MOURC Proceedings Archive for The Loon

	MOURC Proceedings Archive - Towhees, Sparrows	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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Dippers
Thrushes
Old World Flycatchers
Old World Sparrows
Pipits
Finches
Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Towhees, Sparrows
Yellow-breasted Chat
Blackbirds, Orioles
Warblers
Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks

Proceedings

Species: Towhees, Sparrows

Cassin's Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Lark Bunting
Chipping Sparrow

Clay-colored Sparrow
[Black-chinned Sparrow]
Brewer's Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
Nelson's Sparrow
Baird's Sparrow
Henslow's Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Abert's Towhee
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee

	Ref	First	Last	Location	County	2	Comment	Status
Lark Bunting (C) (Calamospiza melanocorys)							Start Date 1991-01-01
	23:18-19	1951	index				The Lark Bunting in Rice County
	23:87-88	1951	index				Lark Bunting at Virginia
	28:167	1956	index				Lark Bunting at Salt Lake, Minnesota
1:0	MOU	1960-06-01		Breckenridge	Wilkin		The Flicker 37:70	Accepted
2:0	MOU	1961-08-31		east of Nimrod	Cass	Wadena	The Flicker 33:118	Accepted
3:0	MOU	1962-05-12		Dawson	Lac qui Parle		Janssen sighting. The Flicker 34:57	Accepted
4:0	MOU	1963-05-26		Manley	Rock		The Loon 36:28	Accepted
5:0	MOU	1963-09-01		Manley	Rock		The Flicker 35:128	Accepted
	36:26-28	1964	index				Blue Grosbeaks and Lark Bunting in Rock County
	36:92-93	1964	index				Lark Buntings Nesting at Salt Lake
6:0	MOU	1964-05-09		Schroeder	Cook		The Flicker 36:58 The Flicker 37:48	Accepted
7:0	MOU	1964-05-24		Two Harbors	Lake		The Flicker 36:58	Accepted
8:0	MOU	1964-05-24		Artichoke Lake and Salt Lake	Rock		The Flicker 36:39	Accepted
9:0	MOU	1964-05-26			Big Stone		The Flicker 36:58	Accepted
10:0	MOU	1964-05-31	1964-06-30	Salt Lake	Lac qui Parle		Janssen sighting. all males, singing The Flicker 36:88	Accepted
11:0	MOU	1964-06-20		southwest corner	Rock		The Flicker 37:63	Accepted
12:0	MOU	1964-09-05		Salt Lake	Lac qui Parle		Janssen sighting. The Flicker 36:126	Accepted
	MOU	1964-09-05		Salt Lake	Lac qui Parle		Janssen sighting.	Duplicate
	37:48-49	1965	index				Lark Bunting and Dickcissel in Cook County
	37:63-69	1965	index				Lark Bunting Occurrence in Southwestern Minnesota
	37:70-72	1965	index				Comments on the Distribution and Abundance of the Lark Bunting and Other Prairie Fringillids in Minnesota and North Dakota
	37:82	1965	index				Lark Bunting in Lake County
	37:82-83	1965	index				Breeding Lark Buntings and American Avocets in Lac Qui Parle County
	37:109	1965	index				Lark Bunting Record for the North Shore
	38:141-142	1966	index				Blue Grosbeaks and Lark Buntings in Nobles County
	40:58	1968	index				Lark Bunting Seen in St. Paul
	49:105-106	1977	index				An Unusual Visitor at our Feeder
	49:229	1977	index				Summer Record of a Lark Bunting in Stearns County
	51:200-202	1979	index				Lark Bunting in the BWCA
	54:189	1982	index				Lark Bunting in Cook County
	56:191	1984	index				Lark Bunting in Aitkin County
	57:181	1985	index				Lark Bunting in Cook County
	59:46-47	1987	index				Some Unusual Fall Dates from Duluth and Vicinity
	59:53	1987	index				Lark Bunting at Duluth
	60:137	1988	index				Lark Bunting in Aitkin County
13:1	MOU	1991-04-27			Big Stone		The Loon 63:264	Accepted
	avian information	1991-04-27			Big Stone		4/27 Big Stone (first state record) (first county record) One report 4/27 Big Stone DC.
14:2	MOU	1991-06-23		Louriston Township	Chippewa		The Loon 64:33	Accepted
	avian information	1991-06-23			Chippewa		6/23 Chippewa (second state record) (first county record) One male observed 6/23 Chippewa CMB.
15:3	MOU	1992-06-04		Thief Lake WMA	Marshall		The Loon 65:29	Accepted
	avian information	1992-06-04			Marshall		6/4 Marshall (third state record) (first county record) Two records, both unusually far north. One adult male observed on 6/4 just south of Thief L. WMA in Marshall Co. MCBS; another male seen on 6/5,6 at Felton Prairie in Clay Co. KR et al.
16:4	MOU	1992-06-05		Felton Prairie	Clay		The Loon 65:48 The Loon 65:29	Accepted
	65:48	1993	index				Lark Bunting at the Felton Prairie, Clay County
17:5	MOU	1993-06-01		near Cyrus	Pope		The Loon 66:31	Accepted
	avian information	1993-06-01			Pope		6/1 Pope (fourth state record) (first county record) Only report: one male in a field near Cyrus, Pope Co. on 6/1 BBo (migrant?).
18:6	MOU	1994-06-01	1994-06-02	Camp Ripley	Morrison		The Loon 66:118 The Loon 67:34	Accepted
	avian information	1994-06-01	1994-06-02		Morrison		6/1-2 Morrison (sixth state record) (first county record) Three observations, all away from usual range: one male on 6/1 at Camp Ripley in Morrison Co. SM (The Loon 66:118), a male photographed on 6/2 near Springsteel Island in Roseau Co. PS/SB, and a single bird on 6/24 near Duluth in St. Louis Co. fide KE.
19:7	MOU	1994-06-02		Springsteel Island	Roseau		The Loon 67:34	Accepted
	avian information	1994-06-02			Roseau		6/2 Roseau (first summer record) Three observations, all away from usual range: one male on 6/1 at Camp Ripley in Morrison Co. SM (The Loon 66:118), a male photographed on 6/2 near Springsteel Island in Roseau Co. PS/SB, and a single bird on 6/24 near Duluth in St. Louis Co. fide KE.
	avian information	1994-06-04			Lake of the Woods		6/4 Lake of the Woods (fifth state record) (first county record) Three observations, all away from usual range: one male on 6/1 at Camp Ripley in Morrison Co. SM (The Loon 66:118), a male photographed on 6/2 near Springsteel Island in Roseau Co. PS/SB, and a single bird on 6/24 near Duluth in St. Louis Co. fide KE.
20:8	MOU	1994-06-24		Duluth	St. Louis		The Loon 67:34	Accepted
	avian information	1994-06-24			St. Louis		6/24 St. Louis (first summer record) Three observations, all away from usual range: one male on 6/1 at Camp Ripley in Morrison Co. SM (The Loon 66:118), a male photographed on 6/2 near Springsteel Island in Roseau Co. PS/SB, and a single bird on 6/24 near Duluth in St. Louis Co. fide KE.
21:9	MOU	1995-06-12		Felton Prairie	Clay		The Loon 68:54	Accepted
22:10	71:156	1998-08-25		Richfield	Hennepin		(record #99-08, vote 7-0). The Loon 71:97 The Loon 71:157	Accepted
	avian information	1998-08-25			Hennepin		8/25 Hennepin (seventh state record) (first county record) Only documented report: 8/25 Hennepin (MSP Airport) TT, m.ob., 9/28 St. Louis (40th Ave. West in Duluth) SR. [Corrected]
23:11	72:40	1998-09-28		Duluth	St. Louis		(record #99-39, vote 6-1). The Loon 71:239	Accepted
	MOU	1998-09-28		40 Ave. West, Duluth	St. Louis		The Loon 71:239	Accepted
	73:35	1998-10-01		Duluth	St. Louis		(record #2000-61, vote 2-5). The majority had too many uncertainties about the description to accept the record. The amount and position of the white on the tail is unclear and inconsistently described; also unclear is whether or not the underparts were streaked. Finally, the sketched position of the white on the wings is somewhat incorrect for this species.	Not Accepted
24:12	72:164	1999-05-20		near Clarkfield	Yellow Medicine		(record #2000-27, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	1999-05-20			Yellow Medicine		5/20 Yellow Medicine (eighth state record) (first county record) One report 5/20 Yellow Medicine (male, Normania Twp.) PE. [Corrected]
	72:40	1999-07-09		Cedar Rock W.M.A.	Redwood		(record #99- 50, vote 2-5). The bird was only seen for a few seconds in flight, and the brief description only includes mention of a black bird with white wing patches. There is no mention of the size or position of the white patches, and the possibility of it being a partial albino blackbird is not precluded. In addition, the mostly wooded and shrubby habitat where the bird was seen would be atypical for this species.	Not Accepted
25:13	72:164	2000-05-13	2000-05-14	Stoney Point	St. Louis		(record #2000-43, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	75:41	2002-05-13			Crow Wing		(record #2002-50, vote 3-4). This was a difficult record to evaluate, with an inconclusive first-round vote and a discussion taking place at a committee meeting before the final vote was taken. It was agreed the identification by the two experienced observers may have been correct, but only one of them provided documentation, and it is brief and incomplete. The size and shape of the bird is not given, and some not accepting the record felt the description could also indicate a partial albino blackbird, which was apparently not considered as a possibility by the observers. Finally, the bird was observed as it perched “on the top of a small tree above a small pond in Crow Wing State Park,” and such behavior and habitat would be quite atypical for a Lark Bunting.	Not Accepted
26:14	75:160	2002-05-23		near Dawson	Lac qui Parle		(record #2003-15, vote 6-1). This adult male was observed by a very experienced observer who has done field research on the species in Colorado.	Accepted
	76:152	2004-05-16		near Nashwauk	Itasca		(recirculated record #2004-046, first vote 4-3, second vote 3-4). This out of range bird perched in a tree may have been a male Lark Bunting, but the size, shape, and exact location of its wing patches were not described, and blackbirds with albinistic wing patches were not considered. More importantly, Bobolink was neither considered nor eliminated by the description. Field notes were not submitted. The description was apparently written more than two weeks after the sighting and may have been influenced by field guides.	Not Accepted
	76:152	2004-05-18		near Marshall	Lyon		(record #2004-074, vote 3-4). This sighting was initially posted to MOU-net as a “probable” Lark Bunting seen without binoculars. The observer, while driving, flushed a small bird from a roadside ditch; by the time the observer pulled over to the side of the road, the bird was an estimated quarter mile away and could not be refound.	Not Accepted
	77:9	2004-06-29	2004-07-18	Springfield	Brown		(record #2004-083, vote 2-5). The observer reported no experience with this species. The description was incomplete, and the bird's behavior and habitat were atypical for Lark Bunting. Other observers were unable to confirm the identification.	Not Accepted
27:15	77:9	2004-09-06		40th Avenue West, Duluth	St. Louis		(record #2004-091, vote 7-0). Refound and photographed following its initial discovery.	Accepted
28:16	77:9	2004-10-04		Gooseberry Falls State Park	Lake		(record #2004-120, vote 6-1). Field notes and sketches submitted by an experienced observer convinced all but one Committee member.	Accepted
	avian information	2004-10-04			Lake		10/4 Lake (ninth state record) (first county record) 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.
29:17	77:169	2005-05-26		Ely	St. Louis		(record #2005-026, vote 7-0).	Accepted
30:18	78:40	2005-05-27	2005-05-29	Castle Danger	Lake		(record #2005-051, vote 7-0). Adult male photographed at a feeder along the North Shore of Lake Superior.	Accepted
	avian information	2005-05-27	2005-05-29		Lake		5/27-29 Lake (tenth state record) (second county record) Two accepted records: adult female 5/26 St. Louis (Ely) BET, †PHS and adult male 5/27–29 Lake (Castle Danger) ph. LL.
31:19	78:40	2005-08-30		Schroeder	Cook		(record #2005-075, vote 5-2). Also along the North Shore of Lake Superior was this fall migrant in female-type plumage. Those voting against this record were concerned about the lack of field notes.	Accepted
32:20	79:50	2006-06-14		Benville Township	Beltrami		(record #2006-062, vote 7-0). This adult male was found during a Breeding Bird Survey.	Accepted
	avian information	2006-06-14			Beltrami		6/14 Beltrami (eleventh state record) (first county record) Adult male discovered during Breeding Bird Survey 6/14 Beltrami (Benville Twp.) †BAB.
	avian information	2006-08-18	2006-08-19		Lake		8/18-19 Lake (twelfth state record) (third county record) Female/immature found 8/19 Lake (Split Rock Lighthouse S.P.) ph. DAG. [Corrected]
33:21	79:123	2006-08-19		Split Rock Lighthouse State Park	Lake		(record #2006-102, vote 7-0).	Accepted
34:22	79:123	2006-12-11		Airport Road, Duluth	St. Louis		(record #2006-104, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	2006-12-11			St. Louis		12/11 St. Louis (second winter record) Late migrant 12/11 St. Louis (Airport Road, Duluth) †DAG, †JWL, ph. KRE.
35:23	80:5	2007-06-23	2007-07-01	near Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge	Polk		(record #2007-045, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	2007-06-23	2007-07-01		Polk		6/23-7/1 Polk (thirteenth state record) (first county record) Singing male observed 6/23–7/1 Polk (near Glacial Ridge N.W.R.) LS, JCC, †DAB, †PCC, ph. †JMJ, ph. †PHS, m.ob.
	80:115	2007-08-02		near Marietta	Lac qui Parle		(record #2007-049, vote 1-6).	Not Accepted
36:24	80:5	2007-08-02		near Marietta	Lac qui Parle		(record #2007-049, vote 6-1).	Accepted
	avian information	2007-08-02			Lac qui Parle		8/2 Lac qui Parle (first fall record)
37:25	81:7	2007-09-14		Gunflint Trail about 15 miles north of Grand Marais	Cook		(record #2008-051, vote 7-0). A diagnostic image was submitted one year later.	Accepted
	81:7	2008-08-03		Florida Township	Yellow Medicine		(record #2008-038, vote 2-5). Though possibly correctly identified, the bird was only briefly seen (two to five seconds) from an estimated distance of 100 yards and optics were not used. The description did not eliminate Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) or blackbirds with white wing patches.	Not Accepted
	82:103	2010-05-19		Kolu Road, Sax-Zim Bog area	St. Louis		(record #2010-017, vote 3-4). Field notes were not taken and the observer was not aware that this species was unusual for this area. The brief description did not eliminate the possibility of Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) or partial albino blackbird or cowbird.	Not Accepted
38:26	82:103	2010-05-28	2010-05-29	County Road 7, Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge	Marshall		(record #2010-025, vote 7-0). Third county record and first refuge record. Photographed.	Accepted
	avian information	2010-05-28	2010-05-29		Marshall		5/28-29 Marshall (fourteenth state record) (second county record) Adult male 5/28–29 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) ph. †BRB. This was the third county record and the first to be photographed for the refuge.
39:27	83:3	2010-08-17		Sherburne NWR, Mahnomen Trail	Sherburne		(record #2010-028, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	2010-08-17			Sherburne		8/17 Sherburne (fifteenth state record) (first county record) A second county record 8/17 Sherburne (Mahnomen Trail, Sherburne N.W.R.) †DMa.
40:28	84:107	2012-06-14		Round Lake Township (T101N, R38W)	Jackson		(record #2012-024, vote 7-0). This observation, submitted by a competent observer, was also substantiated by photographic evidence. Only the second post-nineteenth century record for the county; the first was in 1971.	Accepted
41:29	85:99	2013-05-18		140th Street between Roberts and Sundberg Avenues in northeastern	Nobles		(record #2013-018, vote 7-0). Adult male. The bird was observed and photographed by several competent observers.	Accepted
42:30	87:4	2014-09-14		Superior National Forest, Old Gunflint Trail	Cook		(record #2014-044, vote 7-0). Female/immature, photographed.	Accepted
43:31	88:91	2016-05-25	2016-05-26	near the town of Cook	St. Louis		(record #2016-015, vote 7-0). Adult male, photographed.	Accepted
44:32	88:91	2016-06-04	2016-06-06	County Road 12, Mehurin Township	Lac qui Parle		(44.8923,-96.3674) (record #2016-019, vote 7-0). Adult male.	Accepted
45:33	89:87	2016-06-06		Wilkin County (record #2016-051	Wilkin		(record #2016-051, vote 7-0). Adult male, photographed.	Accepted
46:34	91:89	2016-06-06		private residence	Wilkin		(record #2016-054, vote 7-0). Adult male, photographed.	Accepted
	MOU	2016-06-06			Wilkin		(record #2016-051, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	2016-06-06			Wilkin		6/6 Wilkin (first county record) Seen 6/4, 6/6 Lac qui Parle (male, C.R. 12, Mehurin Twp.) †PHS, JEB, 6/6 Wilkin (pending acceptance by MOURC) ph. JPk, 6/11 Polk (male, Glacial Ridge N.W.R.) ph. †CBh, 6/21–22 Lyon (Lone Tree L.) ph. †GWe.
47:35	88:91	2016-06-11		Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge	Polk		(record #2016-021, vote 7-0). Adult male, photographed.	Accepted
	avian information	2016-06-11			Polk		6/11 Polk (second county record) Seen 6/4, 6/6 Lac qui Parle (male, C.R. 12, Mehurin Twp.) †PHS, JEB, 6/6 Wilkin (pending acceptance by MOURC) ph. JPk, 6/11 Polk (male, Glacial Ridge N.W.R.) ph. †CBh, 6/21–22 Lyon (Lone Tree L.) ph. †GWe.
48:36	88:91	2016-06-21	2016-06-22	Lone Tree Lake	Lyon		(record #2016-026, vote 7-0). Female, photographed.	Accepted
	avian information	2016-06-21	2016-06-22		Lyon		6/21, 22 Lyon (first county record) Seen 6/4, 6/6 Lac qui Parle (male, C.R. 12, Mehurin Twp.) †PHS, JEB, 6/6 Wilkin (pending acceptance by MOURC) ph. JPk, 6/11 Polk (male, Glacial Ridge N.W.R.) ph. †CBh, 6/21–22 Lyon (Lone Tree L.) ph. †GWe.
	90:3	2017-09-07		State Line Road/100th St, east of Lake Bella WMA	Nobles		(record #2017-042, vote 2-5).	Not Accepted
	avian information	2017-09-07			Nobles		9/7 Nobles (first fall record)
49:37	91:3	2018-08-02		Hamlin Wildlife Management Area	Lac qui Parle		(record #2018-033, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	2018-08-02			Lac qui Parle		8/2 Lac qui Parle (second fall record) Â Two reports of this casual species: 8/2 Lac qui Parle (adult male, Hamlin W.M.A.) † LiH, 10/22–24 St. Louis (Park Point R.A.) DEd, ph † PHS, ph † REn, † IsH, † EzH, † KRE, ph LME, ASu, LiH, DOr, m.ob. Also see records awaiting review by MOURC in the introduction.
50:38	92:92	2018-10-13		the Kenwood neighborhood, Duluth	St. Louis		(record #2018-062, vote 6-1). Female, photographed.	Accepted
51:39	91:3	2018-10-23	2018-10-24	(Sky Harbor Airport, Duluth	St. Louis		(record #2018-045, vote 7-0). Female/ immature, photographed.	Accepted
	avian information	2019-09-28	2019-09-29		Lake		9/28, 29 Lake (fourth county record) One report of this casual species 9/28–29 Lake (Two Harbors) JGW, ph. † KEm, † JWH.
	93:111	2020-09-19		Kandi State Wildlife Management Area	Kandiyohi		(record #2020-057, initial vote 4-3, recirculated vote 2-5). Several members were unwilling to accept the observation based on limited details especially since no optics were mentioned.	Not Accepted
52:40	93:111	2021-09-26		ball fields on Park Point, Duluth	St. Louis		(record #2021-072, vote 7-0). Photographed. Age and sex uncertain.	Accepted
53:41	94:115	2022-06-13		in a residential development near Stillwater	Washington		(record #2022-062, vote 7-0). Adult male photographed. First county record.	Accepted
	avian information	2022-06-13			Washington		6/13 Washington (first county record) New county record: 6/13 Washington (Lone Oak Trail) RSd, ph. †BAb, †EzH, †LiH, m.ob.
54:42	95:3	2023-05-21		50th Avenue East, Duluth	St. Louis		(record #2023-057, vote 7-0). Adult male, photographed.	Accepted

	Former summer resident southwest and west-central. Last breeding record 1964. Recorded in seven of the last ten years, most recently 2023.

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