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Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon | |
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The 2004-Fall Season 1 August through 30 November 2004 Tom Auer, Paul E. Budde, James W. Lind, and Peder H. Svingen |
A juvenile Black-bellied Whistling-Duck found in Big Stone County 1 August disappeared shortly after its discovery — where on Earth did it hatch? Observers responding to requests for documentation of the recently split Cackling Goose found identification problems posed by the remaining members of the Canada Goose complex. Surveys at Rice Lake N.W.R. greatly enhanced our understanding of the fall staging of waterfowl at this Aitkin County refuge. Imagine the potential for insight if data from all state, federal, and private sources were combined into one seasonal report!
Red-throated Loon was absent from Lake Superior for the first time since 1999, but five or six Pacific Loons along the North Shore and another three or four away from Lake Superior made Fall 2004 one of this species' best ever. Pre-migratory fall staging of the Common Loon at Lakes Winnibigoshish and Mille Lacs improved compared to recent years. Almost exactly one year after a pair was found at Big Stone N.W.R., an adult Neotropic Cormorant was discovered by shorebird surveyors in Big Stone County. Six or seven Snowy Egrets topped off its best year ever in Minnesota.
Shorebird surveys in Big Stone and Lac Qui Parle counties and at Mud Lake, Traverse County, consistently recorded ±20 species and thousands of individuals into mid-September. Weekend totals included 15,232 shorebirds (23 species) 6–7 August, 17,757 shorebirds (23 species) 21–22 August, and 14,578 shorebirds (21 species) 4–5 September. Besides the aforementioned Neotropic Cormorant, the best find during the surveys was a Red Phalarope at Salt Lake; earlier in the year, surveyors turned up a Cinnamon Teal, Curlew Sandpiper, and two Ruffs!
Above-average numbers of jaegers, plus two Little Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, two Great Black-backed Gulls, two or more Sabine's Gulls, and an adult Arctic Tern, brought excitement to the Superior Entry in Duluth again this fall. Almost exactly 12 years after one was banded at Hawk Ridge in Duluth, a Common Ground-Dove was serendipitously found along the shoulder of state highway 61 in Lake County by birders stopping to look for a hawk owl! Speaking of owls, record-high numbers of Northern Hawk Owls, Great Gray Owls, and Boreal Owls were detected; their numbers, movements, behavior, economic impact, mortality, and distribution will be chronicled in future issues of The Loon.
Continuing the recent trend of discoveries by “young birders” in the state was the Clark's Nutcracker spotted by 4½ year-old Al Robertson at his family's bird feeder in Silver Bay. Cognizant of the recent pattern of late fall vagrancy by Cave Swallows to the Great Lakes and the Northeast, Doug Kieser carefully studied and documented a record-late Cliff Swallow along the North Shore of Lake Superior on 7 November.
Peak warbler variety included 21 species at Duluth 23 September (MTA, KRE). The only rare warbler this fall was Minnesota's fifth Townsend's Warbler at Linwood Lake in mid-September. Somewhat reminiscent of the “good old days” were vagrant Lark Buntings in two locations along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Nelson's Sparrows and Smith's Longspurs were detected in several locations, but not as many as last fall.
Weather Summary: Continuing the trend persisting since May, early August was dry and cool with record cold temperatures in several locations, including International Falls, where the high of 49º F 10 August was its coldest maximum temperature for August. Embarrass in northern St. Louis County recorded a low of 20º on the 21st and it was the coldest August on record for Alexandria and St. Cloud. All regions were at least 4º F below normal for the entire month. Heavy rain fell in parts of southwestern Minnesota 23–24 August.
In a dramatic reversal, all nine regions reported average temperatures of three or more degrees above normal during September, and except in the Northeast where precipitation was near normal, the entire state received above average rainfall — especially the West-central and North-central regions, where precipitation was over four inches above normal. The mercury rose above 80º F 13 times in the Twin Cities during September, ushering in the sixth warmest meteorological autumn (1 September through 30 November) on record — which followed the Twin Cities' fourteenth coldest meteorological summer (1 June through 31 August). September was also warmer than August at Duluth. Temperatures and precipitation were both above normal for most of the state during October. A narrow band of heavy rain from Madison, Lac Qui Parle County to Pine City, Pine County produced local flooding in late October. November was mild, with temperatures 4½º F or more above normal in all regions. Snowfall was insignificant: by the 20th of December, only 1.5 inches had officially fallen at the Twin Cities International Airport.
Presumed escapes and exotics: Female Baglafecht Weaver (Ploceus baglafecht) late October at feeder in Freeport, Stearns County (PAH, ph. DAC). Undocumented reports: Tricolored Heron 8/17 Winona (Whitewater W.M.A.); Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 9/11 (immature at Pigs Eye L.); Plegadis ibis 8/28 Lac Qui Parle (10 at Haydenville W.M.A., Arena Twp.), 9/25 Big Stone (3 in Toqua Twp.), 9/26 Big Stone (6 in Malta Twp.); Ferruginous Hawk 10/9 Norman (Sandpiper Prairie S.N.A.), Gyrfalcon 10/3 H.R.B.O., Duluth, 10/4 Lake (Knife River); Little Gull 9/19 Cass (L. Winnibigoshish); Lesser Black-backed Gull 9/5 Anoka (adult at Centerville L.); Sabine's Gull 9/19 Cass (L. Winnibigoshish), 10/8 Beltrami (L. Bemidji); Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 10/9 St. Louis (C.R. 5); Orange-crowned Warbler 8/4 Murray. Acknowledgments: We thank Dave Carman, Dave Evans, Frank Nicoletti, and the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory for data from Hawk Ridge in Duluth. Dave Benson, Anthony Hertzel, and Jeanie Joppru sent transcripts of weekly birding reports. Michelle McDowell sent waterfowl survey data from Rice Lake N.W.R. Medians of recent arrival and departure dates were calculated by Paul Budde from published and unpublished seasonal report data from 1985 through 2003. Many thanks to all of our contributors; we are especially grateful to those who submit data each season.
In a dramatic reversal, all nine regions reported average temperatures of three or more degrees above normal during September, and except in the Northeast where precipitation was near normal, the entire state received above average rainfall — especially the West-central and North-central regions, where precipitation was over four inches above normal. The mercury rose above 80º F 13 times in the Twin Cities during September, ushering in the sixth warmest meteorological autumn (1 September through 30 November) on record — which followed the Twin Cities' fourteenth coldest meteorological summer (1 June through 31 August). September was also warmer than August at Duluth. Temperatures and precipitation were both above normal for most of the state during October. A narrow band of heavy rain from Madison, Lac Qui Parle County to Pine City, Pine County produced local flooding in late October. November was mild, with temperatures 4½º F or more above normal in all regions. Snowfall was insignificant: by the 20th of December, only 1.5 inches had officially fallen at the Twin Cities International Airport.
Presumed escapes and exotics: Female Baglafecht Weaver (Ploceus baglafecht) late October at feeder in Freeport, Stearns County (PAH, ph. DAC). Undocumented reports: Tricolored Heron 8/17 Winona (Whitewater W.M.A.); Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 9/11 (immature at Pigs Eye L.); Plegadis ibis 8/28 Lac Qui Parle (10 at Haydenville W.M.A., Arena Twp.), 9/25 Big Stone (3 in Toqua Twp.), 9/26 Big Stone (6 in Malta Twp.); Ferruginous Hawk 10/9 Norman (Sandpiper Prairie S.N.A.), Gyrfalcon 10/3 H.R.B.O., Duluth, 10/4 Lake (Knife River); Little Gull 9/19 Cass (L. Winnibigoshish); Lesser Black-backed Gull 9/5 Anoka (adult at Centerville L.); Sabine's Gull 9/19 Cass (L. Winnibigoshish), 10/8 Beltrami (L. Bemidji); Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 10/9 St. Louis (C.R. 5); Orange-crowned Warbler 8/4 Murray. Acknowledgments: We thank Dave Carman, Dave Evans, Frank Nicoletti, and the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory for data from Hawk Ridge in Duluth. Dave Benson, Anthony Hertzel, and Jeanie Joppru sent transcripts of weekly birding reports. Michelle McDowell sent waterfowl survey data from Rice Lake N.W.R. Medians of recent arrival and departure dates were calculated by Paul Budde from published and unpublished seasonal report data from 1985 through 2003. Many thanks to all of our contributors; we are especially grateful to those who submit data each season.
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Species |
Information |
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| Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks | |||||
| BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis) | Seventh state record 8/1 Big Stone (Otrey Twp.) †JMP. | ||||
| Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) | Seen in 9 north and 12 south counties. Oversummering birds in Douglas 8/2–9/17 (injured) m.ob., 8/2–19 Yellow Medicine (3) m.ob., 8/15–29 Big Stone PHS, JMJ, 8/21 Lac qui Parle (3) PHS. Early north migrants 9/7 St. Louis FJN, 9/25 Red Lake JMJ. Early south 9/14 Wabasha (3) BRL, 9/25 Brown JSS. Late north 10/24 Lake ADS, JPM, 10/30 Cook JEB. Late south 11/24 Mower RCK, RDK, 11/28 Rice TFB; also see winter report. | ||||
| Ross's Goose (Anser rossii) | All reports: 9/8 Koochiching (record-early, five miles west of Littlefork) †LS, 9/30–10/17 St. Louis (Park Point) †MH, m.ob., 10/4 Steele (2 at Morehouse Park, Owatonna) ph. NFT, 10/14–16 Brown (Somsen Slough W.M.A.) †BTS. | ||||
| Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) | Only reports: 10/12 Itasca (41) RBJ, 11/11 Red Lake (25) SAS. | ||||
| Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) | This recent split from the Canada Goose was documented by photograph or audio recordings in 4 north and 4 south counties, and by written details in 13 additional counties, none in the Southeast. Early north 9/21 Cook (Tofte) ph. EEO, 9/21–22 Lake (Fenstad's Resort) ph. EEO, 9/25 Lake (Knife River, gave a one-syllabled, high-pitched, soft “screech” vaguely reminiscent of a grackle and somewhat Snow Goose-like) †KRE et al. Also photographed 9/30–10/2 St. Louis (2 at Stoney Point) KRE, MH, 10/10 St. Louis (6 at Park Point, Duluth) PHS, 10/16 Lake (15–20 at Silver Bay) AXH, PHS, 10/23 Lake (91 at Two Harbors) PCC, PHS, 10/24 Cook (3 at Lutsen) PCC, JWL, PHS. Early south 10/2–3 Rice (vocalized) DAB, FVS, 10/3 Big Stone (2 near Correll) †PHS, 10/9–11 Jackson (6) DDM, BJM, †PHS. Photographed 10/22+ Hennepin (Lakewood Cemetery) ChM, PEB, 11/5 Dakota JPM, 11/23 Anoka (Blaine) CBr. Digital audio recording 11/26 Waseca (Loon L.) JPS. Peak counts 10/13 Polk (650 at Crookston) ph. †PHS, 10/20 Big Stone (335 in Prior Twp.) †PHS. Late north 10/29 Lake (83) ph. JWL, 10/31 Pennington (one at Thief River Falls) †JMJ, 11/4 Clay (one at Moorhead) †DPJ. Late south 11/25 Meeker (3 at L. Ripley) †DMF, 11/29 Dakota (30 at Eagan) †CBr, but also see winter report. Observers are asked to document all sightings with notes, photographs, and/or recordings to improve our understanding of this species in the state. | ||||
| Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) | Reported throughout the state and the season. | ||||
| Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) | Birds of uncertain origin reported 10/29–11/20 Rice (2) TFB, FVS. | ||||
| Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) | Statewide total of >190 Trumpeters in 11 north and 12 south counties. Peak counts 8/29 Otter Tail (50) DTT, SMT, 11/14 Becker (25 on Town Lake) fide JMJ. | ||||
| Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) | Seen in 11 north and 13 south counties. Oversummering birds in Polk 8/31 (3) EEF. Early north 10/2 Lake JWL, 10/17 St. Louis FJN and Polk (61) JMJ. Early south 10/18 Freeborn AEB, 10/31 Mower RCK, RDK, Houston FZL. High count 11/30 Houston (8,000 at Pool #8, includes birds in Wisconsin) FZL. Late north 11/20 Cass DPJ, PJR, 11/28 Todd JSK, SID. Please see winter report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) | Reported from 19 north and 28 south counties, none in the Southwest. Record-high count 9/27 Aitkin (11,066) Rice Lake N.W.R. Late north 11/8 Hubbard MAW, 11/17 St. Louis LAW, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) | Observed in 17 north and 20 south counties. Second highest count 9/27 Aitkin (21,977) Rice Lake N.W.R. Late north 10/21 Aitkin PEJ, 10/30 Cook RBJ. Late south 10/21 Nobles LBF, 11/3 Olmsted PWP. | ||||
| Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) | Reported from 12 north and 27 south counties. Highest reported count 11/6 Polk (400) EEF. Late north 11/17 Polk EEF, 11/30 St. Louis SLF. See winter report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Gadwall (Mareca strepera) | Found in 10 north and 24 south counties in all regions. Late north 11/7 Marshall PHS, 11/9 Polk EEF. Please see winter report for additional migrants and overwintering birds. | ||||
| American Wigeon (Mareca americana) | Seen in 9 north and 16 south counties, none in the Southwest. High count 10/26 Aitkin (2,514) Rice Lake N.W.R. Late north 11/9 Polk EEF, 11/23 St. Louis JRN. Please see winter report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) | Reported throughout the state. High count 10/14 Aitkin (123,952) Rice Lake N.W.R. | ||||
| American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) | All north reports: Aitkin, Cook, Lake, Marshall, Pennington, Roseau, St. Louis. Early south 8/7 Big Stone (Big Stone Twp.) PCC, 8/21 Freeborn AEB. Reported from five additional south counties, none in the Southwest. | ||||
| Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) | Seen in 10 north and 19 south counties. High count 10/26 Aitkin (3,314) Rice Lake N.W.R. Late north 11/22 Clay BWF. See winter report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) | Found in 16 north and 21 south counties. Second highest count 10/14 Aitkin (11,716) Rice Lake N.W.R. Late north 11/4 Todd RBJ, 11/22 Clay BWF. Late south 11/20 Nicollet DLB, 11/24 Houston FZL, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) | Observed in 8 north and 11 south counties, none in North-central or Southwest. Peak count 11/9 Houston (41,575 at Pool #8, includes birds in Wisconsin) Upper Mississippi River N.W.F.R. Late north 10/31 Polk EEF, Lake JPM, 11/7 Marshall PHS. Please see winter report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Redhead (Aythya americana) | Reported from 5 north and 16 south counties. No significant high counts. Late north 11/7 Marshall PHS, 11/9 Polk EEF. Please see winter report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) | Reported from 13 north and 17 south counties. High count 10/20 Aitkin (166,270) Rice Lake N.W.R. Late north 11/9 Polk EEF, 11/28 St. Louis SLF, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) | Found in seven north and two south counties. Early north 9/22 St. Louis JWL. Late north 11/7 Marshall PHS, but also see winter report. All south reports: 11/7–20 Meeker DMF, 11/21–29 Houston m.ob. | ||||
| Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) | Seen in 12 north and 13 south counties. High count 10/26 Aitkin (1,251) Rice Lake N.W.R. Please see winter report for late migrants. | ||||
| Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) | Two reports from L. Superior: 10/19–23 Cook (2 at Grand Marais) SLF, m.ob., 10/20–31 Lake (immature at Two Harbors) JWL, m.ob. | ||||
| Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) | Many north reports from L. Superior: 9/30–11/14 Cook (max. 9 at Paradise Beach and one at Good Harbor Bay) m.ob., 10/3–31 St. Louis (max. 10 at Duluth) MH, m.ob., 10/15–11/6Lake (max. 8 at Two Harbors, 10/24) DPJ, m.ob. All south reports: 11/13–16 Winona (single at Prairie Island) DBz, 11/14+ Meeker (max. 5 at L. Ripley) DMF, 11/21 Houston (female near Reno) DFN, PEJ. Also see winter report. | ||||
| White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) | All north reports from L. Superior: 10/9–11/14 Cook (reports from several locations, max. 21 on 10/28) RBJ, m.ob., 10/10–19 St. Louis (2 at Park Point) PHS, KRE. All south reports: 10/26 Chisago (female shot at Rush L., male also seen) ph. fide RPR, 10/28 Dakota (10 at L. Byllesby) JPM, 11/13 Meeker (2 at L. Ripley) DMF, 11/13 Wabasha (one at Peterson L.) fide AXH. Also see winter report. | ||||
| Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) | All reports from L. Superior: 10/15–11/10 (max. 8 at Duluth) BWF, PHS, m.ob., 10/16 Lake (one at Silver Bay) PCC, PHS, 10/16–11/14 Cook (reports of 1–4 individuals from several locations) m.ob. | ||||
| Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) | Early north 10/17 Cook EEO, 10/23 Lake (Two Harbors) JWL. High count 11/1 Cook (35 at Cascade R.) BJM, DDM. Only report away from L. Superior: 11/7 Meeker (one at L. Ripley) DMF. | ||||
| Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) | Seen in 17 north and 16 south counties. Early south 9/12 Hennepin SLC, 9/26 Big Stone PHS. High count 11/3 Polk (40) EEF. | ||||
| Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) | Found in 19 north and 14 south counties, none in the Southwest. Early south 10/22 Meeker DMF, 10/25 Sherburne PEJ. No significant high counts. | ||||
| Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) | Adult male 11/21 Houston (Pool #8) †DFN, †PEJ. Third November record from this location since 2001. | ||||
| Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) | Reported from 14 north and 18 south counties, none in the Southwest. High counts 11/27 Meeker (1,335 at L. Ripley) DMF, 10/20 Beltrami (100 at L. Bemidji) PJR. | ||||
| Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) | Seen in 13 north and 13 south counties, none in Southwest. Early south 8/23 Carver (2) EEO, then none until 11/13 Anoka REH, Wabasha JLU. High count 11/30 Wabasha (est. 20,000) RPR. | ||||
| Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) | Scarce for third consecutive fall (only reported from nine counties). Adult with 10 young seen 8/2 Cass (Ten Mile L.) PEB. No other north reports away from L. Superior until 11/6 Wadena PJB. Only south report: 11/25 Meeker DMF. | ||||
| Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) | Found in 5 north and 21 south counties, none in North-central or Northeast. High count 10/12 Polk (400) EEF. Late north 11/7 Marshall PHS. Late south 11/21 Winona and Houston DFN, 11/26 Waseca JPS. Also see winter report. | ||||
| Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys | |||||
| Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) | Reported from 26 counties as far north as Clay, Wadena, and Pine (max. 26, JMP). Some north reports probably refer to recently released birds. | ||||
| Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) | Observed in 14 north and 5 south counties, including 10/31 Goodhue LBF. | ||||
| Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis) | Reported from Beltrami, Cook, Koochiching (max. 3 along C.R. 13) m.ob., Lake, Lake of the Woods (max. 3 in three locations) GMM, RBJ, MHK. | ||||
| Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) | Reported from Aitkin (max. 11, WEN), Kanabec (max. 10, JMP), Lake of the Woods (21 along C.R. 80) MHK, Pine (max. 14, JMP), Polk, Red Lake (2) PHS, Roseau, St. Louis (max. 11 in Sax Zim, RBW). | ||||
| Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) | North reports from Clay (72) RBJ, Norman, Otter Tail (40) fide JMJ, and Wilkin (max. 30) DPJ. Only south report: 8/22 Lac qui Parle ChH, presumably related to D.N.R. releases at Plover Prairie. | ||||
| Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) | All north reports: 9/11 Clay (6) fide JMJ, 10/2 Pennington JMJ, 10/17 Wilkin BJU. Seen in 10 south counties, including 8/15 Houston (3) FZL. High counts 8/14 Lac qui Parle (23) KTP, 9/18 Cottonwood (19) BRB. Also reported from Big Stone (3), Brown, Freeborn, Meeker, Traverse (8), Watonwan (12), Yellow Medicine (13). | ||||
| Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) | Observed in 33 counties as far north as Clay in the Northwest, Wadena in the North-central, and Kanabec and Pine in the East-central region. | ||||
| Grebes | |||||
| Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) | Reported from 15 north and 25 south counties. Second highest fall count 10/23 Meeker (373 on L. Ripley) DMF. Late north 11/4 Hubbard MAW, 11/6 Polk EEF. Late south 11/8 Hennepin SLC, 11/28 Wright REH. | ||||
| Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) | Observed in nine north and seven south counties, none in Southwest. Early north 8/22 Lake JWL, 9/11 Clay fide JMJ. Early south 9/12 Hennepin SLC. Late north 11/3 Otter Tail JEB, RBJ, 11/12 Cook SLF. Late south 11/26+ Meeker DMF, 11/29 Houston FZL, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) | Seen in nine north and three south counties, including 10/2 Dakota ADS, JPM. Late north 10/30 Lake JPM, 10/31 Cook JWL, Marshall JMJ, but also see winter report. No representative late south dates. | ||||
| Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) | Reported from eight north and seven south counties. No reports from eastern regions. Late north 10/14 Itasca EEO, 10/23 Pennington JMJ. Late south 10/22 Stearns PCC, 11/3 Rice TFB. | ||||
| Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) | Seen in eight north and six south counties. Unusual locations 8/26–28 Lake (Two Harbors) ph. JWL, 9/25–10/15 St. Louis (Park Point) KRE, m.ob. Late north 10/24 Itasca SC and Douglas JPE, 11/7 Marshall PHS. Late south 10/25 Rice TFB. | ||||
| CLARK'S GREBE (Aechmophorus clarkii) | All reports: 8/1 Big Stone (documented since spring at Thielke L.) m.ob., 8/5 Yellow Medicine (Timm L.) †CBr, LM, 8/15 Douglas (L. Osakis) †KRE. | ||||
| Pigeons, Doves | |||||
| Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) | Statewide. | ||||
| Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) | New locations 8/21 Swift (3 at Benson) ph. †PHS, 9/11–10/11 Lac qui Parle (2 at Marietta) †BWF, ph. †PHS, 10/10 Rock (near Blue Mounds S.P.) †JGW et al. Continuing reports from Chippewa (Milan), Dakota (Farmington), and Renville (Olivia). | ||||
| COMMON GROUND DOVE (Columbina passerina) | Second state record 10/17–19 Lake (state highway 61 near Beaver Bay) †PCC, RAE; also documented †CBr, †KRE, ph. AXH, ph. †JWL, ph. †PHS. | ||||
| Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) | Reported throughout the state. Highest reported count 8/21 Dakota (250 at Empire) SWe. Noteworthy concentration 11/29 St. Louis (44 at Duluth, large number this late in season) JRN. | ||||
| Cuckoos | |||||
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) | Only north report: 9/6 St. Louis (40th Ave. West) MTA. South reports from Big Stone, Brown, Freeborn, and (late south) 9/4 Rice DAB, FVS. | ||||
| Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) | Only north reports: Polk, St. Louis, Wadena (late north 8/27, PJB). Observed in six south counties, including (late south) 8/28 Freeborn AEB, 8/29 Big Stone JMJ. | ||||
| Nightjars | |||||
| Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) | Reported from 11 north and 22 south counties. Highest reported count only 1276 at Two Harbors, Lake County (8/17, JWL). Late north 9/23 Todd MRN, 9/28 Crow Wing JEB. Late south 9/29 Mower RDK, RCK, 10/5 Dakota ADS. | ||||
| Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) | Only north report: 9/13 Lake of the Woods MHK. All south reports: 8/15 Sherburne PLJ, 9/26 Hennepin (male at Cedar L.) SLC. | ||||
| Swifts | |||||
| Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) | Observed in 10 north and 22 south counties. Late north (median 9/15) 9/6 St. Louis SLF and Wadena PJB. Late south (median 10/9) 10/4 Hennepin RBJ, only October report. | ||||
| Hummingbirds | |||||
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) | Seen in 19 north and 25 south counties in all regions except Southwest. Highest reported counts 8/14 Itasca (9) EEO, 8/21 Lake (10) JWL. Late north (median 9/23) 9/24 Clay RHO and Otter Tail ARo, 9/27 Hubbard MAW. Late south (median 10/8) 10/1 Dakota JPM, 10/26 Blue Earth BRL. | ||||
| Selasphorus hummingbird (Selasphorus sp.) | Adult female Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird at feeder 11/16–12/3 St. Louis (Duluth) vt. †LME; written details also provided by †KRE, †PHS, photographed by m.ob. | ||||
| Rails, Gallinules, Coots | |||||
| Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) | One north report: 8/1 St. Louis SLF. Reported from only four south counties; late south 9/28 Hennepin SLC. | ||||
| Sora (Porzana carolina) | Found in only seven counties (30 last fall). Late north 9/6 Wadena PJB. Late south 10/9 Hennepin DWK. | ||||
| Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) | Progeny of nesting pair (see summer report) last seen 9/28 Brown BTS. | ||||
| American Coot (Fulica americana) | Reported from only 21 counties (50 last fall). Highest reported count 10/14 Aitkin (17,102) Rice Lake N.W.R. | ||||
| Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) | All reports: 9/22 or 9/23 Swift (tower kill near Appleton) DSo fide CH, 9/24 Hennepin (Crow-Hassan Park) †SLC, 9/24 Mille Lacs (Four Brooks W.M.A.) †BH, 10/5 Cottonwood (Expandere W.M.A.) BRB, 10/7 Jackson (Timber Lake W.M.A.) BRB. | ||||
| Cranes | |||||
| Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) | Reported from 15 north and 12 south counties. No reports from the Southwest. Best season ever at H.R.B.O, Duluth (total 277, including peak of 98 on 10/16) FJN. No significant counts elsewhere. Late north 11/4 Otter Tail SPM. Late south 11/25 Sherburne (6) †ES, but also see winter report! | ||||
| Stilts, Avocets | |||||
| American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) | All sightings: 8/1 Big Stone (2) PHS, 8/6, 8/12 Traverse (1) KJB, 8/9 Hennepin (1) DWK, WCM, 8/15 Anoka (3) JEH, 9/26 Yellow Medicine (1) PCC, PHS. | ||||
| Plovers | |||||
| Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) | Observed in five north and ten south counties in all regions except the Southeast. Early north 8/6 (4), 8/12 (6) Traverse (Mud L.) KJB; arrived elsewhere 8/20 St. Louis (2) FJN. Early south 8/16 Hennepin WCM, 8/21 Freeborn AEB and Lac qui Parle (2) PCC et al. Highest reported count 9/7 St. Louis (29 at Duluth) PHS. First juveniles 9/11 Traverse PCC, 9/12 Big Stone PHS et al. Late north 10/21 Polk (5) PHS, 10/24 St. Louis (10) TAT. Late south 10/20 Big Stone (1) and Lac qui Parle (10) PHS, 10/21, 11/5 Dakota JPM. | ||||
| American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) | Observed in 8 north and 15 south counties. Early north (all at Mud L. — also see summer report) 8/12 Traverse (1) KJB, 8/21 Traverse (10) PCC et al. First reported away from Mud L. 9/7 St. Louis (6) PHS. Early south 8/10 Carver OLJ, 8/14 Hennepin DWK. First juvenile 9/4 Traverse PCC. Numbers up in St. Louis, especially at H.R.B.O. in Duluth, where 280 in three flocks 9/23 were followed by an amazing 415 on 9/30 (FJN, DSC). Noteworthy counts 10/2 Wilkin (125 in three flocks) DTT, SMT, 10/11 Clay (102) BWF, 10/11 Lac qui Parle (224 at Salt L.) PHS, 10/14 Cottonwood (160 near L. Hanska) JPM. Late north 10/23 Lake PHS, 10/29 St. Louis (7) KTP. Late south 11/6 Dakota (1) BRL, 11/8 Brown (1) BTS. | ||||
| Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) | Reported from 16 north and 30 south counties statewide. Please see summer report for record-high count (975) in Big Stone; additional tallies there 8/1 (869) PHS et al., 8/7 (836) KJB, PCC, 8/15 (891) PCC, PHS. High counts elsewhere 8/6 Traverse (418 at Mud L.) KJB, 8/21 Lac qui Parle (808) PCC et al., 9/4 Dakota (337 at sod farms) SWe. Late north 10/16 Wadena PJB, 10/17, 10/21 Polk JMJ, PHS. Late south 11/30+ Houston FZL, also see winter report. | ||||
| Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) | Observed in 9 north and 11 south counties in all regions except the Southeast. Please see summer report for high count and fall migrants. First juveniles 8/12 Traverse KJB, 8/14 Marshall PHS. Late north 9/18 Todd JSK, SID, 9/22 St. Louis JWL. Late south 10/11 Yellow Medicine (2) PHS, 10/12 Big Stone (2) PHS. | ||||
| Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) | No reports. | ||||
| Sandpipers | |||||
| Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) | Only north report 8/6 Traverse KJB. Five reports from Big Stone, where last seen 8/29 (1) PHS, JMJ. | ||||
| Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) | Only report: 8/28 St. Louis (one at 40th Ave. West, Duluth) JLR. | ||||
| Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) | All north reports from Traverse (Mud L., also see summer report): 8/6 (3) KJB, 8/21 (1) PCC et al. Only south report: 10/1 Olmsted (3 at East Landfill Reservoir, Rochester) JWH. | ||||
| Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) | All north reports: 8/2 Roseau (28) PHS, 8/6 (3), 8/12 (1) Traverse KJB, plus three observations at Agassiz N.W.R., Marshall County 8/2 (4) PHS, 8/7 (1) JMJ, 8/16 (2) EEF. No south reports. | ||||
| Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) | Scarce statewide for the third consecutive fall; all singles, except 9/5 Big Stone (3) PHS. Only north reports: 8/2 Douglas JPE, 9/18 St. Louis JMP. Early south (but see summer report) 8/24 Hennepin WCM. First juvenile 9/4 Lac qui Parle PCC. All other reports: 9/5 Freeborn AEB, 9/11 Lac qui Parle PCC et al. | ||||
| Red Knot (Calidris canutus) | Two reports of single birds: 8/18–19 St. Louis ph. MH, DOK, JWL, m.ob., 8/25 Beltrami (Lower Red L. at Waskish) RBJ. | ||||
| Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) | Reported from 10 north and 11 south counties. Please see summer report for first fall migrants. Highest reported counts 8/7 Big Stone (1177) KJB, PCC, 8/21 Traverse (1185) PCC et al. Only north report after early September: 10/15 Lake (1) KTP. Only south reports after mid-October: 10/20 Big Stone (2) and Lac qui Parle (3) PHS. | ||||
| Sanderling (Calidris alba) | Reported from five north and ten south counties. Early north 8/21 Traverse PCC; please see summer report for early south migrants. First juvenile 8/28 Traverse PCC. Apart from second highest fall count 9/8 St. Louis (150 at Park Point, Duluth) PHS, relatively scarce for the fourth consecutive fall along the North Shore of L. Superior. Late north 10/28 Lake JWL, 10/30 Cook (2) JWL, PHS and Mille Lacs (1) DWK. Late south 10/20 Lac qui Parle (3) PHS, 10/23 Goodhue (1) BRL. | ||||
| Dunlin (Calidris alpina) | Relatively scarce for the fourth consecutive fall, especially along the North Shore of L. Superior. Reported from 15 counties (14 last fall, 16 in Fall 2002). Early north 8/21 Traverse (1) PCC, then no reports until October. Early south 8/28 Lac qui Parle (juvenile — rarely found in Minnesota) ph. PHS, JMJ, 9/18 Cottonwood (1) HCT. Highest reported count 10/20 Lac qui Parle (101) PHS. Late north 10/21 Polk PHS, 10/26 Mille Lacs CRM. Late south 11/6 Dakota (3) BRL, 11/8 Brown (2) BTS. | ||||
| Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) | Reported from 11 north and 13 south counties in all regions. Best migration ever documented in West-central, e.g., total of 784 in two counties 8/28 and total of 896 in three counties 9/4. First juvenile 8/12 Traverse KJB. Record-high count 8/28 Traverse (625 at Mud L.) PCC; noteworthy tallies 8/22 Big Stone (256) PHS, 9/4 Lac qui Parle (445 at Salt L.) PCC, PHS. Late north 9/28 Crow Wing JEB, 10/2 Lake JWL and Wilkin DTT, SMT. Late south 10/28 Dakota JPM, 10/29 Brown BTS, Dakota ADS and Mower RCK, RDK. | ||||
| Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) | Reported from 13 north and 17 south counties. Highest reported counts 8/28 Traverse (1561 at Mud L.) PCC, 9/4 Lac qui Parle (1306) PCC, PHS, 9/5 Big Stone (1496) PHS. Late north 10/2 Wilkin DTT, SMT, 10/13 (1), 10/21 Polk (5) PHS. Late south 10/20 Lac qui Parle (28) PHS, 10/21 Nobles (2) LBF. | ||||
| White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) | Except for undocumented reports in August, all north reports occured between 10/16 (Cook MTA and Lake PHS) and 10/24 (Lake and St. Louis m.ob.). Early south 8/15 Big Stone (1) †PCC, †PHS, 9/11 Anoka SWe. Late south 10/28 (5), 11/5 (2, latest south date) Dakota JPM. Note: Undocumented reports of fall migrant White-rumpeds prior to September are not published. | ||||
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) | Numbers down for the 2nd consecutive fall, especially at Dakota County sod farms. Statewide total of about 80 individuals in 15 counties (194 last fall, 547 in Fall 2002, 550+ in Fall 2001). No reports from Northwest or Southeast. All counts single digits. Please see summer report for first fall migrants. First juvenile 8/21 Lac qui Parle PCC et al. First county occurrence 8/22 Crow Wing RBJ. Late north 9/13–16 Cook SGu, 9/23 Lake JWL. Late south 9/19 Lac qui Parle PCC, PHS, 9/25 Brown BTS. | ||||
| Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) | Observed in 12 north and 18 south counties statewide. First juvenile 8/2 Marshall PHS. Totals >1000 on five consecutive surveys in Big Stone County between 8/7 (1116) and 9/5 (1384); highest reported counts 8/22 Big Stone (3179) PHS, 8/28 Traverse (2466 at Mud L.) PCC. Late north 10/29 St. Louis PHS, 10/30 Lake JWL. Late south 11/6 Brown BTS and Dakota BRL, 11/13 Dakota JPM. | ||||
| Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) | Reported from 9 north and 15 south counties in all regions. First juvenile 8/6 Traverse KJB. Highest reported count 8/22 Big Stone (1228) PHS. Late north 10/20 St. Louis LAW, 10/21 Polk (2) PHS. Late south 10/19 Yellow Medicine PHS, 10/20 Lac qui Parle (3) PHS, 11/8 Brown (3, latest south date) BTS. | ||||
| Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) | North reports from Lake, Marshall, Traverse; also seen in six south counties. Please see summer report for first fall migrants. First juvenile 8/2 Marshall PHS. Highest reported counts 8/6 Traverse (31) KJB, 8/7 Big Stone (34) KJB, PCC. Late north 9/4 Marshall (calling juvenile) KRE, 9/11 Traverse (5) PCC. Late south 9/18 Yellow Medicine PHS, 9/19, 10/12 Big Stone (record-late, juvenile identified by tertial pattern) PHS. | ||||
| Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) | Reported from only three north and six south counties. Early north 8/14 Marshall (3 at Agassiz N.W.R.) JMJ, PHS. Early south 9/5 Big Stone (4) PHS. First juveniles 9/18 Yellow Medicine PHS, 9/19 Big Stone PHS and Lac qui Parle PCC. Highest reported count 10/12 Big Stone (97) PHS. Late north 10/21 Polk (5) PHS. Late south 10/20 Big Stone (47) and Lac qui Parle (20) PHS. | ||||
| Limnodromus dowitcher (Limnodromus sp.) | Reported 9/12 Lac qui Parle WCM, 9/26 Brown BTS, 10/20 Rock LBF. A total of 71 dowitchers were prudently left unidentified during shorebird surveys in western Minnesota, including 9/11 Traverse (30) PCC. | ||||
| American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) | Observed in seven north and four south counties. Late north 10/12 Carlton LAW, 11/6 St. Louis JWL. Late south 10/25 Dakota ADS, 11/2 Hennepin SLC. | ||||
| Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) | Seen in 16 north and 19 south counties. Highest reported count 10/20 Lac qui Parle (37) PHS. Late north (away from Duluth, where overwintered) 10/23 Lake PHS, 10/25 Mille Lacs NAJ. Late south 11/27 Scott DWK, 11/30+ Houston FZL, also see winter report. | ||||
| Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) | Reported from 13 north and 16 south counties. Highest reported count 8/1 Big Stone (41) PHS, RSF, JMJ. Late north 10/2–3 Wilkin DTT, SMT, PHS, 10/30 Mille Lacs †DWK. Late south 10/9 Dakota ADS, 10/12 Big Stone PHS. | ||||
| Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) | Reported from 13 north and 15 south counties in all regions. Record-high fall counts 8/1 Big Stone (44) PHS, RSF, JMJ, 8/7 Big Stone (40) KJB, PCC. Late north 9/18 St. Louis SLF, 9/25 Clay RHO. Late south 9/20–21 Olmsted PWP, 10/3 Dakota JPM. | ||||
| Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) | Observed in 15 north and 20 south counties. Record-high fall count 8/1 Big Stone (2316) PHS, RSF, JMJ; subsequent tallies there 8/7 (2185) KJB, PCC, 8/15 (1935) PCC, PHS. Highest reported count elsewhere 8/6 Traverse (1800 at Mud L.) KJB. Late north 10/21 Polk (2) PHS, 10/26 Pine (1) JMP. Late south 11/4 Benton RBJ, 11/5 Dakota JPM. | ||||
| Willet (Tringa semipalmata) | All reports: 8/1 Big Stone (2) PHS, plus singles 8/6–7 Lac qui Parle KJB, BRL, 8/21 Meeker DMF, 8/21 Traverse PCC. | ||||
| Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) | Reported from 13 north and 21 south counties. Record-high fall count 8/1 Big Stone (176) PHS, RSF, JMJ. First juvenile 8/12 Traverse KJB. Late north 10/27 Polk EEF, 11/4 Todd RBJ. Late south 11/8 Hennepin SLC, 11/18 Faribault JEB. | ||||
| Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) | Numbers down >50% compared to last two years. Statewide total of 275+ individuals in six north and five south counties (600+ last fall, 620+ in Fall 2002). All reports from western regions except Carver, Freeborn. Highest reported count 8/15 Big Stone (73 on survey route) PCC, PHS. Late north 9/2 Polk EEF, 9/4 Traverse PCC. Late south 9/11 Lac qui Parle PCC, 9/11, 9/18 Yellow Medicine PHS et al. | ||||
| Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) | Numbers down for 2nd consecutive fall, though number of counties (6 north, 10 south) similar to last two years. Statewide total of 163+ individuals (263+ last fall). Early north 8/18 Todd (2) BWF, 8/20 Clay SWe. Please see summer report for early south migrants. Highest reported counts 9/5 Big Stone (44) PHS, 9/11 Lac qui Parle (47 at Salt L.) PCC. Late north 9/14 Polk (4) EEF, 9/27 St. Louis (one at Biwabik W.T.P.) †SLF. Late south 9/26 Lac qui Parle (5) PCC, 9/27 Brown (2) BTS. | ||||
| RED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus fulicarius) | Thirteenth state record 9/11–13 Lac qui Parle (juvenile at Salt L.) †PCC; also documented ph. DAC, †JMJ, ph. †JWL, ph. †PHS. | ||||
| Jaegers | |||||
| POMARINE JAEGER (Stercorarius pomarinus) | Fifteenth state record 9/7 St. Louis (juvenile at Park Point, Duluth) †PHS (The Loon 77:117). | ||||
| Parasitic Jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus) | Documented at Park Point, Duluth 9/10 (juvenile dark morph and adult light morph) †MTA, 9/23 (fide MH), 9/26–27 (adult light morph) †MTA, †PHS et al. | ||||
| Stercorarius jaeger (Stercorarius sp.) | Reported at Duluth 9/6 (1), 9/15 (4), 9/16–18 (1), 9/24–25 (1), 9/27 (2), 10/19 (1). | ||||
| Gulls, Terns | |||||
| Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini) | Single juveniles at Duluth, St. Louis County 9/15 (Park Point) †MH, 9/22 (Park Point) †MH, 9/24–26 (Superior Entry) †MTA, †MH et al. (The Loon 77:116) — the latter two possibly the same individual. First county record 9/16–21 Crow Wing (Ironton W.T.P.) †JEB; also documented by ph. JSB, †CBr, †PHS. | ||||
| Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) | Reported from 15 north and 10 south counties, none in the Southeast. Juvenile photographed 8/22 Cook (Grand Portage) TN. No August reports south (but see summer report). Fall staging peaked 10/9 L. Winnibigoshish (2113, including 304 immatures) PHS, KRS; numbers down at Mille Lacs L. AXH, PHS. Late north 11/19 Beltrami RBJ, 11/21 Crow Wing CAM. Late south 11/23 Dakota JPM, 11/30 Ramsey (1) BRL. | ||||
| BLACK-HEADED GULL (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) | One adult in basic plumage found by Lee Schoenewe on Iowa side of border at Spirit L. 9/26 and documented on Minnesota side of border 9/27–10/17 Jackson †DCh, †CBr, ph. †PHS. This would have been Minnesota's seventh consecutive fall record, except that last fall's bird remains undocumented. | ||||
| LITTLE GULL (Hydrocoloeus minutus) | First reported 9/19 Cass (L. Winnibigoshish) †BJU. Two reports at Superior Entry, St. Louis County: 9/24–27 (juvenile) SP, RJ, †MTA, †MH et al., 10/10–15 (first-winter) †MH, †PHS. [Corrected] | ||||
| Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) | Observed in 9 north and 21 south counties in all regions, including unusual location 9/8 St. Louis (Park Point, Duluth) †MTA, ph. PHS. Highest reported counts 10/2 Waseca (1500 at Clear L.) JPS, 10/13 Polk (1200 at landfill) PHS. Late north 11/3 Wilkin JEB, RBJ. Late south 11/11 Stearns RPR. | ||||
| Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) | Reported statewide. Highest reported count 11/20 Rice (2500+) DAB. | ||||
| CALIFORNIA GULL (Larus californicus) | Juvenile at L. Calhoun 10/31–11/15 Hennepin †BAF; also documented by †PEB, ph. †JPM, †PHS. | ||||
| Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) | Reported from 11 north and 13 south counties in all regions. Highest reported count 10/15 St. Louis (2300 at Duluth) PHS. | ||||
| Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) | No reports. | ||||
| Iceland Gull (Thayer's) (Larus g. thayeri) | Numbers up along the North Shore of L. Superior: at least 14 individuals beginning 10/15 St. Louis PHS, 10/16 Cook and Lake MTA et al. Record-early south 9/18, 9/24–26 Hennepin (one or two adults at L. Calhoun) †PEB, m.ob. Early south away from Hennepin 10/29–30 Dakota (1st-winter) JPM, PEB; only south report away from Twin Cities 11/14 Meeker (adult at L. Ripley) DMF. Highest reported counts 11/7 Hennepin (4) PEB, 11/15 Dakota (4) JPM. | ||||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) | An adult on the Minnesota side of the Superior Entry was well described 10/31 St. Louis †DBz. All south reports: 9/16+ Hennepin (adult at L. Calhoun) †CBr, m.ob., presumably the same bird also seen at Black Dog L. beginning 9/27 Dakota †ADS et al. An adult 10/13 Lyon (Black Rush L.) †RJS had a “very dark gray mantle” but was unexpectedly described as only slightly larger than nearby Ring-billed Gulls. | ||||
| Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) | At least nine individuals found along the North Shore of L. Superior beginning 10/18 St. Louis PHS, 10/19 Lake JWL. First adult 10/24 Cook MTA, PCC, PHS. Only south report: 11/28 Hennepin PEB. | ||||
| Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) | First-winter birds on St. Louis County side of Superior Entry 10/11 (1) †DA, 10/23 (2) †MH, ph. BSc. Only south report: 11/20 Hennepin (first-winter at L. Calhoun, second earliest south date) †PEB, †BAF. | ||||
| Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) | Found in nine north and eight south counties, none in Southwest or Southeast. Highest reported count 9/4 Roseau (24) KRE et al. Departed well before recent medians north (10/4) and south (10/2). Late north 9/8 Roseau NAJ. Late south 9/24 Brown BTS and Hennepin SLC. | ||||
| Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) | Reported from 8 north and 10 south counties, none in Southwest or Southeast. No significant counts. Late north 9/6 Wadena PJB, 9/22 St. Louis PHS. Late south 9/11 Lac qui Parle PHS, 9/12 Big Stone JMJ. | ||||
| Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) | North reports from Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca, Roseau, and (late north and second highest fall count) 9/22 St. Louis (200+) PHS. Only south reports: Freeborn, Hennepin, and (late south) 9/22 Rice TFB. | ||||
| ARCTIC TERN (Sterna paradisaea) | Furnishing the third fall record in five years at the Superior Entry was an adult in alternate plumage 9/25–27 St. Louis SP, TRS; documentation submitted by †MTA, †MH, †PHS, †JGW. Sixteenth state record. | ||||
| Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) | Reported from only nine counties. Late north 9/26–27 St. Louis KRE, PHS, 10/9 Beltrami DPJ; also seen in Itasca, Todd. All south reports: Big Stone, 9/14, 9/24 (late south) Hennepin SLC, Meeker, Rice, Steele. | ||||
| Loons | |||||
| Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) | Only reports: 10/3 Mille Lacs (Wigwam Bay, Mille Lacs L.) †ASc, 10/14 Crow Wing (St. Albans Bay, Mille Lacs L., same as 10/3?) AXH. Also note probable Red-throated 10/23 Mille Lacs (Vineland Bay) KRE et al. First fall without a report from Lake Superior since 1999. | ||||
| Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) | More reports than usual, with singles reported on L. Superior 9/30 Cook (Tofte) †KRE, 10/10–30 St. Louis (Park Point) †MH, m.ob., 10/23 Cook (Paradise Beach) MH, MTA, 10/26 Lake (Agate Bay) DA, 10/31–11/7 Cook (Grand Marais; same as 10/23?) KRE, m.ob., 11/20–27 Lake (second latest north; Agate Bay; same as 10/26?) ph. JWL. Inland reports 10/11–12 Beltrami (L. Bemidji, vent strap and incomplete chin strap seen) †BJU, 10/23–28 Mille Lacs (Wigwam Bay and Vineland Bay, Mille Lacs L.) KRE, CRM, 10/24 Itasca (Plug Hat Point, L. Winnibigoshish) KRE, 11/3 Otter Tail (Molly Stark L.) †RBJ, 11/21 Crow Wing (Garrison Bay, Mille Lacs L.; same as 10/23–28?) †CAM. | ||||
| Common Loon (Gavia immer) | Found in 20 north and 13 south counties in all regions. Pre-migratory staging at L. Winnibigoshish (peak count of 1,158 on 10/9) best since Fall 1999. Peak counts on Mille Lacs L. 10/14 (1,467, with 252 near Malmo) AXH, PHS, 10/19 (1,545, with 785 at Liberty Beach) AXH, PHS. Late north 11/10 Itasca JEB, 11/12 Aitkin MRN. Late south 11/24 Hennepin PEB and Houston FZL, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Cormorants | |||||
| Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) | Observed in 18 north and 32 south counties in all regions. Peak count 9/16 Dakota (1,200 at Black Dog L.) SWe. Late north 11/11 Crow Wing RBJ, 11/28 St. Louis JRN. Late south 11/21 Meeker DMF, 11/27 Hennepin DWK, but also see winter report. | ||||
| NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Nannopterum brasilianum) | Third state record 8/15 Big Stone (adult in Otrey Township) †PHS, †PCC, ph. KRE, m.ob. Location is less than ten miles from Big Stone N.W.R., where two adults were found 12 August 2003 (The Loon 76:46). | ||||
| Pelicans | |||||
| American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) | Seen in 14 north and 29 south counties statewide. Several Northeast reports, including 8/21–10/4 St. Louis (peak count of 113 on 9/7 at H.R.B.O.) FJN, 8/21 St. Louis (Ely) SES, 8/22–10/9 Cook (Grand Marais) m.ob. High count 9/16 Dakota (2,100 at Black Dog L.) SWe. Late north 11/21 Cook (Taconite Harbor) ARu, 11/22 Lake (same bird?) UK. Late south 11/24 Houston FZL, 11/27 Hennepin DWK, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons | |||||
| Least Bittern (Botaurus exilis) | All reports: 8/9–11 Hennepin (Old Cedar Ave.) m.ob., 8/18 Winona CAS, 8/26 Lyon RJS. | ||||
| American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) | Reported from six north and six south counties. Late north 9/18 St. Louis SLF. Late south 10/12 Big Stone PHS. | ||||
| LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea) | No reports. | ||||
| Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) | All reports: 8/14 Grant (two in Pelican Lake Twp.) KRE, 8/27 Traverse (Bois de Sioux R.) fide AXH, 8/28 Lac qui Parle (Manfred Twp.) BRL, 8/31 Murray (Lake Sarah Twp.) RJS, 9/1 Lyon (Sham L.) SMo, 9/21 Lyon (Island L.) RJS. | ||||
| Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) | Only documented report: 8/27 Dakota (adult at Lily L.) RPR, †CBr, ph. JPM. First fall record since 1993! | ||||
| Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) | Reported from four north counties, including 8/2 Cass PEB, 9/4 (late north) Marshall JMJ. Observed in nine south counties, none after September except 11/24 Ramsey fide AXH. | ||||
| Green Heron (Butorides virescens) | Seen in 12 north and 19 south counties. Late north 9/18 Todd JSK, SID, 10/1 St. Louis EEO. Late south 9/26 Mower RCK, RDK, 10/7 Meeker DMF — but also see winter report! | ||||
| Great Egret (Ardea alba) | Seen in 9 north and 29 south counties in all regions. Unusual reports 8/17 St. Louis (Embarrass) ALE, 8/18 Lake (Two Harbors) JWL and St. Louis (Duluth) MH, FJN, 8/25 St. Louis (Manganika L.) SLF. Peak count 8/13 Waseca (77) JEZ. Late north 10/16 Polk EEF. Late south 11/2 Ramsey REH, 11/11 Dakota SWe. | ||||
| Western Cattle-Egret (Ardea ibis) | All reports: 8/2 Douglas JPE, 8/3–14 Grant (max. 45 near Pelican L.) KRE, JPE, 8/14 Big Stone (Malta Twp.) †JPE, 9/5 Wilkin (13) †BWF, 10/20 Big Stone (Graceville) PHS, 10/23–27 Lake (5 at Two Harbors) PCC, PHS, 10/31 Cook JWH, 11/10 Otter Tail EJE, 11/16 (record-late north date) Roseau †MBr, SWd. | ||||
| Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) | Reported from 23 north and 34 south counties. Late north 11/17 Polk EEF, 11/22 Clay EEF. | ||||
| Ibises | |||||
| Plegadis ibis (Plegadis sp.) | Documented 8/17 Lac qui Parle (Walter Twp.) †BJU, 9/18 Big Stone (2 at West Toqua L.) †RHO, 10/3 Big Stone (3 in Odessa Twp.) ph. †PHS, 10/13 Lyon (Black Rush L.) †RJS, 11/7 Wilkin (Prairie View Twp.) †EJE. Also see undocumented reports. [Corrected] | ||||
| New World Vultures | |||||
| Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) | Seen in 23 north and 28 south counties. See Table 1 for high count. Late north 10/25 St. Louis (H.R.B.O.) FJN, DSC, 11/6 Polk EEF. Late south 10/16 Rice DAB, 10/18 Olmsted PWP. | ||||
| Osprey | |||||
| Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) | Reported from 14 north and 16 south counties in all regions. Peak count 9/11 St. Louis (47 at H.R.B.O.) FJN, DSC. Late north 10/19 Otter Tail JEB, RBJ, 11/4 Becker JEB. Late south 10/21 Rock LBF, 11/17 Rice TFB. | ||||
| Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles | |||||
| Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) | Total of 147 at H.R.B.O. (161 last fall) beginning 10/2 St. Louis FJN. Early north away from Hawk Ridge 10/12 Itasca RBJ; additional north reports from Clay, Marshall, Polk. Early south 10/3 Big Stone (juvenile) PHS, 10/12 Nicollet RMD; also seen in Carver, Meeker, Watonwan. | ||||
| Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) | Reported from 21 north and 17 south counties. Late north 11/22 Aitkin DWK, 11/27 St. Louis PEB, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) | Observed in 15 north and 21 south counties. Early south 9/5 Dakota TAT, 9/9 Houston FZL. Third highest count 9/25 St. Louis (1,844 at H.R.B.O.) FJN, DSC. Late north 11/22 St. Louis (H.R.B.O.) FJN, DSC, 11/25 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) | Seen in 14 north and 27 south counties, but none in Southwest. See Table 1 for high count. Late north (median 10/31) 11/9 St. Louis (H.R.B.O.) FJN, DSC, 11/24 Wadena PJB, but also see winter report. | ||||
| American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus) | All north reports: Carlton, Cass, Cook, Clay, Itasca, Lake, Marshall, Otter Tail, Pine, St. Louis. Only south reports: 10/9 Hennepin OLJ, 10/10, 11/13 Meeker DMF, 11/13 Hennepin AXH. | ||||
| Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) | Seen in 20 north and 30 south counties in all regions. See Table 1 for peak count. | ||||
| MISSISSIPPI KITE (Ictinia mississippiensis) | Three different juveniles at H.R.B.O. — 8/30, 9/7, 9/8 †FJN et al. The 9/8 bird was identifiably photographed. | ||||
| Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) | All north reports: 8/3 Douglas JPE, 8/3–9/14 Todd JSK, SID, 8/30 Otter Tail JEB, RBJ, 9/26 Becker DFN, plus total of three at H.R.B.O. in Duluth between 10/2 and 10/17 (FJN, DSC). Observed in seven south counties as far west as Carver. | ||||
| Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) | Reported from 16 north and 19 south counties, none in the Southwest. Peak counts 9/16 St. Louis (31,021 at H.R.B.O.) FJN, DSC (see Table 1), 9/17 Rice (286) DAB, Houston (145) FZL, 9/25 Carver (197) WCM. Late north 10/14 St. Louis (H.R.B.O.) FJN, DSC, 10/16 Pine PEB. Late south 10/2 Waseca JPS, 10/10 Meeker DMF. | ||||
| Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) | All north reports: 8/5 Roseau fide JMJ, 8/31 Wilkin RBJ, 9/11 Clay fide JMJ, and total of five at H.R.B.O. in Duluth between 9/7 and 9/24 (FJN, DSC). Reported from eight south counties, including 9/10 Steele (2) NFT, and (late south) 9/21 Dakota JPM. | ||||
| Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) | Reported from 61 counties statewide. Peak count 10/16 St. Louis (680 at H.R.B.O.) FJN, DSC. Below-average season at H.R.B.O., but the total of 6553 included a number of dark morphs, several “Harlan's”, one “Krider's”, and several intergrades. | ||||
| Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) | Seen in 18 north but only 5 south counties. Early north (median 9/20) 9/4 Marshall JMJ, 9/26 St. Louis (H.R.B.O.) FJN, DSC. Early south 10/2 Washington REH, 10/12 Sherburne JMP. | ||||
| FERRUGINOUS HAWK (Buteo regalis) | Only documented report: 10/13 Clay (adult at Felton Prairie) †PHS. | ||||
| Screech-Owls, Owls | |||||
| Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) | All reports: Brown, Freeborn, Houston (2 locations), Todd, Wright. | ||||
| Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) | Reported from 14 north and 14 south counties in all regions except Southwest. | ||||
| Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) | Total of 16 birds in 8 north counties beginning 10/19 Marshall fide CSt, 10/23 Cook PCC, PHS, 10/24 Polk fide JMJ. Only south report: found dead 11/22 Cottonwood (hit by motorized vehicle, Windom) BRB. | ||||
| Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) | Biggest invasion in state history beginning 10/3 St. Louis (Stone Lake Road) DWi, 10/14 Lake of the Woods (south of Baudette) HH, 10/15 Lake (near Beaver Bay) CBr, LM. | ||||
| Barred Owl (Strix varia) | Observed in 11 north and 12 south counties within usual range. Number of reports almost identical to last fall. | ||||
| Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) | Largest documented irruption in Minnesota history. August birds in Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) and St. Louis (Sax-Zim bog), and 9/19 Roseau MBr had probably summered, but five at the Northwest Angle 10/15+ Lake of the Woods HH et al. were harbingers of the thousands that eventually entered the state. Please see future issues of The Loon for details of this and other species during the irruption. | ||||
| Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) | North reports from Lake and St. Louis, including 50 banded at H.R.B.O. (compare with 60 last fall, DLE et al.). All south reports: Meeker, Ramsey, Wright (8) DMF. | ||||
| Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) | More reports than usual, especially along the North Shore of L. Superior, where totals by county were Cook (5), Lake (10), St. Louis (12). Statewide total of about 43 individuals in 12 counties; found in all regions except South-central. One found dead 11/14 Aitkin WEN; all other north reports away from Northeast: 10/7 Clay (Bluestem Prairie) JGa, 10/8 Otter Tail (Otter Tail Prairie) JGa, 10/20 Traverse PHS, 11/7 Wilkin (4, west of Rothsay) EJE. Highest reported count 10/7 St. Louis (6 at 40th Avenue West, Duluth) JWB. All south reports: 10/2–22 Cottonwood (max. 3 at Red Rock Prairie) BRB, LBF, DDM, BJM, BTS, 10/15 Fillmore (Hvoslef W.M.A.) NBO, 10/18–25 Dakota (Black Dog Fen) ADS, JPM, 11/20 Meeker (Kingston South Twp.) DMF. | ||||
| Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) | Record-high irruption; previous record exceeded by the total of 268 banded in St. Louis by FJN alone! | ||||
| Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) | Observed in five north and three south counties. Total of 369 banded at H.R.B.O. (653 last fall) with juvenile/adult ratio of 0.65 (1.40 last fall, 1.01 in Fall 2002) DLE et al. Total of 111 banded 10/2–25 Lake (Castle Danger) DAG, JWL. Total of 88 banded 9/17–11/1 Itasca (Big Fork) DRM. All south reports: 10/9 (Cedar L.), 11/27+ (Bass Ponds) Hennepin SLC, DWK et al., 10/28, 11/24 Rice TFB, 11/10 Ramsey AXH. | ||||
| Kingfishers | |||||
| Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) | Reported from 48 counties in all regions except Southwest. Lingered through 11/28 St. Louis (Duluth) JRN, but see winter report. | ||||
| Woodpeckers | |||||
| Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) | Reported from 5 north and 17 south counties. Three reports from Duluth: 9/14 (2) MTA, 9/17 (adult at H.R.B.O.) FJN, 9/26 (juvenile at H.R.B.O.) FJN, the latter also late north. All other north reports: Cass, Clearwater, Polk, Wadena (4 in two locations). Twenty birds inhabited one square mile at Cedar Creek Natural History Area, Anoka County JLH. Additional reports of multiple birds in Houston (6+), Lac qui Parle (3), Sherburne (max. 9). | ||||
| Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) | Observed in 40 counties as far north as Pennington and Polk in the Northwest, Beltrami, Cass and Itasca in the North-central, and St. Louis (Duluth) in the Northeast. | ||||
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) | Reported from 13 north and 11 south counties. Late north 10/24 Carlton LAW, 10/26 Pine JMP. Five October reports south, including (late south) 10/17 Hennepin SLC, but also see winter report. | ||||
| American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis) | Pair with one juvenile throughout August and September in Koochiching (county road 13) m.ob. Only other report: 10/28 St. Louis (near Virginia) †SLF. | ||||
| Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) | Good numbers found in all three counties along the North Shore of L. Superior, especially at H.R.B.O. (total of 22 for season, beginning 9/13 FJN). Only reports away from Northeast: Clearwater, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods. | ||||
| Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) | Statewide. | ||||
| Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus) | Statewide. | ||||
| Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) | Observed in 17 north and 27 south counties. Peak migration 9/22 Cass and Crow Wing MRN. Highest reported count 9/23 Clay (20 at Gooseberry Park, Moorhead) RHO. | ||||
| Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) | Reported from 44 counties in all regions, including two reports from Southwest: 10/11 Rock (juvenile at Luverne) †DCh, CFe, MZ, 10/21 Nobles (West Graham L.) LBF. | ||||
| Caracaras, Falcons | |||||
| American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) | Reported from only 18 north and 21 south counties (57 total counties last fall). Numbers up at H.R.B.O. (2011 vs. 1484 last fall); second-highest count 9/25 (556) FJN, DSC. Also see Table 1. | ||||
| Merlin (Falco columbarius) | Reported from 13 north and 12 south counties in all regions. Downward trend continues at H.R.B.O. Probable early north migrant 8/14 Traverse BWF. Early south (away from known breeding locations in Twin Cities) 8/8 Sherburne PLJ, 8/30 Freeborn AEB. Only report from Southwest: 9/25 Cottonwood BTS. | ||||
| Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) | Reported from only 5 north and 11 south counties, but above-average total of 100 at H.R.B.O.. Early north 8/13 Koochiching EEO, 8/17 St. Louis (Embarrass) ALE; also reported from Clay, Itasca, Mahnomen. Probable early south migrants 8/19 Anoka BRL, 8/29 Big Stone JMJ and Carver RMD. | ||||
| Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) | No reports. | ||||
| Flycatchers | |||||
| Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) | No reports from Southwest or Northeast. Late north 9/7 Polk EEF, 9/16 Crow Wing JEB. Late south 9/22 Stearns STW, 9/23 Hennepin TAT. | ||||
| Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) | All August and September reports north were from the Northwest and West-central regions, culminating with 9/10 Wilkin DTT, SMT (same as median). Late migrant reported along North Shore of Lake Superior 10/30 Cook (Tofte) KRE. South reports during August from Big Stone, Yellow Medicine, Sherburne, and Meeker, then 9/13 Steele (Rice Lake S.P.) †LBF. [Corrected] | ||||
| Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) | Found in 11 north and 24 south counties. Peak numbers 8/31 Polk (11) EEF, 8/24 St. Louis (10) NAJ. Late north 9/12 Wadena PLB, 9/16 Crow Wing JEB, 9/25 Lake JWL (median 9/18). Late south 9/12 Lac qui Parle WCM, 9/18 Scott WCM (median 9/23). | ||||
| SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus forficatus) | Second county record 9/6 Wilkin (Anna Gronseth Prairie) †RAE; the first was at Rothsay W.M.A., 21 October 1994 (The Loon 67:63). More expected was one along the North Shore of Lake Superior 10/7–9 St. Louis (40th Avenue West/Erie Pier area, Duluth) †MTA; documentation also provided by †CBr, ph. MH, ph. EEO, †PHS. | ||||
| Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) | Reported from 9 north and 14 south counties. Early south 8/12 Sherburne PLJ, 8/14 Anoka DWK. Late north 9/10 St. Louis SLF, 9/11 Clay MM fide JMJ (median 9/7). Late south 9/22 Brown JSS, Olmsted LBF, 9/23 Hennepin TAT (median 9/21). | ||||
| Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) | Found in all regions except the Southwest. All September north reports: 9/8 Otter Tail JEB, 9/9 Clay JEB, 9/16 Carlton LAW. Frequent south reports through 9/21 Hennepin TAT, then only 10/3 Wabasha JLU. | ||||
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) | All reports: 8/26 Fillmore NBO, 9/6 Wilkin RAE. | ||||
| Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) | South reports of vocalizing birds: 8/6 Rice TFB, 8/14 Hennepin DWK, 8/15 Dakota DWK, 9/2 Fillmore NBO, 9/13 Fillmore NBO. | ||||
| Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) | Vocalizing 8/1 Pine (8) JMP, 9/5 Brown JSS. Note: During spring and fall migration, undocumented records of Empidonax flycatchers are not published in this report. Please be sure to indicate how birds were identified on the Seasonal Report form. | ||||
| Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) | Vocalizing 8/2 Pine JMP, 8/8 Brown BTS. | ||||
| Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) | Late north 8/31 Polk (7) EEF, 9/23 Pine JMP. Late south 9/3 Hennepin TAT, 9/15 Brown JSS. | ||||
| Empidonax flycatcher (Empidonax sp.) | A late, unidentified flycatcher was found 10/2 Lake JWL. | ||||
| Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) | Reported from all regions. Found north through 10/9, then only 10/20 Clay JEB, 11/1 Otter Tail DTT, SMT (median 10/14). Late south 10/16 Brown and Rice, 10/21 Dakota JPM, 10/23 Hennepin SLC (median 10/31). | ||||
| Vireos | |||||
| Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii) | No reports. | ||||
| Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) | Late north 9/14 St. Louis MTA, 10/19 Otter Tail JEB, 10/20 (previous record late north was 10/6) Clay JEB. Late south 9/24 Houston FZL, 9/25 Dakota SWe, 10/7 Houston FZL. | ||||
| Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) | Early south 8/5 Sherburne PLJ, 8/17 Hennepin ChM. Most south reports between early September and mid-October. Late south 10/15 Blue Earth DPJ, 10/23 Hennepin SLC and Waseca JPS. All October north reports: 10/4 St. Louis SLF, 10/7 Polk EEF, 10/9 St. Louis EEO. | ||||
| Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) | Probable early north migrant 8/15 Douglas KRE. Many north reports up through late dates 9/25 St. Louis JJS, 9/26 Lake TAT. South extreme dates both two days later than recent medians. Early south 8/21 Dakota JPM. Late south 10/1 Le Sueur WCM. All other south reports between 9/7 and 9/21. | ||||
| Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) | North dates later than median departure (9/10): 9/11 St. Louis MTA, 9/19 St. Louis JWL, 10/19 Otter Tail JEB. Late south 9/14 Hennepin SLC, 9/18 Nicollet RMD (median 9/25). | ||||
| Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) | All October reports: 10/4 Hennepin BRL, 10/16 Cook PHS, 10/19 Otter Tail JEB. | ||||
| Shrikes | |||||
| Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) | All reports: 8/1 Le Sueur (Kasota Prairie) WCM, 8/2 Dakota (2 at 160th and Emery, Vermilion Twp.) JPM, 8/4 Dakota (3 at 170th and Emery, Vermilion Twp.) JPM, 8/7 Dakota (location?) ADS, 8/27 Meeker (Darwin Twp.) DMF. | ||||
| Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) | Reported from 16 north counties during October and 3 additional counties in November. Early north 10/4 St. Louis KRS, 10/9 St. Louis (3) FJN, 10/11 Itasca RBJ. Found in seven south counties during October and six additional counties in November. Early south 10/20 Big Stone PHS, 10/22 Hennepin SLC (median 10/15). | ||||
| Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows | |||||
| Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) | Reported from all northern border counties, plus Clearwater, Itasca, Aitkin, and Carlton. Peak number 10/31 Lake (15) PHS. | ||||
| Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) | Reported statewide. | ||||
| CLARK'S NUTCRACKER (Nucifraga columbiana) | Second county record and 18th overall 10/14–24 Lake (Silver Bay) AR, PR, vt. SR. Many thanks to the Robertsens and the community of Silver Bay for welcoming birders, and to all who provided written or photographic documentation. First occurrence since 1986 and the first to be seen by many observers since one overwintered in Hennepin 1972–73 (The Loon 45:20–21). | ||||
| Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) | Reported within usual range from five Northwest and four North-central counties, plus St. Louis. Largest concentrations were 110 in a single flock at Agassiz N.W.R., Marshall County (9/4, JMJ, KRE et al., second highest count for state), 55 at Warroad W.T.P., Roseau County (9/4, fide KRE), 36 near Big Falls, Koochiching County (8/25, CBr, LM), and 35 near Meadowlands, St. Louis County (8/22, JPE). | ||||
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) | Reported throughout the state. Highest reported count 10/13 Kanabec (2000) CAM. | ||||
| Common Raven (Corvus corax) | Found in the majority of Northwest and North-central counties, and throughout the Northeast. Also reported from Todd, Kanabec, Pine. All south reports: 9/10+ Anoka (Linwood Twp.), 9/26 Chisago (Wild River S.P.) DCZ, 11/27 Sherburne (Ann Lake Campground) BWF. | ||||
| Chickadees, Titmice | |||||
| Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) | Reported throughout the state. | ||||
| Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) | Found in Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching, St. Louis, and Lake. Apparent migrants found at the mouth of the Knife R. 9/25 Lake KRE, JWL, SLL. | ||||
| Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) | Only reported from Fillmore, where seen throughout the period (NBO). | ||||
| Larks | |||||
| Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) | Found in all regions. Last north reports 11/13 Lake JWL, 11/14 Cook and St. Louis SLF, but also see winter report. South reports continued through the end of the season. | ||||
| Martins, Swallows | |||||
| Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) | All north reports: 8/8 Lake JWL, 8/24 Itasca JEB, 9/4 Todd CAM. South reports from eight counties, including latest observation 8/29 Hennepin SLC (median 9/16). | ||||
| Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) | Highest reported count 9/11 Otter Tail (1500) JMP. Late north 9/25 Wadena PLB (median 10/3). Late south 10/11 Houston FZL, 10/12 Big Stone PHS (median 10/18). | ||||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) | All north reports: 8/27 Lake JWL, 9/4 Todd CAM, 9/8 Otter Tail JEB. South reports from Sherburne, Meeker, Rice, Hennepin, Winona and Fillmore in August, then only 9/7 Hennepin WCM — compare to median south departure (10/3). | ||||
| Purple Martin (Progne subis) | High count 30 to 40 at Minnesota Point, St. Louis County (KRE, mid-August). Late north 9/5 Roseau JJS, 9/6 Cook JWL, 9/8 Otter Tail JEB (same as median). Late south 9/13 Dodge LBF, 9/17 Lac qui Parle FAE (median 9/14). | ||||
| Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) | Second-highest fall count 9/16 Polk (790) EEF. Late north 10/1 Lake JWL, 10/12 Clay PHS, 10/19 Otter Tail JEB. Late south 10/2 Dakota ADS, Olmsted PWP, Waseca JPS (median 10/16). | ||||
| Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) | Much more widespread than the prior two species. Found in 11 north and 15 south counties. Late north 9/18 St. Louis JMP and Wadena PLB, 11/7 (prior statewide late date 10/19; observer carefully studied the bird to ensure it was not a first state record Cave Swallow!) Cook †DWK. September south records: 9/8 Olmsted PWP, 9/13 Dodge LBF, 9/18 Brown BRB (median 9/28). | ||||
| Kinglets | |||||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) | Widespread and numerous, though both late dates preceded recent medians by 10 days. Early south 9/11 Anoka SWe, 9/14 Sherburne PLJ. Late north 10/22 Todd JSK, SID, 10/23 Lake PWP. Late south 11/3 Hennepin SLC, 11/11 Dakota JPM. | ||||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) | Found in 14 north and 21 south counties. Early south 9/23 Murray NED, 9/24 Hennepin SLC, 9/27 Chisago REH (median 9/16). Most north observations between 9/22 and 10/23, while frequent south reports into the first week of November. | ||||
| Waxwings | |||||
| Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) | Only found in northern regions, including Marshall, Polk, Beltrami, Cass, St. Louis, Lake, and Cook. Highest reported counts 11/10 St. Louis (20) RBJ) and 10/30 Cook (17) BWF. Early north 10/17 Cook EEO, MTA and St. Louis SES (median 10/5). | ||||
| Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) | Found statewide. | ||||
| Nuthatches | |||||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) | Reported from 21 north and 22 south counties in all regions. North reports throughout the season. Early south 8/9 Sherburne PLJ, 8/21 Hennepin SLC, 8/23 Houston FZL. | ||||
| White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) | Found statewide | ||||
| Creepers | |||||
| Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) | Reported from all regions, including 9/18 Scott WCM, 9/24 Hennepin SLC, and five more south counties by the end of the month. | ||||
| Gnatcatchers | |||||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) | Absent again from the North Shore of L. Superior, where this species had been a consistent late fall migrant 1999 through 2003. North reports 8/4 Wadena PLB, 8/8 Cass MRN, 9/8 Otter Tail JEB, DTT, SMT. Late south 9/23 Fillmore LBF, 9/24 Hennepin TAT, 10/7 Meeker DMF. | ||||
| Wrens | |||||
| Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) | All reports: 8/12 Houston (Reno) FZL, 9/15 Hennepin (Old Cedar Ave. Bridge) JEP, 10/23 Hennepin (Wayzata) fide AXH, 10/28 Hennepin (location?) SLC, 11/1 Anoka (Coon Rapids Dam) PHS. | ||||
| Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) | Most north reports ended by mid-September, but numerous south birds lingered into early October. Late north 9/23 Clay RHO, 10/2 Lake JWL, St. Louis FJN (median 10/5). Late south 10/11 Rice TFB, 10/19 Hennepin SLC, 11/3 Dakota JPM (median 10/18). | ||||
| Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) | Early south 9/19 Fillmore NBO, 9/21 Hennepin TAT (median 9/7). Late north 10/14 Beltrami JEB, 10/28 St. Louis SLF. Two November south reports: 11/13 Hennepin SLC, 11/19 Houston KTP. | ||||
| Sedge Wren (Cistothorus stellaris) | Only one report each from the Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast, and none from the Northeast. Late north 9/23 Kanabec JMP, then none until 10/15 Aitkin PEJ (median 10/13). Late south 10/11 Cottonwood (2) BTS, Hennepin SLC, 10/17 Dakota ADS (median 10/12). | ||||
| Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) | Only October reports north: 10/16 Lake PHS, 10/19 Otter Tail (median 10/12) JEB. Late south 10/7 Brown BTS, 10/19 Hennepin SLC, 11/1 Nicollet RMD (median 11/2). | ||||
| Thrashers, Mockingbirds | |||||
| Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) | No reports from Southwest, though well-represented in all other regions. Late north 9/23 Clay RHO and Pine JMP, 11/7 Cook JJS, KRE, MTA (median 10/23). Late south 10/11 Steele NFT, then no reports until 11/21–28 Hennepin (Mound Springs Park, Bloomington) SLC (median 11/12). | ||||
| Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) | Found in 7 north and 12 south counties. Late north 10/3 Lake JWL, 11/11 St. Louis JRN. Late south 10/8 Brown JSS, 10/23 Hennepin TAT. | ||||
| Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) | All reports: 10/2 McLeod (Hutchinson) PRH, 11/19 Murray fide AXH, 11/21 St. Louis (2) fide DRB. | ||||
| Starlings | |||||
| European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) | Found statewide. | ||||
| Thrushes | |||||
| Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) | Reported from 19 north and 27 south counties. Late north 10/24 Kanabec BLA, 11/3 Otter Tail JEB. Late south 11/8 Rice (15) DAB, 11/12 Scott JEB. A male with a wide white wingbar on each wing was discovered 9/18 Anoka AXH. | ||||
| MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (Sialia currucoides) | One report: 10/29 Aitkin (south of Palisade) fide DRB. | ||||
| Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) | Ten individuals found during the season: 10/9 St. Louis (Minnesota Point., near airport) DJB, 10/15–18 St. Louis (Stoney Point.) BRL, DDM, BJM, 10/26-31 Mille Lacs (Cove) CRM et al., PHS, 10/31, 11/4 St. Louis (two different birds at H.R.B.O.) FJN et al., 11/4–6 Clay (Buffalo River S.P.) RBJ, DPJ, 11/7 Cook (Hovland) KRE, 11/7 Otter Tail (Battle Lake) DJo, 11/14+ Sherburne (2 birds at Ann Lake) KTP, ASc, m.ob. | ||||
| Veery (Catharus fuscescens) | August north reports from Carlton, Kanabec and Hubbard, then only 9/4 St. Louis ALE, 9/14 Lake JWL, St. Louis SLF. August south reports from Freeborn and Hennepin, then only 9/24 Ramsey NSp. | ||||
| Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) | Only 5 north and 11 south reports. All north sightings: 9/18 Lake JWL, 9/23 St. Louis MTA, 10/5 Otter Tail JEB, 10/9 Lake JMP, 10/16 Cook PHS. Early south reports from Hennepin beginning 8/29 (SLC), but not elsewhere until 9/14 Sherburne PLJ. Late south 9/24 Ramsey NSp, 10/21 (record-late south) Rock LBF. | ||||
| Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) | Found in all regions. Peak number 23 on 9/10 in St. Louis SLF. Early south 8/28 Hennepin SLC, 9/4 Brown JSS. Late north 10/8 Todd JSK, SID, 10/17 Cook PHS (median 10/15). Late south 10/15 Fillmore NBO, 10/20 Lincoln LBF (median 10/19). | ||||
| Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) | Early south 9/20 Freeborn AEB, 9/27 Hennepin SLC and Sherburne PLJ. Late north 10/24 Lake TAT, 11/13 St. Louis JWL. Numerous south reports through the end of October, including highest reported count 10/23 Waseca (15) JPS. Late south 11/2 Brown JSS, Hennepin SLC. | ||||
| Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) | All reports: 8/4 Todd JSK, SID, 8/21 Meeker DMF, 8/23 Houston FZL, 9/17 Hennepin WCM, 9/18 Nicollet RMD, 9/19 Hennepin SLC. | ||||
| American Robin (Turdus migratorius) | Observed in almost every county in each region. Highest reported count 8/31 Crow Wing (500) MRN. | ||||
| Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) | All reports: 10/26–11/1 Ramsey (Otis Ave.) LK, PHS, 10/30 Ramsey (near Dale St./Lincoln Ave.) CB fide AXH, 11/27–12/11 Cook (Gunflint Trail) SA. | ||||
| Old World Sparrows | |||||
| House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) | Statewide. | ||||
| Pipits | |||||
| American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) | Found in every region of the state, including ten north and ten south counties. Early north 9/19 Lake EEO, 9/25 St. Louis SLF. Early south 9/18 Cottonwood HCT, 10/4 Hennepin, Mower and Sherburne. High count 113 in Clay 10/23 (BWF); also 50 each in Itasca (10/14, RBJ) and Cook (10/16, PHS). Late north 11/7 Cook MTA. Late south 11/10 Steele NFT. | ||||
| SPRAGUE'S PIPIT (Anthus spragueii) | Third fall report in 12 years and one of the very few to be photographed in the state in recent decades; discovered at Red Rock Prairie 10/10 Cottonwood †RMD, †JGW et al. and refound 10/11 ph. †PHS. | ||||
| Finches | |||||
| Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) | Nineteen reports from the northern third of the state, scattered throughout the period. Highest reported count 10/31 St. Louis (11) FJN. Only south report: 11/24 Scott JEB. | ||||
| Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) | Reported from ten north counties. Early arrivals 10/31 Cook BWF, 11/2 St. Louis m.ob., 11/6 St. Louis JWL. Only report away from northern third of state: 11/20 Pine AXH. No south reports. | ||||
| House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) | Reported statewide. | ||||
| Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) | Reported from 18 north and 15 south counties in all regions. North reports throughout the season. Early south 8/27 Dakota TAT, 8/28 Hennepin SLC, 9/5 Freeborn AEB. | ||||
| Redpoll (Common) (Acanthis f. flammea) | Reported from 15 north counties. Earliest: 10/17 Cook PHS, 10/30–31 Cook JEB, JWL. Away from the North Shore of L. Superior, arrived 11/4 Clay RBJ, 11/7 Pennington JMJ. Three south reports: 11/18 Wright KTP, 11/24 Nicollet RMD, 11/27 Dakota DWK. | ||||
| Redpoll (Hoary) (Acanthis f. exilipes) | No reports (but see winter report for exceptional numbers). | ||||
| Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) | Seven reports from Northeast. High counts 10/17 St. Louis (11) FJN, 11/14 St. Louis (25) JWL. All other reports: 8/22 Crow Wing RBJ, JEB, 10/9 Otter Tail SPM, 11/1 Nicollet (only south report) RMD. | ||||
| White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) | Six reports from the Northeast, including 8/6–12 St. Louis KRE, then none until 10/17. Only report away from Northeast: 11/18 Pine JMP. | ||||
| Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) | Reported from 16 north and 16 south counties in all regions. Six August reports north. Early south 9/22 Nicollet RMD, 9/27 Hennepin SLC, 10/9 Jackson WCM. | ||||
| American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) | Seen statewide. | ||||
| Longspurs and Snow Buntings | |||||
| Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) | Found in 10 north and 10 south counties. Early north 9/16 Lake JWL, 9/17 St. Louis LAW, SLF. Early south 9/28 Nicollet RMD, 10/7 Meeker DMF, 10/9 Dakota ADS. Please see winter report for late migrants and overwintering birds; only November reports south from Waseca and Cottonwood. | ||||
| CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR (Calcarius ornatus) | One report: 9/11 Clay MM. | ||||
| Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus) | Two north reports: 10/9 Marshall (20) JMJ, 10/16 Lake (4 at Iona's Beach) †PHS. Remainder of reports from Southwest: 10/14 Cottonwood (1) †JPM, 10/16 Cottonwood (~10) BWF, 10/17 Cottonwood BRB, 10/20 Lac qui Parle (7) †PHS. Cottonwood reports were all from Red Rock Prairie. | ||||
| Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) | Reported from 23 of 33 north counties but only 8 south counties. Early north 10/9 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 10/11 Crow Wing RBJ, then frequent arrivals beginning 10/14. Early south 10/26 Hennepin OLJ, 11/6 Meeker DMF and Brown BTS, 11/8 Cottonwood BRB. | ||||
| Towhees, Sparrows | |||||
| Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) | North reports in August from Kanabec, Pine, and Douglas counties, then 9/4 Marshall JMJ, JJS, 9/5 Roseau JJS. Only south report: 8/1 Meeker DMF. Highest reported count 8/1 Pine (5) JMP. | ||||
| Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) | Record-late north 11/7 Cook KRE, JJS. Only south report 8/3 Sherburne PLJ. | ||||
| LARK BUNTING (Calamospiza melanocorys) | Two reports of this Casual species, both from the Northeast: 9/6 St. Louis (basic-plumaged female at 40th Avenue West/Erie Pier in Duluth) †MTA, ph. MH, ph. †PHS, 10/4 Lake (Gooseberry Falls S.P.) †RPR. | ||||
| Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) | Reported from all regions. Late north 10/19 Otter Tail JEB and Lake JWL, well before recent median (11/5). Late south 10/23 Waseca JPS and Hennepin TAT, followed by 11/2 Rice TFB. High count 9/13 Mower (46) RCK, RDK. | ||||
| Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) | Reported from all regions. Three October reports north: 10/12 Polk EEF, 10/16 Lake JWL, 10/19 Otter Tail JEB. South reports through 10/5, then 10/12 Cottonwood BRB, 10/14 Rice TFB. Highest fall count 8/16 Pine (31) JMP. | ||||
| Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) | Reported from five north counties; latest 10/18 Cook †SLF, 10/19 Otter Tail JEB, 10/20 Clay JEB. Late south 10/20 Hennepin JLH, 10/27 Winona FZL. Highest reported counts 9/9 Pine (7) JMP, 10/9 Houston (5) FZL. | ||||
| Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) | Reported from all regions. Early north 9/23 St. Louis SLF, 9/25 Becker DFN and Lake JWL, 9/29 Pine JMP. Early south 9/26 Sherburne PLJ, 9/27 Hennepin SLC, 9/30 Dakota JPM. Frequent north reports through 10/26, then 11/26+ St. Louis JRN. Late south (also see winter report) through 11/8, then 11/13 Sherburne PLJ, 11/29 Hennepin TAT. Second highest fall count 10/14 Hennepin (20) DWK. | ||||
| American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) | Reported from all regions. Fourth earliest north 9/14 Pine JMP, followed by 9/21 Kanabec JMP, 9/24 Polk EEF, 9/30 Cook JWL. Early south 10/11 Hennepin SLC. 10/14 Hennepin DWK. | ||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) | Early south 9/24 Meeker DMF, 9/26 Hennepin SLC, then frequent south reports beginning 9/28. Partial albino 10/25 Hennepin TAT. | ||||
| White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) | Reported from 10 north and 14 south counties. Record-early north 8/20 Cook KRE, a single adult at a feeder. Otherwise, 9/9 St. Louis NAJ. Early south (only September reports) 9/30 Sherburne PLJ and Dakota JPM. Late north (but see winter report) 10/24 Lake ADS, 10/31 Cook JWL. Late south (also see winter report) through 10/25, then only 11/3 Hennepin SLC. | ||||
| Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) | Reported from 9 north and 20 south counties in all regions. Early north 9/25 Lake JWL, JJS and St. Louis PHS, SLF. Early south 9/20 Freeborn AEB, 9/25 Brown BTS. Late north (also see winter report) 10/30 Lake SLF, 10/31 Clay JGa, 11/1 Polk DLT. | ||||
| White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) | Seen in all regions. Early south 9/8 Hennepin TAT, 9/11 Steele NFT. Late north (also see winter report) 11/13 Cook SLF, 11/28 St. Louis JRN. Five November reports from Twin Cities area, including Hennepin DCZ and Ramsey NSp through end of period. | ||||
| Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) | Reported from 10 north and 15 south counties in all regions. Only three late north October reports: 10/12 Clay PHS, 10/13 Polk PHS, 10/19 Otter Tail JEB. Late south 10/21 Nobles LBF, 10/23 Dodge RBJ, 10/24 Rice DAB. | ||||
| LeConte's Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii) | Reported from eight north and six south counties. Early south 9/24 Hennepin SLC and Dakota TAT, 9/25 Brown BTS. North reports through 9/26, then 10/2 Cook (2) JWL, 10/4 Otter Tail JEB. Late south 10/10 Rock WCM, 10/11 Hennepin SLC, 10/16 Meeker DMF. | ||||
| Nelson's Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni) | All north reports: 9/4 Marshall, 9/5 Roseau KRE et al., 10/2 Cook JWL, 10/7 Clay JGa, 10/13 Beltrami DPJ (second latest). Latest south date on record 10/22 Cottonwood LBF. | ||||
| Henslow's Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii) | One report: 8/26 Sherburne (Sherburne N.W.R.) ASc. | ||||
| Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) | Reported from all regions. Second highest fall count 9/16 Polk (116) EEF. Late north 10/20 Clay JEB, 10/24 Lake ADS, then, tying the record latest north date, 11/15 Cook LS. Late south 10/22 Cottonwood LBF, 10/23 Dodge RBJ. | ||||
| Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) | Seen in all regions. See winter report for late migrants and overwintering individuals. | ||||
| Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) | Reported from 11 north and 18 south counties, in all regions. Early south 8/29 Hennepin SLC, 9/7 Hennepin TAT. Late north 10/9 Cook JWL and Beltrami DPJ, 10/12 Clay PHS. South reports through 10/22, then 11/8 Hennepin SLC. | ||||
| Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) | Found in all regions. North reports through 10/16, then 10/19 Otter Tail JEB. Numerous south reports through 10/23, then 11/11 Redwood BRB, 11/28 Hennepin SLC; also see winter report. | ||||
| Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) | Only report: one at feeder 10/14–20 Hennepin (Excelsior) DDM, BJM, BWF †ADS. | ||||
| Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) | Only north reports 9/27 & 10/2 Hubbard MAW (same bird?). Reported from seven south counties, latest being 10/2 Dakota JJS and Houston FZL, 10/3 Anoka JLH. | ||||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | |||||
| Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) | No reports. | ||||
| Blackbirds, Orioles | |||||
| Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) | Five north reports: 8/7 Marshall JMJ, 8/9 Polk EEF, 8/11 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 8/21 Wadena PJB, 9/28 Lake JWL. All south reports after August: 9/11 Lac qui Parle JMJ, 9/18 Nicollet RMD, 10/20 Big Stone PHS. | ||||
| Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) | Reported from 13 north counties; late north 9/23 St. Louis KRE, 10/1 Lake JWL. Reported from six south counties, latest being a high count of 150 on 9/4 Meeker DMF (three south reports were undated). | ||||
| Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) | Reported from only two north counties: 8/13 Kanabec (33, ties highest count) JMP, 9/9 (16), 10/12 (29) Pine JMP. Late south 9/12 Wantowan DLB, 9/18 Scott WCM, 10/6 Hennepin WCM, 10/9 Olmsted PWP. | ||||
| Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | Found in five north and eight south counties. North reports through 10/24, then 10/31 St. Louis PHS and Polk EEF, 11/1 Polk DLT. South reports through August, but none in September; late south 10/14 Sherburne JMP, 10/20 Lac qui Parle PHS. | ||||
| Sturnella meadowlark (Sturnella sp.) | Four unidentified meadowlarks: 10/2 Olmstead PWP, 10/15 Cook KRE, 10/20 Lincoln LBF, 10/21 Nobles LBF. | ||||
| Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) | Three reports: 8/1 Big Stone PHS, 8/1–3 Renville CRM, 8/8 Brown (2) BTS. | ||||
| Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) | Reported from 10 north and 18 south counties, and in all regions except Southwest. Highest reported counts 8/21 Pine (5) JMP, 8/25 Polk (4) EEF. Late north 9/8 Kanabec CAM, Otter Tail JEB and St. Louis SLF. South reports through 9/6, then 9/18 Scott WCM, 9/22 Olmstead LBF. Injured bird 11/23+ Ramsey NSp. | ||||
| Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) | Reported from all regions. Four November reports north: 11/4 Hubbard MAW and Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 11/6 Wadena PJB, 11/9 Beltrami RBJ, JEB. Also see winter report. | ||||
| Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) | North reports from Clay, Wadena, Hubbard and Todd, including (late north) 8/13 Wadena PJB. All October reports south: 10/19 Lyon, 10/20 Pipestone and 10/21 Nobles LBF, 10/29 Dakota (14) ADS. | ||||
| Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) | Seen in 13 north and 11 south counties. Early north 9/22 Cook EEO, 9/30 St. Louis NAJ, 10/1 Lake JWL. Early south 9/28 Anoka REH, 10/4 Meeker DMF, 10/9 Hennepin OLJ, SLC. See winter report for late migrants. | ||||
| Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) | Seen in eight north and six south counties, in all regions except the Southeast. Record-high count 9/19 Clay (1000+) RBJ. North reports through 10/20, then 11/3 Wilkin (425) RBJ, 11/4 Clay JEB. Late south 10/20 Lac qui Parle PHS, 11/2 Steele LBF. | ||||
| Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) | No significant counts. North reports through October, then 11/11 St. Louis SLF, 11/28 St. Louis JRN. See winter report for late migrants and overwintering birds. | ||||
| Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) | Three undocumented reports from Jackson where this species is now annual: 10/9 (5–7) RMD, KTP, 10/14 (10) DWK, 10/17 (4) m.ob. | ||||
| Warblers | |||||
| Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) | Only two observations in the west. Late north 9/23 Pine, Polk and St. Louis, 9/26 Carlton LAW and Todd JSK, SID. Two October south reports: 10/2 Hennepin SLC, 10/23 Hennepin TAT (median 10/11). | ||||
| Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) | No reports. | ||||
| Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) | Reported from all regions except the Southwest. Early south (away from known breeding locations) 8/13 Goodhue DFN, 8/14 Dakota DWK, 8/15 Stearns KRE. Only two September reports north: 9/5 Lake JWL, 9/23 Clay RHO (median 9/28). Late south 9/15 Brown JSS, 9/22 Stearns STW, 9/24 Hennepin SLC (median 10/3). | ||||
| Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) | Early south 8/6 (second earliest south; migrant?) Sherburne PLJ, 8/21 Freeborn AEB, 8/23 Hennepin SLC, TAT. Late north 8/29 Lake JWL, 8/30 Todd JSK, SID, 9/3 Mille Lacs RBJ (median 9/8). Late south 9/13 Houston FZL, 9/18 Hennepin TAT, 9/24 Hennepin SLC (median 9/20). One “Brewster's Warbler” reported 9/8 Ramsey (Maplewood N.C.). | ||||
| Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) | No north reports. South reports in September: 9/2 Freeborn AEB, 9/8 Fillmore NBO, 9/11 Hennepin SLC, 9/18 Carver WCM (median 9/11). | ||||
| Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) | Found in all regions except the Southwest. Early south 8/13 Wright KTP, 8/17 Hennepin ChM. Late north 9/25 Lake JWL, then several reports from St. Louis culminating with 10/7 SLF (median 10/1). Late south 9/24 Brown, Houston and Ramsey, 9/25 Dakota SWe, 9/27 Hennepin SLC (median 10/4). | ||||
| Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) | No reports. | ||||
| Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) | Please see summer report for early south migrants — this species' southbound movement typically begins late July (The Loon 76:54–55). Probable migrant (away from known breeding locations) 8/10 Hubbard MAW. All October north reports were from the Northeast, with last reports 10/17 Cook EEO, MTA and St. Louis EEO (same as median). Late south 10/18 Houston FZL, 10/21 Dakota JPM, 10/22 Hennepin SLC (median 10/16). | ||||
| Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) | Reported from 9 north and 20 south counties in all regions. Early north 9/5 St. Louis ALE, 9/12 Wadena PLB. Early south 8/30 Hennepin †ChM, 9/2 Freeborn AEB, 9/3 Rice DAB. Late north 10/24 Cook JWL. Late south 10/26 Hennepin SWe. Both late dates three days after median departures. Note: undocumented August reports were excluded. | ||||
| Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) | Reported from all regions, though fewest sightings in the west. First of four early south reports from Hennepin 8/7 SLC, then 8/21 Meeker DMF. October north reports from St. Louis, Itasca and (late north) 10/19 Otter Tail JEB. Late south 10/20 Lincoln LBF, then three reports from Hennepin culminating in 10/26 DWK. | ||||
| Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis) | All reports: 8/22 Lac qui Parle FAE, 9/11 Clay KCo, 9/23 St. Louis MTA. | ||||
| Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) | Reported from eight north and six south counties. Early south 8/18 Hennepin ChM. Late north 9/17 Lake JWL. South reports through 9/5, then 9/12 Meeker DMF, 9/25 Dakota SWe. High count 8/21 Hennepin (5) TAT. | ||||
| KENTUCKY WARBLER (Geothlypis formosa) | No fall reports since 1987. | ||||
| Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) | Reported from all regions except Southwest. Only two north reports from October: 10/3 St. Louis ALE and 10/7 Cook JWL. Frequent south reports through 9/25, then four October reports from four counties, latest10/10 Brown JSS. Both north and south departure dates well before medians. | ||||
| Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) | Fourth latest, 9/20 Nicollet (Seven Mile Creek C.P.) CRM. | ||||
| American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) | Reported from 18 north and 23 south counties, but no reports from the Southwest. Late north 10/1 Lake JWL, 10/2 Carlton LAW, 10/4 St. Louis SLF. Late south 9/25 Dakota SWe, 10/2 Hennepin SLC. | ||||
| Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) | Numerous reports from North-central, Northeast and East-central, but only one report from the Central region and none from the rest of the state. High counts by JWL in Lake included 9/14 (15), 9/23 (13), and record-high fall count 9/24 (32). Early south 8/23 Hennepin SLC, 9/15 Sherburne PLJ. Late north 10/31 Cook and Lake m.ob., 11/4 Carlton LAW. Late south 10/3 Anoka JLH, 10/18 Hennepin DWK, 11/23 (record-late south) Hennepin SJR. | ||||
| Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) | A male and female reported from Sakatah Lake S.P., 9/6 Le Sueur WCM was the first fall record since 1996. | ||||
| Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) | Found in only four north and seven south counties. Early south 9/4 Meeker DMF, 9/5 Freeborn AEB. Late north 10/3 Lake SLF and St. Louis ALE. Late south 9/23 Fillmore LBF and Hennepin TAT. | ||||
| Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) | First south reports from Hennepin beginning 8/23 TAT, then 8/28 Freeborn, Ramsey and Rice. Late north 9/23 Clay and Pine, 9/24 Lake JWL, 9/27 St. Louis LAW (median 10/1). Late south 9/28 Hennepin SLC, 9/29 Dakota JPM, then none until 10/11 Goodhue BRL (median 10/6). | ||||
| Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) | Found in six north and nine south counties. Peak number 9/11 Rice (15) DAB. Early south 8/28 Dakota TAT, Sherburne PLJ. Late north 9/28 Crow Wing JEB, 10/3 St. Louis ALE. Late south 9/24 Hennepin SLC, 10/9 Goodhue BRL. | ||||
| Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) | Absent from West-central and Southwest. Frequent south reports beginning 8/19 Hennepin ChM, 10 days after recent median arrival date. Late north 9/23 Pine JMP, 9/24 Cass MRN. Late south 9/12 Anoka PEB, 9/24 Hennepin SLC (median 9/26). | ||||
| Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) | No reports from Southwest and only one from West-central. Late north 9/12 Wadena PLB, and then two later than recent median (9/20): 9/26 St. Louis SLF, 10/1 Lake JWL. Only two south reports after 9/3, even though late south median is 9/29: 9/27 Hennepin SLC, 10/31 (second latest south) Hennepin †SLC. | ||||
| Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) | Found in 17 north and 14 south counties. Early south 8/15 Stearns (adult with fledged juvenile) KRE, 8/19 Hennepin ChM. Late north 9/23 Clay RHO, 9/24 St. Louis LAW, 10/1 Lake JWL. Late south 9/25 Dakota SWe, 9/28 Anoka REH. | ||||
| Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) | Reported from only three north and nine south counties. Early north 8/26 St. Louis DRB, 9/4 Marshall JMJ. Peak number 9/14 St. Louis (10) JWL. Late north 10/1 Lake JWL. Early south 8/28 Dakota TAT, 9/4 Meeker DMF. Late south 9/23 Fillmore LBF, 9/24 Hennepin SLC, TAT. | ||||
| Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) | Only north report 8/22 Lake (male near Finland) AXH. All south reports 9/3 Le Sueur (Sakatah Lake S.P.) WCM, 9/10–11 Anoka (Linwood Lake) DWK, JJS, 9/13 Rice TFB, 9/19–20 Hennepin (male at Cedar Lake) SLC, 9/21 Hennepin (female at Cedar Lake) SLC. | ||||
| Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) | High counts by JWL in Lake were 28 on 9/23 and 52 on 9/25. First south reports not until 9/16 Hennepin TAT, 9/18 Nicollet RMD (median 8/25 — 22 days earlier!). Late north 10/17 Cook MTA and St. Louis SLF, 10/19 Otter Tail JEB. Late south 10/23 Dodge RBJ, 11/3 Hennepin SLC (median 10/18 — 16 days earlier!). | ||||
| Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) | Away from the North-central and Northeast regions, only reported from Pine, Anoka and Watonwan. Late north 9/25 Beltrami RBJ, 9/26 Clearwater SPM. Only south report away from Anoka, where breeds, 8/27 Watonwan DLB. | ||||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) | Early south 9/18 Cottonwood HCT, 9/24 Hennepin PEB (median is 8/21 — 28 days earlier!). High count 10/17 Fillmore (50) NBO. Late north 10/30 Cook JWL, 10/31 Lake JPM. Late south 10/23 Dakota, Dodge and Waseca, 10/28 Hennepin SLC, 11/6 Goodhue BRL. | ||||
| TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (Setophaga townsendi) | Fifth state record 9/9–11 Anoka (Linwood L.) †CF; also documented †ADS, ph. †PHS. | ||||
| Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) | Found in 7 north and 10 south counties. Early south 8/28 Hennepin ChM, SLC, 9/4 Meeker DMF. Late north 9/25 Lake JWL (median 9/29). Late south 9/24 Houston FZL, 10/1 Le Sueur WCM (median 10/2). | ||||
| Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) | Reported from 9 north and 13 south counties. Early south 8/14 Hennepin ChM, then frequent after 8/20. Scattered reports north through 9/8, then 9/23 St. Louis LAW, tying the fourth latest date. South reports through 9/24, then 10/3 Ramsey NSp, followed by an astonishing 11/1 Ramsey †BRL, beating the previous latest date by 19 days! | ||||
| Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) | Found in 7 north and 14 south counties in every region except Northwest. Only two early north August reports: 8/27 St. Louis SLF and 8/29 Cook JWL (median 8/14). Early south 8/19 Hennepin ChM and Carver WCM, then frequent after 8/21. North reports through 9/9, then 9/16 St. Louis SLF and Otter Tail DTT, SMT. Late south 9/24 Hennepin SLC, Ramsey NSp, Mower LBF and Brown JSS. | ||||
| Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks | |||||
| Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) | No reports. | ||||
| Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) | Found in 10 north counties, with scattered reports through 9/25, then third latest 11/8 St. Louis GCK, CMG. South reports through 9/18 in nine counties, then 9/28 Hennepin TAT, SLC. | ||||
| Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | Reported from Marshall, Clay, Becker, Otter Tail, and Lyon in the western regions. No reports from Carlton or Fillmore in the east. | ||||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) | Seen in 14 north and 23 south counties in all regions. Highest reported count 9/15 Hennepin (23) TAT. Late north 9/23 Lake RHO, 9/24 Kanabec and 10/3 Pine JMP; also note injured bird through 11/19 Kanabec BLA. South reports through 9/28, then 10/9 Rice TFB, 10/14 Isanti DMP. | ||||
| Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) | Pair reported at a gravel pit in Mulligan Twp. Brown County since 7/18 (see summer report) last seen 8/15 Brown BTS. All other reports: 8/1 Renville CRM, 8/6 Rock JuB, 8/19 Murray NED, 8/22 Brown (singing male, North Star Twp.) BTS. | ||||
| Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) | North reports through August, then 9/6 Wadena PJB, 9/24 Lake JWL. Only four September reports south, latest being 9/25 Rice TFB. Then, 10/2 Rice TFB, followed by four Hennepin sightings: 10/2 SLC, 10/3 PEB, 10/4 BRL, 10/23 TAT (fourth latest). | ||||
| Dickcissel (Spiza americana) | Two reports: 8/20 Freeborn AEB, 9/16 Clay EEF. | ||||