Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon - Blackbirds, Orioles Occurrence
This is the 1930 to present seasonal report archive for
The Loon, journal of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
The last 2 years are available to MOU members.
Seasons
Families
Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks
New World Quail
Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys
Grebes
Pigeons, Doves
Cuckoos
Nightjars
Swifts
Hummingbirds
Rails, Gallinules, Coots
Limpkin
Cranes
Stilts, Avocets
Plovers
Sandpipers
Jaegers
Alcids
Gulls, Terns
Loons
Shearwaters and Petrels
Storks
Frigatebirds
Boobies and Gannets
Cormorants
Pelicans
Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons
Ibises
New World Vultures
Osprey
Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles
Barn Owls
Screech-Owls, Owls
Kingfishers
Woodpeckers
Caracaras, Falcons
Flycatchers
Vireos
Shrikes
Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows
Chickadees, Titmice
Larks
Martins, Swallows
Kinglets
Waxwings
Silky-flycatchers
Nuthatches
Creepers
Gnatcatchers
Wrens
Thrashers, Mockingbirds
Starlings
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

Seasons
Species: Blackbirds, Orioles
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Bobolink
Eastern Meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
[Sturnella meadowlark]
Orchard Oriole
Bullock's Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Scott's Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Rusty Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Common Grackle
Great-tailed Grackle
[Quiscalus grackle]

Great-tailed Grackle(Quiscalus mexicanus)
YearSeasonNS
1993Spring First confirmed state record, 4/4–10 Rice KS, mob (The Loon 65:148–150).
1998Spring Third state record seen 4/18 through the end of the period in Jackson (Grover's Lake WMA). Initially, two males and one female were found north of the state line by KE and DBM (The Loon 70:183). As many as six individuals were reported on the Minnesota side of this WMA by subsequent observers.
1999Spring Fourth state record 3/26 through the end of the period in Jackson Co. (at or near Grover's Lake WMA) mob; no fewer than two males and two females were at the same location as last year. Photographs were obtained on 3/30 (KB). One male was found at a new Jackson Co. location on 5/13 (Middletown Twp., section 33) PS.
1999Fall The colonization in the Grovers L. area of Jackson, just north of the Iowa border, continues to expand. Up to 40–50 birds were found in October between Grovers L. and areas along Highway 86 north of the border. Last reported 10/23 Jackson (2) SL.
2000Spring Reported 4/1+ Jackson (Grovers L.) †PBu, TT et al., also documented nearby in section 29, Minneota Twp. on 4/9 (†KE). Stay tuned for the summer season! One male photographed 5/14 Cottonwood †BBo.
2000Summer The first summer record and the first confirmed nesting record for the state. Two nests (each with 4 eggs) were found at a small pond three miles north of the Iowa border in Jackson †AXH, †PH. Identification of the adults is pending review of the documentation by the Minnesota Ornithological Records Committee.
2001Spring Seen 4/8 Lyon (male at Black Rush L.) †RJS, 5/7+ Olmsted (pair at county road 9 marsh near Rochester) DSq et al., †PHS.
2001Fall All reports from Jackson: 10/17 (20 males and 30 immature/females) †PHS; last seen 10/27 (32 at county roads 86 and 4) ADS, TAT.
2002Spring Found for the fifth consecutive year at Grovers L., 5/6+ Jackson (3 males, 4 females) †PHS, m.ob. Also seen 5/9–21 Nicollet (male at Swan L.) DDM, †JPE, 5/10–12 Murray (male at Hiram Southwick W.M.A.) †PCC, †CRG, m.ob., 5/27 Lyon (male at Lyon County landfill) †RJS.
2002Summer Presumably the same individuals from spring reported 7/17 Jackson (3 in Minneota Twp.) †OLJ.
2002Fall All reports from Jackson, where reported from 9/20 (11, †KRE) through 10/20 (ADS). High count 16 on 10/17 (†PEB).
2003Spring Accepted records 4/17–19 Mower (adult male near Austin) ph. †JEM et al., 4/18–23 Brown (2 adult males near Sleepy Eye lagoons) †BSm, m.ob., 4/26 Dakota (adult male by Vermilion, present since 4/22 according to local residents) †JR, †ADS, ph. DDM, 5/31+ Rock (3 males and 3 females at Hills) †KRE et al. Reported for the sixth consecutive year in Jackson (Grovers L.) but unfortunately without details.
2003Summer Reported from Rock (Hills) through 6/17 m.ob. (please see spring report).
2004Spring Male and two females reported without details in Rock (Hills) during May, first documented 6/2 (please see summer report). One male with pale yellow irides and long, wedge-shaped tail was singing “a confusing, varied series of clacks, rattles, and whistles” 5/8 Lac qui Parle (near Madison) †BJU. Two additional reports from Lac qui Parle County lacked sufficient details. Also see undocumented reports.
2004Summer Only documented reports: 6/10, 6/28 Rock (pair at Hills W.T.P.) †BWF, ph. †CBr.
2004Fall 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.
2005Spring Documented 4/5 Jackson (male at Heron Lake) ph. BRB, 4/16 Rock (five at Hills W.T.P.) †MTA, RMD, CFa, 5/23 Rock (male and 2 females at Hills) †PHS; also reported from usual location in Jackson (near Grovers Lake) beginning 4/4 CRM et al. Undocumented reports from Lyon, Martin, Stearns.
2005Summer Documented at new locations 7/10 Chisago (pair) ph. NWa, 7/13 Lac qui Parle (vocalizing male, Walter Twp.) †BJU, 7/15 Yellow Medicine (vocalizing male, Hazel Run Twp.) †BJU, 7/18 Nicollet (vocalizing, Swan L.) †BJU. Continuing observations (see spring report) through mid-July Rock (female carrying food at Hills) CRM et al. and throughout season in Jackson (max. 13, Minneota Twp.) PEB, m.ob. Also see undocumented reports.
2005Fall Only report 10/17 Jackson (3 at cattle lot along state highway 86) DWK.
2006Spring First county record 4/15–18 Wright (adult male uttering “a variety of rattles and whistles... reminiscent of water slapping on a shoreline and the static of an old ham radio” at Pelican Lake) ph. KTP, †CMB, m.ob. Also documented 4/17 Lac qui Parle (2 adult males vocalizing “clacks, croaks, and mainly of harsh rising whistles” near Rosen) †BJU; 5/1–2 Lac qui Parle (2 adult males with very pale irides, one giving “harsh croaks interspersed with rising whistles” in Walter Twp.) †BJU; 5/3 Brown (adult male vocalizing “clucks and whistles” at Sleepy Eye) †BTS; 5/6+ Brown (female nest-building while 2 males displayed at Rosenau-Lambrecht W.M.A.) †BTS; 5/15–23 Olmsted (male at Eastside W.M.A.) RLE, JWH, ph. PWP. Reported without details from traditional location in Jackson (state highway 86 and CR 4) m.ob.
2006Summer MCBS reported vocalizing males 6/1 Murray (Chandler W.M.A.) SPS, 6/2 Murray (Hiram Southwick W.M.A.) MSS, and pair near Hills W.T.P. 6/7–21 Rock MSS. Vocalizing males also documented 6/20 (Hantho Twp.) and 6/26 (2 at Big Stone N.W.R.) Lac qui Parle †BJU.
2006Fall Six males and one female observed at traditional location 9/4 Jackson DWK. “At least one of the males gave the rising whistle call several times” 10/6–9 Watonwan (Mud L.) †RBW, m.ob. Reported without details from Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln.
2007Spring5 All south reports: 4/20–5/25 Watonwan (Mud Lake and Rosendale W.M.A.) m.ob., 5/7–27 Pipestone (Engbarth Slough W.M.A.) HHD, †BJU, m.ob., 5/18 Jackson DAB, BTS, 5/28 Murray (Big Slough W.M.A.) RMD. None were well documented.
2007Summer4 All records: 6/1 Watonwan (Odin Twp.) MCBS, 6/2 Jackson AXH, 6/4 Cottonwood (Rose Hill Twp.) MCBS, 6/5, 6/21, 6/27 Martin (2 locations) MCBS, 6/9–23 Jackson (14 different locations) MCBS, 6/18 Pipestone (Engbarth Slough) †BJU.
2007Fall All reports: 9/16 Jackson (1/2 mile north of C.R. 4 on S.R. 86) DWK, 9/28 Jackson (sections 17 and 20, Minneota Twp; “their voices consisted of varied whistles, shrieks, short growls and some quite loud clacking sounds”) BJU, 10/12 Jackson (730th and S.R. 86 just north of C.R. 4) JCC.
2008Spring3 All reports 3/20 Jackson (1/2 mile N/NE of the town of Heron Lake) †BTS, 3/30 Jackson (SR 86) LS, HHD, KRE, 4/6 Jackson (SR 86) DBM, 5/6 Martin (location?) HHD, 5/9 Lyon (Black Rush Lake) RJS, 5/19 Martin (Pierce Lake) JEB.
2008Summer2 Observed 6/2 Scott (male, vocalizing near Jordan) JEB, 6/7 Jackson BRB.
2008Fall1 Only report and new high count 10/12 Jackson (103) JWH.
2009Spring2 All reports 3/21 Jackson (10 along SR 86 near CR 4) RMD, 4/16 Jackson (CR 24 east of HeronLake) RJS, 5/1 Jackson JEB, 5/9 Jackson (Sandy Point C.P., Heron Lake) DBM, 5/13 Lac qui Parle ASc.
2009Summer No reports.
2009Fall2 Only reports 8/10 Jackson CRM, 8/11 Cottonwood (Windom) DoM.
2010Spring2 All reports: 3/27+ Jackson (S.R. 86 and C.R. 4) DAB, JWH, 3/31 Jackson (Pletz-Klima W.M.A.) DBM, 5/15 Lac qui Parle (Cory Lake) ph. †BJU.
2010Summer1 Seen 6/13 Jackson AXH, 7/3 Jackson (three nests, each with two chicks; a fourth nest held one chick and one unhatched egg) ph. AXH.
2010Fall3 All reports 10/6 Jackson (5, C.R. 86, Minneota Twp.) BJU, 10/23 Carver JCy, Sibley DBM (probably same individual).
2011Spring2 Only reports 4/18 Lac qui Parle (Cory Lake) ph. BJU, 4/26 Martin TAT.
2011Fall1 All reports from Minneota Twp., Jackson County. High count 10/22 Sangl W.M.A. (26) ARW, RJW. Last reported 10/29 (6) ph. RTe.
2012Spring3 All south 3/31 Waseca (Mott Lake) DBM, 4/11 Lac qui Parle (Plover Prairie East Unit) BJU, 4/30 Yellow Medicine LBF.
2012Summer2 Seen 6/1, 7/25 Jackson (3 females, 2 males at traditional location near MN 86 / C.R. 4) SC, ANy, JWH, 7/7, 7/8, 7/24, 7/26 Lyon female at Cottonwood W.T.P. and nearby Sham Lake) ph. GWe, †DWK, †HCT.
2012Fall2 All south 8/16 Jackson (North of 86 & 4 intersection) ELC, 8/29 Lyon (3, Cottonwood C.P.) GWe, 10/6 Jackson (6, Sangl W.M.A.) KDS.
2013Spring4 All reports 5/3+ McLeod (male) ph. †PRH, m.ob., 5/3+ Jackson ph. BU, 5/27 Lyon (female, Lone Tree Lake) GWe, 5/29 Big Stone (Odden W.P.A.) RMD.
2013Summer2 Found 6/6, 6/13 McLeod ph. PRH, 6/14, 6/25, 7/27 Jackson (max. 3) RMD, GHo, KDS, †SBM.
2013Fall1 Only report 10/19 Jackson (Hwy 86, 3 miles north of the Iowa border) KRE, m.ob.
2014Spring1Only report 4/5 Nobles (Lake Okabena) KRE, m.ob.
2014SummerNo summer reports, but nesting confirmed 8/9 Jackson AXH.
2014Fall3 All reports 8/1 Lyon (Cottonwood W.T.P) GWe, 8/9 Jackson (12) AXH, 9/14 Jackson BAb, 10/19 Swift (Lubenow W.P.A.) DLP.
2015Spring1 Only report 4/25 Lyon (Sham Lake) GWe.
2015Summer2 Observed in Cottonwood, Swift.
2015Fall1 All reports from the same location in Jackson county (Hwy 86 and 730th St): 8/23 ClN, 8/25 KEm, 10/18 BRB.
2016Spring4 All reports 4/17–26 Swift (Danvers W.M.A.) †KnM, ph. JPR, m.ob., 5/7 Jackson (Caraway W.M.A.) BAb, 5/15 Redwood (2, Gales Lake W.M.A.) MiO, JSc, 5/20 Yellow Medicine (Clarkfield W.T.P.) GWe.
2016Summer No reports.
2016Fall3 All reports were late migrants: 10/29 Cottonwood (Talcot Lake State W.M.A.) DAk, 11/2 Yellow Medicine GWe, 11/3 Faribault ClN.
2017Spring4 All reports 4/8 Jackson KEm, Rock (Springwater Twp.) REn, 4/11 Jackson (Heron Lake W.M.A.) DAk, 4/15 Lincoln (2, near Hendricks) GWe, 5/11, 5/13 Jackson (max.2, S.R. 86 and 730th) PEB, m.ob., 5/12 Yellow Medicine (Fortier Twp.) RAE, 5/14 Murray (Slayton) LiH, 5/24 Yellow Medicine (Normania Twp.) GWe.
2017Summer3 Found in Cottonwood, Jackson, and 6/3, 6/16, 6/23 Lincoln (3 different locations, none had any details) TCz, RCl.
2017Fall2 All reports: 9/7 Jackson (4 or 5, S.R. 86) GHo, KDS, 9/23 Jackson (1, S.R. 86) KnM, ASu, 9/28 Lyon (1, C.R. 91) GWe.
2018Spring13 All south (median 4/8) 4/22 Cottonwood LiH, ASu, 5/2–14 Olmsted (East Landfill Reservoir) DMA, ph. †JPr, ph. GHo, m.ob., 5/13 Cottonwood JSc, MiO, BTS, 5/28 Lyon GWe. Only north report 4/20–22 Grant (North Ottawa Impoundment) ph. LiH, ASu, m.ob.
2018Summer2 Seen 6/19 Lincoln (Tyler W.M.A.) RAE, 7/7 Sherburne (Blue Hill Trail, Sherburne N.W.R.) PLJ.
2018Fall1 Only one report 8/16 Cottonwood (2, north of Augusta Lake) LHl.
2019Spring6 All reports 4/18 Lyon (Susan Drive Wetlands, Marshall) ph. NMe, GWe, 4/20 Jackson LiH and subsequently through 5/24 m.ob., 5/3 Pipestone IVa, 5/11 Cottonwood (Storden W.P.A.) ASu, 5/11 Lyon (Balaton Twp.) GWe, 5/23 Yellow Medicine (Lyon/Yellow Medicine County easement) GWe, 5/28 Murray (5) RJS.
2019Summer3 Seen 6/15 Lyon (pair, Balaton) GWe, 6/28 Redwood (Wabasso) NMe, 7/1 Nobles AJF. None had details.
2019Fall1 Only one report 10/12 Lyon (3, Lyons Twp.) GWe.
2020Spring7 The most spring reports ever. All south (median 4/15) 3/31 Jackson (South Heron Lake) ASu, 4/7, 5/9–31+ Watonwan (near Madelia) BHW, m.ob., 4/11 Yellow Medicine (Timm Lake) REn, RLF, 4/11 – 5/12 Jackson (S.R. 86, Lakefield area) FFa, m.ob., 5/11 Pipestone (Pipestone N.M.) VKl, 5/14–15 Meeker (Ellsworth Twp., Section 13) LiH, BNn, 5/20–23 Lyon (Black Rush W.P.A.) WCM, PME, m.ob, 5/23 Nobles MAJ. High count only a disappointing 2.
2020Summer3 Seen 6/6 Watonwan (Madelia) MWS, ebd, 6/26 Nobles (Worthington Rest Area, Hwy 60) ebd, 7/4 Jackson (Lakefield) DnS, ASu.
2020Fall2 No count exceeded three birds. Bulk of reports came from traditional site in Jackson (Hwy 86 and 730th St. in Lakefield Twp.) 8/5–25 ASu, m.ob. Only other reports were the latest south 9/17–28 Lyon ( Black Rush Lake W.P.A.) RJS, GWe.
2021Spring3 All reports: record-early 3/7 Jackson (South Heron Lake) ph. REn, RLF, 3/19 Nicollet (Nicollet W.T.P.) †KEm, JWH, 3/22, 5/28 Jackson (S.R. 86 & 730th St.) ASu, KEm, JWH, 4/3 – 5/15 Lyon (Black Rush Lake W.P.A.) NMe, GWe, m.ob. No count exceeded two individuals.
2021Summer1 Reported 6/16 – 7/25 Jackson (max. 5, adults feeding 2 or 3 juveniles) JWZ, ClB, a.t., ph. LiH, m.ob.
2021Fall1 Sole report came from 9/11 at traditional site in Jackson (4, S.R. 86 and 730th St. in Lakefield Twp.) TWe, BWe.
 
 Breeds locally southwest.

Notes:

Click on the bird name to see a photographic image of the bird.
Column N  Number of counties where the bird was seen in the North.
Column S  Number of counties where the bird was seen in the South.