since the split three years ago; 7/10 Ramsey (St. Paul) VC.
1999Fall Only reports from the southwest region, where this species is most likely to be found during migration: 10/1 Lac qui Parle WM, 10/17–18 Murray ND.
2000Spring All reports: 4/30 Lac qui Parle (Louisburg Rd.) PS, 4/30 Otter Tail TJa, SDM.
2000Summer Only report: 6/3 Meeker (Litchfield Nature Center) †DMF.
2000Fall Record number of individuals since the split of Eastern Towhee! Two north reports: mid-October in Otter Tail (TJa) and early November in Becker (fide BAB). Seven or eight birds reported south: 9/27 Rock (Vienna Twp.) ND, 10/7–8 Carver (Lowery N.C.) BJM, DDM, †PEB, mob, 10/16–28 Freeborn (1–2 at Myre-Big Island S.P.) AEB, RBJ, 10/17 Murray (Moulton Twp.) ND, 10/23 Brown (two at Flandran S.P.; description of white at base of its primaries suggests the possibility of a hybrid) †JSS, 10/25+ Scott (photographed at a feeder in Shakopee; overwintered but hit window and died on 4/3/01) fide RBJ. Finally, what was initially presumed to be a hybrid Eastern X Spotted Towhee, on 11/23+ Lake †JWL, †KRE, †PHS, remains unidentified even though studied and photographed from close range. Note that two reports this season were potential hybrids, and most of the others lacked documentation. We request detailed plumage descriptions for all future reports as we try to distinguish presumably pure towhees from hybrids.
2000Winter Six birds reported. Two overwintered in Lyon (Russell) †RJS, mob (The Loon 73:184–185). Also seen 11/26 – 12/4 Hennepin (Minneapolis) fide AXH, 12/9–31 Dakota (Burnsville) TAT, ADS, †PEB, 1/31 – 2/28 Murray NED, and late January in Scott (south of Shakopee) fide AXH.
2001Spring Birds from winter season last reported 3/1 Scott (Shakopee) fide AXH, 3/17 Lyon (Russell) mob, 3/18 Murray (Moulton Twp.) NED. Also found during its usual spring migration period 4/26 Pipestone (Edgerton) NED, 5/6 Rock JJS.
2001Fall Only report: one at feeder in Olmsted (Rochester) during late October (RLE).
2001Winter No reports.
2002Spring Only documented report: 5/13 Steele (male at Rice Lake S.P.) ph. †PHS.
2002Fall Four undocumented reports from the western third of the state. All reports: 10/6 Otter Tail (Fergus Falls) SPM, mid-October Becker (2 at Detroit Lakes) fide JMJ, 10/14 Nobles (Indian Lake) RBJ.
2003Spring One male 5/17 Rock (near Luverne) †PHS, AXH. Also see undocumented reports.
2003Fall Only documented report: 10/9 Lac qui Parle (Boyd) †FAE. Also reported 9/27 Nicollet LWF, 10/5 Lac qui Parle (Arena Twp.) BJU, 11/1–2 St. Louis EDu, JJS, CRM.
2004Spring Single adult males 4/28 Lac qui Parle (sec. 25, Walter Twp.) †BJU, 4/30 Murray (Moulton Twp.) †NED, 5/1 Jackson (Roberston C.P.) †RMD et al., 5/1 Big Stone N.W.R. †PEJ, DFN, 5/2 Lac qui Parle (Freeland Twp.) †BJU. Adult female 5/2 Rock (Blue Mounds S.P.) †RMD et al. Also see undocumented reports.
2004Fall Only report: one at feeder 10/14–20 Hennepin (Excelsior) DDM, BJM, BWF †ADS.
2005Spring Only report: 5/8 Renville (Olivia) ph. CSH. An apparent hybrid 4/16 Pipestone RMD, MTA, CFa, delivered a Spotted Towhee song, but exhibited an extensive white patch at the base of its primaries.
2005Fall Two reports: 9/17 Cass (forest road 2/35) †BJU, 10/1 Rock (Blue Mounds S.P.) KRE.
2005Winter Overwintered St. Louis (Cook) CER, †MLH, ph. JWL, ph. †PHS, m.ob. Though its identity was first confirmed by RBJ in mid-February, it started visiting the Roivanen's feeder before Thanksgiving.
2006Spring South reports: 4/21 Chippewa (male) †BJU, 5/10–12 Martin (male at Fairmont) †JNB, 5/14 Cottonwood (Mountain Lake C.P.) HHD, JJS. North reports: overwintered through 3/8 St. Louis (female or immature male at Cook) ph. †DAC, m.ob., 5/9–11 Otter Tail (male at Fergus Falls) †SPM, 5/9–11 Polk (male near Climax) ph. DLT.
2006Fall Two north reports: 10/12 Otter Tail (Fergus Falls) SPM, 10/14 St. Louis (Hoyt Lakes) ALE, NAJ. Two south reports: 9/25 Lac qui Parle (Arena Twp.) †BJU, 10/8 Wright (Lake Maria S.P.) †DPG.
2006Winter2 All reports: 1/29–2/2 Scott JEB et al., 2/6–26 Mower (Austin) ph. †RNS, m.ob.
2007Spring Adult male 4/24–29 Hennepin (Richardson N.C.) TMo, †CMB, ph. †JPM, m.ob. Two out of range and unseasonal reports from Scott and Dakota in late May were insufficiently documented.
2007Fall1 Only report: 9/28 Rock HHD.
2008Spring No documented reports.
2008Fall1 Only report 9/24–27 Clay †RHO, m.ob.
2009Spring2 All reports 5/13 Lac qui Parle NSc, BJU, 5/22 Lyon RJS.
2009Summer1 New county record: 6/9 Kittson (singing male, Lake Bronson S.P.) ph. RMD.
2009Fall No reports.
2009Winter1 Only report: female at feeder 12/28 – 1/14 Pine (near Bruno) ph. LSc, SWe, JFR, RBJ.
2010Spring1 Only report 5/23 Rock (Blue Mounds S.P.) CLW. Another mid-May record from Lac qui Parle County was photographed, but key plumage features to preclude the possibility of a hybrid were not visible and no description was included.
2010Fall Only report 10/9 Lyon ph. †KRE, LS.
2010Winter See Undocumented Reports.
2011Spring13 Reported in expected range 5/9 Lac qui Parle (Colbert W.P.A.) ph. BJU, 5/11 Lac qui Parle (female, Hantho Beach) ph. BJU, 5/13 Big Stone (male, Ortonville) ph. BJU. Also unexpected 5/1 Dakota (Gun Club Lake) PEJ and far out-of-range 4/30 St. Louis (male, Duluth) ph. MLH, ph. †PHS, m.ob. One report 5/11 Hennepin (T. S. Roberts Bird Sanctuary) TAT was a female towhee with heavy spotting on shoulder, but not seen well enough to distinguish as a Spotted Towhee or a hybrid.
2011Fall11 Male found 9/30 in Steele (Saco Farm) ph. PSu. Another male found 11/9–11 was a first county record for Crow Wing ph. JDB.
2011Winter1Only report was of an individual first found in October and seen through 1/29 in Mower (Austin) JSG, ph. TDo, ph. RNS, ph.RTe, ph. ANy, †DAB, m.ob.
2012Spring12 All south 4/20 Ramsey (Lauderdale) CCh, 5/16 Lyon (Camden S.P.) BWF, JWH. All north 4/22 Otter Tail (2) SPM.
2012Summer1 Seen 6/24 Clay (Buffalo River S.P.) ph. BCS, MO.
2012Fall No reports.
2012Winter1 Two different individuals provided first records for Rice: 12/29–1/6 (immature) †DAB, ph. GHo, 1/13–2/27 (adult male, south of Faribault) ph. JLn, m.ob.
2013Spring2 One that overwintered in Rice (Faribault) lingered until 4/19 JLn. Two were also seen in Pipestone (Pipestone N.M.) 5/9 CRM.
2013Summer1 Observed 7/7 Clay (Buffalo River S.P.) MO.
2013Fall2 Two reports: 10/9 Anoka (Springbrook Nature Center) ph. PJM, 10/22 Carver (Minnesota Landscape Arboreteum) JCy.
2014Spring12All reports 4/2–8 Kandiyohi (Yohi W.M.A.) ph. †JWd, SGa, JoS, 5/9 Lyon (3 males, School Grove Lake) PME, 5/5 Clay (Moorhead) RHO, 5/30+ Clay (Buffalo River S.P.) MO, m.ob.
2014Summer1Continuing from spring, seen 6/1–7/5 Clay (Buffalo River S.P.) MO, ph. ALD, m.ob.
2014Fall No reports.
2015Spring1 Only report 5/22 Clay (Buffalo River S.P.) MO.
2015Fall1 Only report from downtown Two Harbors, 9/24 Lake ph. JWL ph. JPR.
2016Spring1 Only report 4/28 Lac qui Parle (Big Stone N.W.R.) DLP
2016Summer1 Observed 6/4, 6/5, 7/2, 7/10 Clay (Buffalo River S.P.) MO, fide JMJ.
2016Fall1 Only report 10/15 Lac qui Parle (Lac qui Parle C.P.) WCM.
2017Spring1 Only one report of this infrequent spring visitor: 4/30–5/2 Lyon ph. NMe, m.ob.
2017Fall4 Five individuals reported south: 10/5–8 Hennepin (Plymouth) ph. † PRH, m.ob., 10/11 Rock (Blue Mounds S.P.) KnM, ASu, 10/13 Cottonwood KnM, ASu, Hennepin (Lake Harriet Rose Garden) TAT, m.ob., 11/18–27 Ramsey (Lauderdale) ph. JuW, m.ob.
2017Winter2 All reports: 2/14 Lac qui Parle CBC (Watson, Chippewa Co.) PME, 12/14 Lac qui Parle CBC, 12/16 St. Paul (North) CBC, 1/6–2/17 Ramsey (present from November at private feeder in Lauderdale, same bird as CBC), †ALw, JeT, ph. LiH, m.ob.
2018Spring12 One from winter continued south through 4/3 in Ramsey (Lauderdale) ph. LiH, ASu. One more south report 5/2–4 Steele (Somerset Twp.) ph. PSu. Only north report 5/8–10 Polk (East Grand Forks) ph. SAu, m.ob.
2018Fall12 One north report 10/13 Becker ph. RAb; two south reports 10/13 Lac qui Parle (Big Stone N.W.R.) DLP, 11/18 Chippewa ph. fide EzH.
2018Winter1 Reported for third consecutive winter: 12/14 Mower ph. † TDo.
2019Spring1 This infrequent spring visitor was reported only once this season 5/4, 5/9 Lyon (S.M.S.U.) ph. NMe, m.ob.
2019Fall11 Two reports: 10/13–19 St. Louis (male, Eveleth) ph. ECo, 11/30 Dakota (male, Hastings) ph. † KDS.
2019Winter1 Reported for fourth consecutive winter 12/3 – 2/16 Morrison ph. † SEm, m.ob.
2020Spring11 Two individuals: 4/28–29 Lyon (male) ph. MOs, m.ob.; one continuing from winter last reported 4/22 Morrison (male) SEm, MEm.
2020Fall29 Best season for this species ever. All north 9/29 Clay (Glyndon) ph. CBm, 10/2 Lake (Silver Bay) ABm. All south 9/22 Swift (male and female) DLP, 9/23–24 Big Stone/Lac qui Parle (Big Stone N.W.R.) DLP, ph. ASu, m.ob., 9/25 Chippewa (Shakopee Lake) †CRM, ph. RMS, m.ob., 9/28–29 Hennepin (Minnetonka) ph. RuS, m.ob., 9/29 Lyon (Lone Tree Lake) GWe, 10/3–7 Ramsey (by Vadnais Lake) †LiH, EzH, Ish, 10/24 Le Sueur (Ney N.C.) †DBz, ph. †DWK, m.ob., 11/3–23 Ramsey (Maplewood) JGl, 11/10–11 Mower (Austin) PMM, ph. JPr, JmP, 10/5 – 11/13 Lyon (Cottonwood) ph. GWe.
2020Winter6 Observed for fifth consecutive winter in an unprecedented six counties (previous season-high two). All reports: 12/28, 1/11 Jackson (Christiania Twp.) ph. †KEm, JWH, 12/3 Ramsey (Maplewood) JGl, 12/26 – 2/17 Dakota (Marshan Twp.) MwT, ph. DWK, ph. TGi, m.ob., 1/2 Mountain Lake-Windom CBC, 1/15 Anoka (Blaine) ph. JoW, 2/23 Hennepin (Bloomington) ph. †RBW, ph. RDv. All reports of single individuals.
2021Spring3 Two overwintering individuals still present south: 3/12–17 Hennepin (East Marsh Lake) RDa, MZa, 3/17–18 Dakota (180th St.) JHa, REn, RLF. Only spring migrant was 5/5 Kandiyohi (Spicer) ph. JiA, ebd.
2021Fall22 All north 11/14–18 Aitkin (female type, Aitkin) ebd, ph. LBa, m.ob., 11/13 St. Louis (Park Point R.A.) †APi, JPR. All south 9/26 Hennepin (Hyland Lake P.R.) RBW, 10/20 Hennepin (female type, Clifton French R.P.) ph. ebd, 10/9 Lac qui Parle (male, Lac qui Parle S.P.) †DLP.
2021Winter2 Observed for the sixth consecutive winter, this season from two counties: 12/21 Sherburne (Becker Twp.) †MJB, 12/14 – 2/21 Goodhue ph. MGe, ph. †KEm (continuing into spring season).
2022Spring2 Overwintering bird in Goodhue (Zumbrota) continued through 4/22 MGe, m.ob. Only other bird 5/8 Kandiyohi (female, Willmar) JHa, ph. JWd, JoS.
2022Fall23 Scattered reports across the state. All north 10/4 Otter Tail RBW, 11/20–21 Lake (Two Harbors) MLH, JWL, LiH, JGW. All south 10/6 Rock (Blue Mounds S.P.) PRH, 11/13–30+ Meeker (Collinwood Twp.) ph. PKF, m.ob., 11/30+ Faribault (Dunbar Twp.) ph. fide ChH (median 10/15). Also see winter report.
 
 Migrant throughout and rare summer and winter visitant.

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.