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Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon | |
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The 1972-Winter Season 1 December 1972 through 28 February 1973 By Oscar L. Johnson |
The winter of 1972-73 was characterized by a colder than average December and a warmer than average January and February. In the Twin City area the average temperature for December was 11.3 degrees F, 6.8 degrees below the normal. The cold weather continued into the early part of January. Mild weather during the remaining part of the month resulted in an average temperature of 17.4 degrees F, 5.0 degrees above normal.
The mild weather continued throughout February with an average of 21.6 degrees F, 5.9 degrees above normal.
Perhaps the mild weather was the reason for six White-throated Sparrows wintering on the Nicollet Mall in Downtown Minneapolis. Hardly the place you might expect to find this species!
Some additional unusual winter observations were a Barrow's Goldeneye at Ortonville, a first for the western part of the state. Pigeon Hawks were reported from Ortonville and Deerwood. A Hawk Owl was seen by several observers througout the winter in Ait.kin County. A Clark's Nutcracker spent the winter visiting feeders at Christmas Lake, near Minnetonka.
Black-billed Magpies, reaching as far southwest as Cottonwood county and Boreal Chickadees, as far west as Lac qui Parle county were present in invasion numbers. The first winter record of a Hermit Thrush, 12-17 thru 2-24 at Duluth. A tardy Mrytle Warbler, 12-2 in Hennepin county. A Eastern Towhee all winter at Isle.
And last but certainly not least a Grayheaded Junco at Boyd for the third state record of this species.
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Species |
Information |
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| Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks | |||||
| Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) | 12-31 Silver Lake (2 adults, ·1 immature) JAB. | ||||
| Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) | 12-1 20,000 present each at Silver · Lake, Rochester and Lac qui Parle Refuge, decreasing to 4,000 at Silver Lake 1-7 and 500 at Lac qui Parle Refuge 2-28. Present all winter in Crow Wing (1), Otter Tail, Dakota, Hennepin, and Shurburne. | ||||
| Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) | 12-1 Duluth J. Avilar; 12-3 Departure date (600) Weaver Bottoms, Wabasha FZL; 12-31 Olmsted JAB. | ||||
| Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) | NORTH 12-16 thru 2-28 (4) Fergus Fails KRE. SOUTH Reported from 12-3 thru 2-25 as singles or pairs with a maximum of six Scott on 1-1 and 1-21. | ||||
| Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) | 12-16 (1) Big Stone DP. ; | ||||
| Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) | 12-3 Hennepin CLH. | ||||
| Gadwall (Mareca strepera) | Presen.t all winter Da·kota (8) and Scott 1-1 (25), 1-21 (i1), 2-27 (1). | ||||
| American Wigeon (Mareca americana) | 12-1 thru 2-28 (1) Edina WHL. ; | ||||
| American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) | NORTH 1-27 (6) Cook RBJ & DR, Crow Wing (2) TS. Fergus Falls (3) KRE. SOUTH Reported from nine counties in groups up to four. Maximum numbers (30) Winona and (25) Scott. | ||||
| Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) | 12-27 (2) Scott WHL; 12-31 (2) Rochester JAB; 1-1 (2 male and female) RBJ; 1-7 (1 male) Winona RBJ. DR; 1-12 (1 male) Winona FZL; 2-28 (2) Dakota WHL. | ||||
| Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) | 12-16 thru 2-28 (1) Otter Tail KRE; 12-31 thru 2-28 Hennepin WHL; 1-1 (1) Hennepin RBJ. | ||||
| Redhead (Aythya americana) | 1-3 (3) Wright BAH; 1-21 (1) Otter Tail KRE; 2-4 (1 female) Hennepin BDC. | ||||
| Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) | All winter (1) Otter Tail KRE, 12-31 (1) Olmsted JAB. | ||||
| Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) | 12-1 (2) Ramsey JAB; 12-16 Otter Tail KRE; 12-21 (6) Rochester JAB; 2-3 Hennepin CLH. | ||||
| Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) | Reported from Lake Superior by six observers from 12-21 to 1-28 in groups of 6 to 10. | ||||
| Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) | 12-16 (2) Ramsey JAB; 12-12 (1) Big Stone DP; 12-23 (1) Sucker River, St. Louis, M. Kohlbry; 2-18 (1) Ramsey JAB. | ||||
| Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) | Reported from five counties NORTH with maximums of ten and fourteen from Cook and Lake on 1-27 and 1-28 Wintered at Fergus Falls and on Lake Superior. Reported from ten counties SOUTH with a maximum of 287 reported on the Mississippi River, Ramsey 12-16. | ||||
| Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) | 12-16 (1 male) Big Stone DP. | ||||
| Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) | 12-30 Hennepin RBJ; 12-31 Olmsted JAB; 2-25 Houston FZL. Three to five all winter in Dakota DR. | ||||
| Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) | NORTH Five all winter Lake Superior. 12-25 Gunflint Lake S. Hedman. SOUTH Reported from Big Stone, Da·kota, Wabasha and Winona with a maximum of about 100 Dakota WHL. | ||||
| Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) | 12-21 last of season, Duluth JGG; 1-27 Two Harbors KRE; 1-27 Hoveland, Lake MMC. | ||||
| Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) | One report. Last seen at Weaver Bottoms by FZL on 12-3. | ||||
| Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys | |||||
| Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) | NORTH Reported by 15 observers from 11 counties. SOUTH Reported from Anoka, Goodhue, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Winona. | ||||
| Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) | Reported from Aitkin, Crow Wing, Marshall and St. Louis. | ||||
| Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) | Reported from Clay (7). Blue Earth (several cavies), Dakota (2), Lac qui Parle (2), Murray (15) Olmsted (13), Rice, Scott (8), Stearns (2), Watonwan (several cavies). | ||||
| Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) | NORTH Reported from Becker, Clay, Grant, Morrison and Otter Tail. SOUTH Twenty-seven reports from twenty-one counties. | ||||
| Grebes | |||||
| Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) | 12-17 and 1-7 Ottertail KRE; 228 Dakota WHL. | ||||
| Pigeons, Doves | |||||
| Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) | NORTH 12-14 thru 1-19 Duluth MMC; 12-16 Mille Lacs DB; 12-16 (2) Otter Tail KRE. SOUTH Reported from Dakota, Hennepin, Houston, Lac qui Parle, Ramsey, Scott and Sherburne. | ||||
| Rails, Gallinules, Coots | |||||
| American Coot (Fulica americana) | Wintered at Fergus Falls KRE; 12-1 (2) Wright BAH; 12-3 Hennepin CLH; 12-31 (3) Rochester JAB; 1-1 Scott RBJ; 1-21 Scott DR. | ||||
| Plovers | |||||
| Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) | 1-7· New Hartford, Winona Co. FZL. | ||||
| Sandpipers | |||||
| Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) | 12-16 Ramsey JAB; 12-31 Rochester JAB; 1-1 Hennepin RBJ; 1-7 (1) Winona, (2) Hous ton FZL; 1-23 Sherburne SRS; 2-18 Ramsey JAB. | ||||
| Gulls, Terns | |||||
| Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) | 12-3 Hennepin CHL, only report. | ||||
| Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) | Migrants (3) Read's Landing FZL; 12-31 Rochester JAB. Lake Superior: 12-17 (142) Duluth; 12-27 (150) Grand Marais; 12-28 (175) Silver Bay; 1-9 (200) Grand Marais; 1-10 (100) Knife River; 1-27 (25) Cook Co.; 2-24 (200) Lake Co. | ||||
| Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) | 1-10 Knife River FN; 1-27 Beaver Bay MMC; 2-10 (2a 2 second year) Two Harbors JCG. No first year immatures observed. Bad nesting season? JCG. | ||||
| Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons | |||||
| Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) | 1-31 Sherburne SRS. | ||||
| Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles | |||||
| Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) | 12-16 (1a) Sherburne SRS; 12-27 Cook, feeding on road killed deer LOS; 12-31 Winona (2a 1 imm) RBJ; Jan. and Feb. 1\iarshall AWR; 1-5 (1a) Sherburne SRS; 1-7 (limm) Goodhue, (1a) Winona DR; 1-12 (1a 1imm) Winona FZL; 2-4 (2a) Sherburne SRS; 2-24 (1a 2imm) Winona FZL; 2-26 Sherburne SRS. | ||||
| Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) | 12-18 (5) Weaver JAB; 2-19 Morrison BAH. | ||||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) | 12-2 Big Stone DP, 12-3 (2) Hennepin OLJ, 12-6 Duluth Koni Sundquist, 1-1 Ramsey JAB, 1-3 Anoka MF, 1-11 Morrison LSR, 1-19 St. Louis MMC, 1-20 Stearns BAH, 1-23 Nicollet JN, 1-30 Anoka SC. Copper's Hawk: 12-14, 12-23, 12-28, 1-20 Anoka SC, 12-31 Rochester JAB, 1-2 Anoka MF, 1-18 Sherburne SRS. | ||||
| American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus) | Reported by 15 observers from the following counties: Aitkin, Becker, Crow Wing, Lake, St. Louis, Anoka, Ramsey, Sherburne and Watonwan. On 12-21 Sherburne Refuge Staff reported 1 adult at feeder! EC, KG, and TS reported observing a very white adult on 2-11 in Aitkin. Only six reports last year. | ||||
| Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) | NORTH Wintered in Crow Wing (2) TS; Itasca, Dixon Lake no date fide MS; 2-9 Mille Lacs (1a) MI; 12-7 thru 2-17 Five reports from Duluth area, maximum of 5, 12-10, Mrs. William son; 2-10 Wadena RCD. SOUTH 12-6 (1a) Sherburne SRS; 1-7 Winona RBJ, DR; 1-12 (2a) Winona FZL; 1-21 Wabasha WHL; 2-11 Read's Landing OAR; 2-24 (2a) Winona FZL, (11a· 1 imm) Read's Landing WHL; 2-25 (1a) Houston FZL. | ||||
| Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) | 12-16 Sherburne RefugeChristmas Count; 12-31 Rochester JAB; 1-23 and 2-17 Crow Wing TS. | ||||
| Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) | Reported by ten observers in ten counties. 12-16 (6) Ramsey; 2-24 (4) Wabasha. | ||||
| Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) | Fewer reports than last year. NORTH 12-1 last seen in MarshaU AWR, returned 2-4; 12-18 thru 1-6 Duluth area; 2-2 Aitkin TS. SOUTH Reported from Hennepin, Olmsted, Ram sey, Rice, and Sherburne. | ||||
| Screech-Owls, Owls | |||||
| Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) | Reported by nine people from Becker, Otter Tail, Big Stone, Dakota, Hennepin, Nicollet, Rice, and Sherburne. | ||||
| Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) | NORTH Reported by twelve observers from eight counties. SOUTH Twenty reports from seventeen counties. Northern race reported from Aitkin and Crow Wing 2-7 thru 3-3. | ||||
| Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) | NORTH Reported from Becker, Cook, Marshall and St. Louis, with a maximum of six birds in the Duluth Harbor area 1-7. SOUTH Re ported from Hennepin and Pope. | ||||
| Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) | Aitkin Co., first seen by Mrs. Carl Orjala. See photo cover of The Loon, Vol. 45, No. 1 and Notes of Interest the same issue. | ||||
| Barred Owl (Strix varia) | NORTH Reported from five counties. SOUTH Reported from ten counties. | ||||
| Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) | 12-26 Meadowlands MMC, JCG; 1-3 Sherburne SRS; 1-27 Northwoods Audubon Center DB, KG, DR; 2-3 West Knife River Road S. Gilbertson fide JCG; 2-25 thru 2-28 Centerville, Anoka Co. EC. | ||||
| Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) | 12-16 Otter Tail KRE; 12-16 BigStone DP. | ||||
| Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) | 1-28 Duluth Mrs. Paine fide JCG. | ||||
| Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) | 12-19 Houston FZL; 1-13 Anoka MF; 1-4 St. Louis MMC. | ||||
| Kingfishers | |||||
| Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) | Reported in December from Rice, Big Stone, and Dakota, in January from Wabasha and Winona and in February from Dakota, Ramsey and Nicollet. | ||||
| Woodpeckers | |||||
| Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) | NORTH All winter Deer wood, Crow Wing and Cove, Mille Lacs. Reported also from Morrison 12-19 (3) LSR. SOUTH Report ed from Dakota, Sherburne and Stearns (8 all winter). | ||||
| Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) | NORTH All winter Mille Lacs, near Vinela·nd. MI. SOUTH Reported from thirteen counties. | ||||
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) | 12-5 and 1-4 Duluth K. Sundquist. First winter record North. 12-31 Ro chester JAB. | ||||
| Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) | 12-16 (2) Hubbard DR; 1-2 Crow Wing TS; 1-13 Hubbard KRE, RBJ, DR. Clark's Nutcrack'er: 12-17 Christma·s Lake Hennepin Co. BDC; 2-20 Christmas Lake WHL. See cover photo of The Loon, Vol. 44, No. 4. | ||||
| Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) | NORTH Reported from four teen counties. SOUTH Reported from nineteen counties. | ||||
| Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus) | NORTH Reported from sixteen counties. SOUTH Reported from seventeen coun ties. | ||||
| Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) | December thru mid January from St. Louis, Nobles, Ramsey, Otter Tail, Big Stone, Rice, Lac qui Parle, Swift, and Dakota. Mid-January thru February from Murray Lac qui Parle, Hennepin, Dakota, Carver, Swift; and Olmsted. Red-shafted Fli'cker: 12-12 and 12-14 Hybrid Du luth MMC; 12-20 Duluth MMC, good details. ' | ||||
| Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) | Reported from twenty-one counties. | ||||
| Caracaras, Falcons | |||||
| American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) | NORTH 12-16 Otter Tail KRE. SOUTH reported by thirty observers from seventeen counties. | ||||
| Merlin (Falco columbarius) | 12-16 Big Stone DP; 1-23 Crow Wing TS. | ||||
| GYRFALCON (Falco rusticolus) | Gray phase bird seen in Duluth Har bor area 2-4 and 2-6 BDC, JCG; 2-6 intermediate phase MMC; 1-28 Aitkin TS; EDK reported injured bird from Martin County sent to Mark Fuller U of M. | ||||
| Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) | 2-15 Sherburne SRS; 2-24 Dakota WHL. | ||||
| Shrikes | |||||
| Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) | NORTH Reported from twelve counties. SOUTH Re ported from fifteen counties. Myrtle Warbler: 12-2 Hennepin John T. Pratt, fourth winter record. Meadowlark, sp: SOUTH December to mid-Jan uary, reported by five observers from Dakota, Cottonwood, Murray, Nobles and Watonwan. ; | ||||
| Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows | |||||
| Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) | Reported from Aitkin, Becker, Hubbard, Cook, Itasca (3 daily at feeder), St. Louis (Sax and Zim). | ||||
| Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) | NORTH Reported from 18 counties. SOUTH Reported from 18 counties. | ||||
| Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) | Clay (Felton), Sherburne (3), Hubbard (2), St. Louis (3 at Duluth dump), Cook (feedmg on road killed deer 12-28), Aitkin (maximum of eight 1-3 thru 2-3), Pope, Cottonwood, Mille Lacs (Waukon). One on 12-30 near Claremont, Dodge County and one at Rice Lake State Park, Steele County on 1-5 (Donald Slinger). | ||||
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) | NORTH Reported from nine counties, all winter Beltrami and Morrison; migra tion: 1-23 Grant. SOUTH Reported from eighteen counties; Houston (100 plus). | ||||
| Common Raven (Corvus corax) | Reported from Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Clearwater, Cook (up to 50), Crow Wing, Hubbard (6), Itasca, Lake (30 at Little Marais), Marshall, Pine, St. Louis (61), Wadena. | ||||
| Chickadees, Titmice | |||||
| Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) | NORTH Reported from thirteen counties. SOUTH Reported from eighteen counties. | ||||
| Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) | NORTH Reported from Aitkin, Cook, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Lake, Mille Lacs and St. Louis. SOUTH Hennepin 12-30 thru 2-24, Lac qui Parle and Ramsey. | ||||
| Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) | Reported from Hennepin (2), Olmsted (8) and Washington (2 all winter). | ||||
| Larks | |||||
| Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) | December thru mid-January Rice (69), Rochester, Cottonwood (272), Winona (15), Olmsted (3) and Otter Tail (4). Mid-Januarythru February: Anoka (1), Hennepin (8) Sherburne (6), 2-3 Marshall first migrants, 2-4 Otter ~f~~ll~[s~25gjigrants, Pope (20), Swift (20), 2-18 | ||||
| Kinglets | |||||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) | 12-7 Nobles HSH; 12-16 Otter Tail KRE; 12-31 Rochester JAB; 2-11 Swift RZ. Bohemain Waxwing: NORTH Reported from eleven counties. Flocks up to 100 in early December, Duluth. SOUTH Reported from eight counties. About 100 all winter at Talcott Lake Game Refuge, Cottonwood County LR. | ||||
| Waxwings | |||||
| Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) | Reported by eleven observers. Ten reports for December wilh a maximum of 47 in Hennepin FN. Only one report in January (41 Becker TRS. Two reports late February 2-24 (16) Hennepin OLJ and 2-25 (1) Otter Tail KRE. | ||||
| Nuthatches | |||||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) | NORTH Reported from Becker, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Otter Tail, Pine and St. Louis counties. SOUTH Reported from Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Lac qui Parle, Ramsey, Rice, Sherburne and Stearns. | ||||
| White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) | NORTH Reported from thirteen counties. SOUTH Reported from sixteen counties. | ||||
| Creepers | |||||
| Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) | NORTH Reported from Becker, Crow Wing, Grant, and Otter Tail. SOUTH Reported from Big Stone, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey and Swift. | ||||
| Wrens | |||||
| Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) | 12-4 thru early March Minneapolis, RBJ, DR, and BDC. | ||||
| Thrashers, Mockingbirds | |||||
| Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) | 12-2 Cottonwood Gladys Hartness fide LAF; 12-16 Cottonwood LR; 12-22 thru 1-5 Watonwan EDK. Robin: NORTH Reported from Becker, Grant and St. Louis. SOUTH Reported from eight counties. | ||||
| Thrushes | |||||
| Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) | 12-31 Rochester JAB. | ||||
| Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) | 12-17 thru 2-24 Duluth reported by JCG, KG, RBJ, FN and DR. First winter record. | ||||
| Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) | Early December thru 3-10 (2 males) Waukon, Mille Lacs, KG, RBJ, DR and TS. | ||||
| Finches | |||||
| Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) | Reported from twenty-four counties througout the state. Observers reported fewer birds than last year. Largest flock reported (150) Morrison LSR. | ||||
| Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) | NORTH Seen throughout entire period in small groups of one to ten in Aitkin, Becker, Cook, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Marshall, Otter Tail, Pine and St. Louis. Maximums of thirty birds reported: 12-19 Crow Wing TS; 12-28 Lake BDC; 1-28 Silver Bay JCG. SOUTH: 1-1 Hennepin RBJ, one bird.. | ||||
| Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) | NORTH Reported from Becker, Grant and Ottertail. SOUTH Reported in small groups one to three from Anoka, Big Slone, He nnepin, Ramsey, Rice, Sherburne, Stearns and Swift. Maximum of twenty-five Big Stone, DP. | ||||
| Redpoll (Common) (Acanthis f. flammea) | Most reports were for small groups of 2-30 birds. NORTH Reported from Ailkin, Becker, Beltrami, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Lake, Marshall, Pine, and St. Louis. SOUTH Anoka, Big Stone, Cottonwood, Dakota. Hennepin, Olmsted, Pope, Ramsey, Rice, Sherburne and Swift. Maximums were observed on 1-18 (2-300) Sherburne SRS; 1-22 (90) Crow Wing TS. | ||||
| Redpoll (Hoary) (Acanthis f. exilipes) | NORTH 12-17 St. Louis MMC; 1-26 (5) Crow Wing TS; 1-27 Pine DB; 2-3 Pine RBJ, DR; 2-8 Crow Wing TS. No reports SOUTH. | ||||
| Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) | NORTH Reported from Becker, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Grant, Mille Lacs. Otter Tail and St. Louis (up to 30 present at feeder daily MMC). SOUTH Reported from Anoka, Big Stone, Carver, Cottonwood, Hennepin, Lac qui Parle, Ramsey, Rice, Sherburne, Stearns, Swift and Winona. Maximums of twer>ty at Ramsey 2-10 BAH and Swift all winter HSH. | ||||
| White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) | NORTH Reported from Becker (no date); 12-1 (2) Mille Lacs MI; 12-5 thru 12-28 (1 daily at feeder) Duluth MM1C; 1-7 (1) Duluth MMC. No reports SOUTH. | ||||
| Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) | NORTH Reported from thirteen counties, with a maximum of 300 birds from Morrison County. SOUTH Reported from twelve counties. Maximums of 150 birds reported from Nicollet and Sherburne. | ||||
| American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) | NORTH Reported from Becker. Crow Wing (2 daily at feeder) a nd Otter Tail. SOUTH Reported from eleven counties. Maximums of 25 or 26 reported from Sherburne, Hennepin and Anoka. | ||||
| Longspurs and Snow Buntings | |||||
| Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) | 12-2 Clay Elizabeth G. Anderson; 12-31 (161 Olmsted. JAB; 1-7 (2) Cottonwood LR; 2-25 (3) Nicol let JN. | ||||
| Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) | NORTH Reported from ten counties. Largest flock: (100) Aitkin. SOUTH Reported from eight counties. Flocks of 50 to 75 reported from Pope County. | ||||
| Towhees, Sparrows | |||||
| Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) | 1-1 Hennepin WHL. | ||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) | Pr·esent from late fall until 2-24 Lac qui Parle AFE. Third state record. Tree Sparrow: NORTH Reported from Becker, Crow Win_g (5 daily at feeder). Douglas and Otter Tail. SOUTH Reported from twenty counties. Maximums: 12-16 (212) Rice OAR; 2-18 (150) Nicollet JN. | ||||
| Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) | 12-16 Big Stone DP. | ||||
| White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) | NORTH Present until about 1-10 Duluth MMC and B. Ho.inaki. SOUTH 12-31 Rochester JAB; 1-7 Winona RBJ, DR; 2-26 Sherburne SRS; 1-18 to 2-23 (6) Nicolle t Mall, Minneapolis BDC, RBJ, CLH. | ||||
| Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) | 12-6 Big Stone DP; 12-16 Ramsey JAB; 12-31 Rochester JAB; 1-1 Scott RBJ. | ||||
| Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) | 1-14 Goodhue JAB. | ||||
| Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) | At feeder, Isle, Mille Lacs County all winter until 2-4 TS. | ||||
| Blackbirds, Orioles | |||||
| Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) | NORTH one report 12-16 Otter Tail KRE. SOUTH One to fifteen birds reported from Wright, Rice, Houston, Dakota, Sherburne, Hennepin. Scott, and Murray. Flocks from Ramsey (79), Big Stone (5), Hennepin (28), Dakota (60) and Houston (100). | ||||
| Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) | 1-8 Lac qui Parle AFE. | ||||
| Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) | 12-16 (1) Big Stone DP; all winter at feeder Deerwood, Crow Wing TS. | ||||
| Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) | Reported by fourteen observers from Cook, Crow Wing, Grant, Otter Tail, St. Louis. Anoka, Big Stone, Carver, Dakota. He nnepin, Houston, Olmsted, Pope, Ramsey and Winona. A maximum of fourteen observed 12-19 Houston FZL. | ||||
| Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks | |||||
| Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | NORTH One male seen daily at feeder Deerwood, Crow Wing TS; 12-16 (2) Otter Tail KRE. SOUTH Reported from twelve counties. | ||||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) | 12-31 (female at feeder) wmona HHJ. stayed till 1-4. | ||||