Following the cool and wet spring of 1991, June was relatively warm. Temperatures were about two to five degrees above average in all regions of the state. Rainfall, however, varied considerably. All western and most southern regions received above-normal precipitation. Many agricultural regions were declared disaster areas due to wet field conditions and the Mississippi River remained near flood stage through mid-July. In contrast, the north central and northeast regions were relatively dry, and the southeast received only about half the usual average of four to five inches for the month.

The weather in July had very few extremes. Rainfall was slightly above normal in most of the state. Almost all regions averaged about four to six inches of rain for the month, the only exception being the southwest where the average was less than three inches. Temperatures were even more consistent statewide. All regions recorded temperatures only slightly below normal for the month. There were no extensive heat waves characteristic of the drought summers of recent years; only once did the thermometer reach 100 degrees in July, and only then in the southwest. Overall, conditions were pleasant for summer birding.

A healthy number of contributors chose to take advantage of the pleasant conditions. No fewer than 93 observers (a few more than last year but about the same number as in 1989) submitted seasonal reports and/or breeding information. A total of 273 species was observed, the highest total in many years and well above the average of 265 for the previous 10 years. The number of breeding reports was also up, following several seasons of decline. This year contributors sent in 680 nest or brood cards, 100 more than last year but still well shy of the 1000+ submitted in both 1985 and 1986. Despite the increase in breeding reports, however, nesting information was obtained for only 139 species, three fewer than last year and the lowest total in several years. Top nest/brood card contributors were Karl Bardon (82), Jean Segerstrom/Mark Newstrom (82), Hiawatha Valley Audubon (72), and Jack Sprenger (51). Special thanks go to the members of Hiawatha Valley Audubon for providing extensive breeding documentation from Winona County, and to Karl Bardon and others associated with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' County Biological Survey conducted in several northwestern counties. And, as always, a hearty thanks to all contributors for your fine work in the field!

Unlike last summer, when Eurasian Tree Sparrow was added to the state list, or the summer of 1989, when Black-necked Stilt was added to most Minnesota life lists, no single sighting stood out from the rest this summer. Perhaps most interesting were the two records of Clark's Grebe in western Minnesota. This species was “created” by a split from the Western Grebe in 1985, and these sightings represent the fifth and sixth acceptable state records. (The scarcity of records is misleading, however, since only recently has there been a concerted effort to distinguish Clark's from Westerns.) The grebes seen at Lake Traverse in Traverse Co. nested; although it is not known whether they were actually on the Minnesota side or South Dakota side of the lake, this represents one of the most easterly nesting records for this species.

A number of other sightings this summer were noteworthy. Waterbirds were well represented: a Red-throated Loon in alternate (breeding) plumage was found on Lake Superior, only the fourth July record for the state; two unidentified ibis made a brief appearance in Traverse Co.; a pair of male Harlequin Ducks were seen in early June at the Roseau city sewage ponds in Roseau Co. (there are only three previous summer records for this species); and a Ruff appeared in Anoka Co., one of about a half-dozen summer records for this casual species.

Several raptors that are casual or accidental in summer were observed: two separate reports of Ferruginous Hawks in western Minnesota, representing the first summer records in 10+ years; a mid-summer Rough-legged Hawk in Aitkin Co. (stragglers of this species may be present in the state more often than previously thought, as indicated by observations in four of the past eight summers); a Prairie Falcon in northwestern Minnesota, the first July record for the state; and the return of Barn Owls to their nesting site in Vermillion Township, Dakota Co. for the second consecutive year.

Also of interest were three separate reports of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers; Sprague's Pipits for the second consecutive year just north of Roseau in Roseau Co.; and Baird's Sparrows at two separate locations in western Minnesota (this species has been recorded in three of the past six summers).

In addition to the Barn Owl, two other noteworthy nestings were documented this summer. A pair of Mountain Bluebirds returned to Marshall Co. to nest for the second straight year, fledging six young (a Mountain/Eastern pair was also present in Kittson Co.). In the opposite corner of the state, a pair of White-eyed Vireos were seen near Reno, Houston Co. in July and short-tailed young discovered in August; this represents the first nesting record for the state.

There are always some species each season for which reports are significantly up or down. This year, for whatever reason, the downs outnumbered the ups by more than two to one. For example, almost all of the swallows were scarce this summer. Many of the “common” species appeared to be less common; examples include Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Killdeer, Red-headed Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, and Common Grackle. On the other hand, some waterbirds such as American White Pelican, American Bittern, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, and Ruddy Duck were reported more than usual; other species for which reports were up included Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Broad-winged Hawk, Field Sparrow, Nelson's Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Orchard Oriole. And, as always, there are a few species conspicuous by their absence. Missing this year were Tundra Swan (surprisingly enough, this species usually turns up somewhere in the summer!), Piping Plover, Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, and Rusty Blackbird; all of these species have been recorded in seven or more of the past ten summers.

The format for the species accounts is the same as the past several years. The key to seasonal reports is located on page 70. Breeding records are classified based on the criteria found in The Loon 58:22 or in Green and Janssen (Minnesota Birds, p. 7). Counties for which positive breeding is documented for the first time since 1970 are in italics and identified as such according to updated versions of Janssen and Simonson's breeding maps (The Loon 56:167-186,219-239, 57:15-34).

A final thanks to all of the summer season reporters who make it possible to document avian distribution and migration. Thanks also to Peder Svingen and Kim Eckert for their assistance in preparing this report.