MOURC Proceedings Archive for The Loon

	MOURC Proceedings Archive - Grebes	Accepted Duplicates
	This is the 1981 to present Records Committee Proceedings archive for The Loon, journal of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The last 2 years are available to MOU members.

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Proceedings

Species: Grebes

Western Grebe

Clark's Grebe

	Ref	First	Last	Location	County	Comment	Status
Clark's Grebe (C) (Aechmophorus clarkii)						Start Date 1936-01-01
	58:42	1983-04-24		Marsh Lake	Lac qui Parle	(vote 3-4). Formerly considered just a race of the Western Grebe, the Clark's Grebe was recognized as a full species by the A. 0. U. in 1985. As a result of this decision, this record was submitted, which included brief field notes stating "that in one individual the black of the crown ended above the eye [i.e., indicating Clark's Grebe] and that on another nearby Western Grebe the black of the crown extended below the eye." It was unanimously agreed that the bird was probably Clark's, but the majority felt that for a first state record a more complete description was needed, especially noting the bill color (bright yellowishorange in Clark's, dull greenish-yellow in Western), which is said to be more diagnostic than the extent of the black cap.	Not Accepted
	57:134	1985	index			Clark's Grebe Reported Seen in Minnesota
	58:109-111	1986	index			Minnesota Records of Clark's Grebe
	58:112-116	1986	index			Identification and Distribution of Clark's Grebe
1	58:146	1986-05-10		Ash L.	Grant	vote 10-0; The Loon 58:110). Another potential first state record with all ten members voting.	Accepted
	avian information	1986-05-10			Grant	5/10 Grant (first state record) (first county record) 5/10 Grant TRF, first Minnesota record for this new species. (*The Loon* 58:110).
	59:57	1986-05-23		Lake Osakis	Todd	(vote 4-3, with 7-0 required for Acceptance). This sight record (see The Loon 58:110-111) was described by Clark's Grebe expert John Ratti as "probably" a Clark's Grebe with "abnormal coloration" that he had never seen before ; he also stated that " it could be a hybrid ." The minority felt, therefore, that while the individual may have been a Clark's, the possibility of it being a hybrid still existed, and that for such an unusual species (only one accepted state record) only fully typical Clark's Grebes should be accepted for the time being.	Not Accepted
	59:102	1987	index			Clark's Grebe in Minnesota
	59:210-211	1987	index			A Clark's Grebe in Duluth
2	59:143	1987-05-02		Heron L.	Jackson	(vote 7-0; The Loon 59:102).	Accepted
	avian information	1987-05-02			Jackson	5/2 Jackson (second state record) (first county record) 5/2 Heron Lake, Jackson, B. Pieper, D. Ruhme (*The Loon* 57:102). 5/7 Duluth M. Hendrickson, KE et al. (*The Loon* 59:210- 211 ).
3	60:13	1987-05-07		Duluth	St. Louis	(vote 7-0; The Loon 59:210-211).	Accepted
	avian information	1987-05-07			St. Louis	5/7 St. Louis (third state record) (first county record) 5/2 Heron Lake, Jackson, B. Pieper, D. Ruhme (*The Loon* 57:102). 5/7 Duluth M. Hendrickson, KE et al. (*The Loon* 59:210- 211 ).
	61:99-108	1989	index			Identification and Status of Clark's Grebe in Minnesota
	61:150-151	1989	index			Clark's Grebe in Clay County
	62:12	1989-04-29		Big Stone L.	Big Stone	(vote 2-5). Although the "bright yellow" bill and "considerably paler" flanks were carefu lly noted in direct comparison with Western Grebes, this grebe had an intermediate facial pattern of the eyes "bisected by the black cap" and "white" !ores. Because of this facial pattern , the majority (as well as the observer himself) fe lt this was enough uncertainty to preclude acceptance as a definite Clark's Grebe. However, this and other Clark's Grebe records may be reconsidered in the future as more is learned about this species' status and identification.	Not Accepted
4	61:121	1989-05-22		Moorhead	Clay	(vote 7-0; The Loon 61:150-151).	Accepted
	avian information	1989-05-22			Clay	5/22 Clay (fourth state record) (first county record) Only report: 5/22 Moorhead, Clay Co. LCF (*The Loon* 61:150-151).
	avian information	1989-07-12	1989-07-19		Stevens	7/12-19 Stevens (fifth state record) (first county record)
	63:194-196	1991	index			Notes on a Clark's Grebe at Thielke Lake
	63:220-225	1991	index			Possible Clark's Grebe Breeding Record in Minnesota
5	63:154	1991-06-08		Thielke Lake	Big Stone	(vote 7-0; The Loon 63:194-196).	Accepted
6	64:15	1991-07-27	1991-08-10	Lake Traverse	Traverse	(vote 7-0; The Loon 63:220-224).	Accepted
	avian information	1991-07-28			Traverse	7/28 Traverse (sixth state record) (first county record) One individual observed on 6/8 in Big Stone PS et al. (*The Loon* 63:194-196); two adults with two young on 7/27-30 at Lake Traverse, Traverse Co. KE et al. (*The Loon* 63:220-225).
	64:163	1992	index			Clark's Grebe in Kandiyohi County
	64:174	1992	index			Clark's Grebe in Jackson County
	64:233	1992	index			Another Clark's Grebe Seen in Western Minnesota
7	65:33	1992-05-03		South Heron Lake	Jackson	(vote 7-0; The Loon 64:174).	Accepted
	avian information	1992-05-03			Jackson	5/3 Jackson (seventh state record) (second county record) Seventh state record. 5/3 Jackson AB (*The Loon* 64:174).
8	65:33	1992-06-25	1992-06-29	Diamond Lake	Kandiyohi	(vote 7-0; The Loon 64:163).	Accepted
	avian information	1992-06-25	1992-06-29		Kandiyohi	6/25-29 Kandiyohi (eighth state record) (first county record) One discovered among Western Grebes on 6/25 at Diamond L., Kandiyohi Co. RJ, RG (*The Loon* 64:163).
9	65:33	1992-08-21	1992-08-22	Lone Tree Lake	Yellow Medicine	(vote 7-0; The Loon 64:233).	Accepted
	avian information	1992-08-21	1992-08-23		Yellow Medicine	8/21-23 Yellow Medicine (ninth state record) (first county record) Reported 8/21–23 Yellow Medicine KE, mob.
	65:151-152	1993	index			Clark's Grebe in Traverse County
10	65:146	1993-05-01		L. Traverse	Traverse	(vote 7-0; The Loon 65:151-152).	Accepted
	66:106	1994	index			Clark's Grebe Found in Lac Qui Parle County
	66:154-155	1994	index			Clark's Grebe at Lake Traverse
	66:208	1994	index			Possible Breeding for Clark's Grebes in Minnesota
11	66:127	1994-04-16		Lac Qui Parle Lake	Lac qui Parle	(The Loon 66:106).	Accepted
12	67:45	1994-04-30		Lake Traverse	Traverse	(The Loon 66:154-155).	Accepted
13	67:45	1994-05-12		Thielke Lake	Big Stone		Accepted
14	67:45	1994-07-09	1994-07-16	Minnesota Lake	Faribault	(The Loon 66:208).	Accepted
	avian information	1994-07-09	1994-07-22		Faribault	7/9-22 Faribault (tenth state record) (first county record) Nested at Minnesota Lake in Faribault RJ, AH et al. (The Loon 66:208); this species has been reported for four consecutive summers and may prove to be regular in the state.
	67:187	1995	index			Clark's Grebe at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge
	67:252	1995	index			Another Clark's Grebe Record in Western Minnesota
15	68:58	1995-07-15		Agassiz N.W.R	Marshall	(The Loon 67: 187).	Accepted
	avian information	1995-08-05			Marshall	8/5 Marshall (eleventh state record) (first county record) Reported 8/19 Timm Lake, Yellow Medicine Co. (1) KE et al. (The Loon 67:252). Two birds first found in July were rediscovered in early August at Agassiz N.W.R., Marshall Co. DBM.
16	68:164	1995-08-11		Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge	Marshall		Accepted
17	68:58	1995-08-19		Timm Lake	Yellow Medicine	(The Loon 67:252).	Accepted
	avian information	1995-08-19	1995-08-25		Yellow Medicine	8/19-25 Yellow Medicine (twelfth state record) (second county record) Reported 8/19 Timm Lake, Yellow Medicine Co. (1) KE et al. (The Loon 67:252). Two birds first found in July were rediscovered in early August at Agassiz N.W.R., Marshall Co. DBM.
	68:174-175	1996	index			Clark's Grebe
18	68:164	1996-05-04		Myre-Big Island State Park	Freeborn	(The Loon 68:174-175).	Accepted
	avian information	1996-05-04			Freeborn	5/4 Freeborn (thirteenth state record) (first county record) Only report: 5/4 Freeborn DN (The Loon 68:174–175).
19	69:28	1996-08-18		Clear Lake	Stevens		Accepted
	avian information	1996-08-18			Stevens	8/18 Stevens (fourteenth state record) (second county record) Three records of five individuals: 8/18 Clear Lake, Stevens (1) KE et al., 9/8 Minnesota Lake, Faribault (2) PeP et al., 10/4 Lake Traverse, Traverse (2) SKS.
20	69:28	1996-09-08		Minnesota Lake	Faribault	(recirculated record).	Accepted
21	69:152	1996-10-04		Lake Traverse	Traverse	(record #97-04, vote 6-1).	Accepted
	avian information	1996-10-04			Traverse	10/4 Traverse (fifteenth state record) (second county record) Three records of five individuals: 8/18 Clear Lake, Stevens (1) KE et al., 9/8 Minnesota Lake, Faribault (2) PeP et al., 10/4 Lake Traverse, Traverse (2) SKS.
22	70:44	1997-05-25		Thielke Lake	Big Stone	(record #97-47, vote 7-0).	Accepted
23	70:44	1997-07-01	1997-07-13	Lake Osakis	Todd	(record #97-54, vote 7-0, The Loon 69:225-226).	Accepted
24	70:156	1998-05-08	1998-05-10	Boon L.	Renville	(record #98-44, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	1998-05-10			Renville	5/10 Renville (first county record) Only report: 5/8–10 Renville (Boon Lake) KE et al.
25	70:156	1998-06-15		L. Osakis	Todd	(record #98-62, vote 7-0).	Accepted
26	71:36	1998-08-16		Thielke L.	Big Stone	(record #98-76, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	1999-04-09			Traverse	4/9 Traverse (third county record) One report 4/9 (record early date) Traverse (L. Traverse) CMa. [Corrected]
	avian information	1999-06-12	1999-06-29		Meeker	6/12-29 Meeker (first county record) Two reports: 6/6–18 Big Stone (Thielke L.) PS et al. and 6/12,29 Meeker (Long L.) DF.
	avian information	2000-06-19	2000-06-28		Sibley	6/19-28 Sibley (first county record) Record high number of reports. Hybrid pairing involving Western Grebe suspected at two locations: Big Stone (Thielke L., also see spring report) †PCC, †KJB et al., and 6/24–7/3 Nicollet (Swan L.) †CRM, MJF. Single adults also reported 6/19–28 Sibley (Swan L. — note that this is a different lake than the one in Nicollet) †CRM et al., 7/10–30+ Lyon (Section L.) †CRM et al., 7/23 Douglas (L. Osakis) †KRE.
	avian information	2000-06-24	2000-07-03		Nicollet	6/24-7/3 Nicollet (first county record) Record high number of reports. Hybrid pairing involving Western Grebe suspected at two locations: Big Stone (Thielke L., also see spring report) †PCC, †KJB et al., and 6/24–7/3 Nicollet (Swan L.) †CRM, MJF. Single adults also reported 6/19–28 Sibley (Swan L. — note that this is a different lake than the one in Nicollet) †CRM et al., 7/10–30+ Lyon (Section L.) †CRM et al., 7/23 Douglas (L. Osakis) †KRE.
	avian information	2000-07-10	2000-07-30		Lyon	7/10, 7/15-30 Lyon (first county record) Record high number of reports. Hybrid pairing involving Western Grebe suspected at two locations: Big Stone (Thielke L., also see spring report) †PCC, †KJB et al., and 6/24–7/3 Nicollet (Swan L.) †CRM, MJF. Single adults also reported 6/19–28 Sibley (Swan L. — note that this is a different lake than the one in Nicollet) †CRM et al., 7/10–30+ Lyon (Section L.) †CRM et al., 7/23 Douglas (L. Osakis) †KRE.
	avian information	2000-09-11			Lyon	9/11 Lyon (second fall record) At least one adult was still present 8/6 (†RBJ), 8/8 (†KJB, †SLC), and 8/19 (CRM) at Thielke Lake in Big Stone County, where interbreeding with a Western Grebe suspected (see summer report). Also seen 9/12 Marshall (Agassiz NWR) †RBJ.
	avian information	2000-09-12			Marshall	9/12 Marshall (second fall record) At least one adult was still present 8/6 (†RBJ), 8/8 (†KJB, †SLC), and 8/19 (CRM) at Thielke Lake in Big Stone County, where interbreeding with a Western Grebe suspected (see summer report). Also seen 9/12 Marshall (Agassiz NWR) †RBJ.
	avian information	2001-04-09	2001-04-25		Hennepin	4/9-25 Hennepin (first county record) One photographed at Coon Rapids Dam tied the earliest arrival date for the state 4/9–25 Hennepin †OLJ et al.; also reported without details from the Anoka County side. All other reports: 4/27 (second earliest north) Marshall (ANWR) †KJB, 4/28 Meeker (Long L.) †DDM, BJM, 5/5 Renville (Boon L.) †DMF.
	avian information	2001-04-28			Meeker	4/28 Meeker (second county record) One photographed at Coon Rapids Dam tied the earliest arrival date for the state 4/9–25 Hennepin †OLJ et al.; also reported without details from the Anoka County side. All other reports: 4/27 (second earliest north) Marshall (ANWR) †KJB, 4/28 Meeker (Long L.) †DDM, BJM, 5/5 Renville (Boon L.) †DMF.
	avian information	2001-05-05			Renville	5/5 Renville (second county record) One photographed at Coon Rapids Dam tied the earliest arrival date for the state 4/9–25 Hennepin †OLJ et al.; also reported without details from the Anoka County side. All other reports: 4/27 (second earliest north) Marshall (ANWR) †KJB, 4/28 Meeker (Long L.) †DDM, BJM, 5/5 Renville (Boon L.) †DMF.
	avian information	2002-07-04	2002-07-15		Meeker	7/4-15 Meeker (third county record) Observed 7/14 Big Stone (2 adults at Thielke L.) †PCC, †PHS. At this location in August, two young chicks were observed with one adult Clark's; it was likely that at least one parent was a Clark's. Also reported 7/4 and 7/15 Meeker (Long L.) †DMF, CBe.
	avian information	2003-05-12			Dakota	5/12 Dakota (first county record) All reports: 4/27+ Big Stone (Thielke L.) †PHS, †BJU, m.ob., 5/12 Dakota (L. Byllesby) †BRL, †ADS, †JPM, m.ob., 5/30 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) †PLJ.
	avian information	2006-04-21			Kandiyohi	4/21 Kandiyohi (second county record) All documented reports: 4/17+ Big Stone (Thielke L.) †BJU, 5/21 Douglas (L. Osakis) †DBz et al., 5/28 Lac qui Parle (S. Rockwell L.) †PHS.
	avian information	2006-06-06			Redwood	6/6 Redwood (first county record) All reports: 6/6 Redwood/Yellow Medicine (Timm Lake) †BJU and throughout the season in Big Stone (Thielke Lake) ph. †PBB. At the latter location, one or two adult Clark's (one showed signs of possible hybridization GLN fide PBB) each associated with an adult Western Grebe instead of with one another, and their chicks looked identical to Western Grebe chicks.
	avian information	2006-09-16			Stevens	9/16 Stevens (third county record) Reported 8/30–9/4 Big Stone (ad. with 2 probable hybrid young still present at Thielke L.) ph. BJU. Also see undocumented reports.
	avian information	2007-06-22	2007-06-27		Martin	6/22-27 Martin (first county record) Seen 6/22–27 Martin (Pierce Lake) MCBS, †SPS, 7/21 Todd (Lake Osakis) JCC, LS.
	avian information	2008-05-17			Blue Earth	5/17 Blue Earth (first county record) All reports: 4/23–5/4 Douglas/Todd (max. 4 on Lake Osakis) MJB, KRE et al., 5/5 Big Stone (Thielke Lake) KRE, 5/17 Blue Earth (2 at Indian Lake W.M.A.) ChH, †RMD.
	avian information	2009-04-22			Meeker	4/22 Meeker (fourth county record) All documented reports: 4/22 Meeker (Lake Ripley) †DMF, 5/11–12 Anoka (Lake George, second county record) †DWK, KLF.
	avian information	2009-05-11			Anoka	5/11 Anoka (first county record) All documented reports: 4/22 Meeker (Lake Ripley) †DMF, 5/11–12 Anoka (Lake George, second county record) †DWK, KLF.
	avian information	2010-06-10			Lac qui Parle	6/10 Lac qui Parle (first county record) Found 6/10 Lac qui Parle BJU, 6/18 Big Stone RMD, 7/3, 7/17, 7/25 Stevens (2, hybrid pairing with Western Grebe, feeding two chicks, Gorder Lake) †DBM, AXH, LS.
	avian information	2010-07-03	2010-07-25		Stevens	7/3, 17, 25 Stevens (fourth county record) Found 6/10 Lac qui Parle BJU, 6/18 Big Stone RMD, 7/3, 7/17, 7/25 Stevens (2, hybrid pairing with Western Grebe, feeding two chicks, Gorder Lake) †DBM, AXH, LS.
	avian information	2011-05-07			Nicollet	5/7 Nicollet (second county record) Only report 5/7 Nicollet (Oak Leaf Lake) KRE, m.ob.
	avian information	2011-06-12			Lac qui Parle	6/12 Lac qui Parle (second county record) Reported 6/12 Lac qui Parle (Pegg Lake) ph. BJU, 6/27 Douglas (Lake Osakis) RHi.
	avian information	2011-08-01			Lac qui Parle	8/1 Lac qui Parle (third county record) Only report 8/1 Lac qui Parle (Pegg Lake; first seen in June) †BJU.
	avian information	2012-05-20			Lac qui Parle	5/20 Lac qui Parle (fourth county record) One reported 5/20 in Lac qui Parle ph. BJU.
	avian information	2012-08-11			Todd	8/11 Todd (first county record) All reports: 8/5 Douglas (Lake Osakis, adult with flightless juvenile, second parent unknown; though seen in Douglas, almost all grebe nesting habitat is on the Todd side of this lake) †AXH, 8/11 Todd (Lake Osakis, possible hybrid) †DBM. [Corrected]
	avian information	2012-08-28			Traverse	8/28 Traverse (fourth county record) All reports: 8/5 Douglas (Lake Osakis, adult with flightless juvenile, second parent unknown; though seen in Douglas, almost all grebe nesting habitat is on the Todd side of this lake) †AXH, 8/11 Todd (Lake Osakis, possible hybrid) †DBM. [Corrected]
	avian information	2015-04-30			Kittson	4/30 Kittson (first county record) All reports: 4/30 Kittson (Karlstad W.T.P.) †HHD, †RAE, ph. †JMJ, 5/2 Todd (Lake Osakis) †JLK, 5/14 Douglas (Lake Osakis) ph. †MTh.
	avian information	2015-12-07			Lake	12/7 Lake (first county record) One record: 12/7 Lake. A grounded individual was found by a motorist on the shoulder of C.R. 2 north of Two Harbors and about 3.7 miles northwest of Lake Superior. It was rescued by two DNR employees, Nancy Hansen and Bailey Petersen, and taken to Wildwoods Wildlife Rehabilitation in Duluth, where it was photographed by staff, determined to be uninjured, and then released in Lake Superior on 12/8 (fide AXH, KRE). This is the latest date for the state by over two months (prior late date 4 October 1996), and is only the second record for any of the North Shore counties (the other was 5/7/1987, Duluth).
	avian information	2017-08-19			Todd	8/19 Todd (second fall record) One report: 8/19 Todd (1, Lake Osakis, Battle Point Park, no details) ToL.Â
	avian information	2019-05-04	2019-05-05		Waseca	5/4, 5 Waseca (first county record) All reports: 5/4–5 Waseca (adult male, based on necropsy at the Bell Musuem; Loon Lake) ph. TFe, ph. † KEm, m.ob., 5/12 Todd (Lake Osakis) † JLK.
	avian information	2022-05-16			Watonwan	5/16 Watonwan (first county record) One south report 5/16 Watonwan (320th Street wetland near Madelia, in the company of 3 Western Grebes) †ChH, AnK, ph. †LBa, m.ob.
	avian information	2022-06-29	2022-07-06		Hennepin	6/29, 30, 7/1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Hennepin (second county record) Second county record 6/29 – 7/6 Hennepin (Westwood Hills N.C.) †JSz, ph. †LBa, ph. TBu, m.ob.

	Recorded in eight of the last ten years, most recently 2023. Rare breeder; all records possibly involving hybrid pairings with Western Grebe (A. occidentalis). Formerly Regular.

Notes:

The information in the above table comes from several different sources. The count in column 1 indicates which of the sources is considered the primary source.
	'Accepted' MOURC entries from The MOURC Proceedings
	'Not Accepted' or 'Rejected' MOURC entry from The MOURC Proceedings
	Accepted MOU records assembled by David Cahlander
	Sighting records for ()
	Avian information from the occurrence maps, in dark red, assembled by Robert Janssen. Seasonal report for the species/season published in The Loon or The Flicker has been added.
	Information from The Loon index assembled by Anthony Hertzel and David Cahlander