Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon
The 1946-Spring Season
1 March through 31 May 1946
By Mary Lupient

Due to an unseasonably warm March the vanguard of the spring migration arrived early. A flock of six bluebirds was seen near Glen Lake on March 9, and hooded mergansers and herring gulls were on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis on March 11. In small areas of open water at the Cedar Avenue bridge, there were a few American and red-breasted mergansers on March 13, but by March 18, they had arrived in large numbers. Two early dates: tree swallows, 1'·1arch 18; fox sparrows, !\~arch 23.

Whistling swans were reprorted at Shakopee on ::VIarch 24 an.l at Duluth on April 7.

Near the Twin Cities fewer dueks were observed this year possibly due in part to the fact that the ice left the lowlands early and the Minnesota River flooded a larger area than usual so that the waterfowl wal'i iess concentrated.

The main migration of ducks appeared to be over by the end of the first week in April. A flock of eleven blue g-eese and another of about twenty-five Canada geese ·,vas seen flying over the Cedar Av·3nue bridge on March 25.

More than a dozen glaucous gulls were in Duluth Harbor during March and were last seen April 14. Much ol' April was warni also and h:t the latter part of the month, wild flowers were blooming three weeks earlier than normally in and about the Twin Cities.

A heavy snowstorm and hard freeze occurred in many parts of the state on May 11, killing blossoms on fruit trees and withering new leaves. Large concentrations of shore birds appeared on May 14 in the area adjoin~ng-the Minnesota River between Ft. Snelling and Lyndale Avenue. There were ruddy turnstones, long-billed dowitchers, Wilson's phalaropes, black-bellied plovers, and a knot, besides the other species more commonly seen. Of the rarer species of shore birds, two were reported May 19, Hudsonian godwits and buff-breasted sandpipers. Five of the gpdwits tarried for several days at a pond on highway 36, just beyond the University Farm campus and two buffbreasted sandpipers were seen along the roadside near Brownton. Piping plovers and a Hudsonian curlew were on Minnesota Point, Duluth, June 10.

American pipits were more in evidence than is usual in the spring. The first report was April 23, and they were seen at various places near the Twin Cities until May 17.

The peak of the w:ubler migration was May 18, date of tl:e MO U meet· ing in Minneapolis, and during the field trip members were able to check all species of warblers that usually pass through this territory. Even the rare black-throated blue warbler was on the list. Waves of any size were not reported throughout the season.

The erratic dickci1'sels appeared in goodly numbers this spring and were reported from several sectwns d the state.

It is interesting to note that a~ter a severe winter the chucker partridge is still being seen on the north shore nE,ar Duluth.

Key to the Seasonal Report
1.Upper case (LEAST TERN) indicates a Casual or Accidental species in the state.
2.Species are listed in brackets [Whooping Crane] when there is a reasonable doubt as to its origin or wildness.
3.Bracketed text following a species’ name indicates the total number of north and south counties.
4.Dates listed in bold (10/9) indicate an occurrence either earlier, later, or within the three earliest or latest dates on file.
5.Counties listed in bold (Aitkin) indicate an unusual occurrence for that county.
6.Counties listed in bold and with an underline (Becker) indicate a first county record.
7.Counties listed in italics (Crow Wing) indicate a first county breeding record.
8.Totals in bold (150) indicate a total within or exceeding the top three high counts for that species.
9.Totals in bold-italic (55) indicate a CBC total within or exceeding the top three high counts for that species.
10.Dagger “†” preceding observer’s initials denotes written documentation was submitted.
11“ph.” denotes a species documented with a photograph.
12.“v.t.” denotes a species documented by video.
13.“a.t.” denotes a species documented by audio.
14.High counts that are multiples of 100 are assumed or known to be estimates, unless otherwide noted.
The Seasonal Report  is a compilation of seasonal bird sightings from throughout Minnesota. We particularly invite reports from parts of the state that have been neglected or covered lightly in past reports. To become a contributor, contact the Editor of The Loon (editor AT moumn.org).

Species

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