MOURC Proceedings Archive - Gulls, Terns 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.
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
Anhingas
Cormorants
Pelicans
Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons
Ibises
New World Vultures
Osprey
Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles
Barn Owls
Screech-Owls, Owls
Woodpeckers
Caracaras, Falcons
Flycatchers
Vireos
Shrikes
Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows
Martins, Swallows
Kinglets
Silky-flycatchers
Nuthatches
Wrens
Thrashers, Mockingbirds
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: Gulls, Terns
Black-legged Kittiwake
Ivory Gull
Sabine's Gull
Black-headed Gull
Little Gull
Ross's Gull
Laughing Gull
Short-billed Gull
California Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Slaty-backed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Least Tern
Gull-billed Tern
[White-winged Tern]
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Forster's Tern
[Royal Tern]
Sandwich Tern
Elegant Tern
[Black Skimmer]

Least Tern (C) (Sternula antillarum)Start Date 0000-00-00
RefFirstLastLocationCounty23CommentStatus
1MOU1951-05-191951-06-15Mother LakeHennepinThe Loon 26:82Accepted
avian
information
1951-05-191951-06-15Hennepin5/19-6/15 Hennepin (first state record) (first county record)
2MOU1955-06-18Moore LakeAnokaJanssen 1987:167Accepted
avian
information
1955-06-18Anoka6/18 Anoka (second state record) (first county record)
3MOU1965-09-11HendricksLincolnThe Loon 38:40Accepted
avian
information
1965-09-11Lincoln9/11 Lincoln (third state record) (first county record)
38:401966indexSight Record of Least Terns in Minnesota
4MOU1970-09-26Sham LakeLyonThe Loon 43:14 The Loon 43:25Accepted
avian
information
1970-09-26Lyon9/26 Lyon (fourth state record) (first county record)
9·26 Cottonwood, Lyon Co. (1 imm.) PE; second state record; see "Notes of Interest".
43:25-261971indexPossible Immature Least Tern in Lyons County
5MOU1974-05-121974-05-13Marshall WTPLyonThe Loon 47:92Accepted
avian
information
1974-05-121974-05-13Lyon5/12-13 Lyon (fifth state record) (second county record)
5-12, 13 Marshall sewage lagoons, Lyon Co. (1 adult) KE, HCK.
47:921975indexA Least Tern at Marshall
47:132-1331975indexLeast Tern at Marshall, Lyon County
47:1331975indexLeast Tern Observation in Nobles County
6MOU1975-05-17Marshall WTPLyonThe Loon 47:132Accepted
avian
information
1975-05-17Lyon5/17 Lyon (sixth state record) (third county record)
1 report: 5-17 Lyon, sewage lagoons, (1 adult) OLJ, PAZ.
avian
information
1975-06-14Lyon6/14 Lyon (seventh state record) (fourth county record)
One adult at Midway County Park near Adrian, Nobles Co. on 6-14 (KE); seventh state record.
7MOU1975-06-14Midway County ParkNoblesThe Loon 47:133Accepted
avian
information
1975-06-14Nobles6/14 Nobles (eighth state record) (first county record)
One adult at Midway County Park near Adrian, Nobles Co. on 6-14 (KE); seventh state record.
50:2201978indexLeast Tern, Sham Lake, Lyon County
8MOU1978-08-10Sham LakeLyonThe Loon 50:220Accepted
avian
information
1978-08-10Lyon8/10 Lyon (ninth state record) (fifth county record)
8-10 Lyon Paul Egeland, fourth state record.
54:1471982-04-14Lake CorneliaHennepin(vote 4-2, with one abstention, and with 6-1 required for acceptance) This was another difficult decision, with the majority convinced by the description of very small size in comparison with Herring and Ring-billed Gulls standing nearby, the "white foreheads ," yellow bills, and "yellowish" legs. However, the minority was bothered by the lack of direct size comparison with other terns, the failure to note black tips to the bills, and the fact that the observer was looking south somewhat into the sun and may not have been able to determine bill and leg color accurately. Not Accepted
958:421985-08-111985-08-12CottonwoodLyon(vote 7-0; The Loon 58:48-49). Accepted
avian
information
1985-08-111985-08-14Lyon8/11-14 Lyon (tenth state record)
8/II to 8114 Cottonwood, Lyon Co. (one juv.) HK, m.ob. (The Loon 58:48-49)
58:48-491986indexLeast Tern in Lyon County
58:129-1301986indexLeast Tern in Olmsted County
58:1381986indexA Least Tern at Duluth
58:144-1451986indexLeast Terns in Olmsted County
1058:1461986-05-09DuluthSt. Louis(vote 7-0; The Loon 58: 138). Accepted
11MOU1986-06-09DuluthSt. LouisThe Loon 58:138Accepted
avian
information
1986-06-09St. Louis6/9 St. Louis (twelfth state record) (first county record)
Seen in Duluth (The Loon 58:13 8) and Olmsted (JB, The Loon 58:129-130; AP, The Loon 58:144-145; first southeast region sightings).
1258:1461986-06-121986-06-14near RochesterOlmsted(vote 7-0; The Loon 58:129-130). Accepted
avian
information
1986-06-121986-06-14Olmsted6/12, 14 Olmsted (eleventh state record) (first county record)
Seen in Duluth (The Loon 58:13 8) and Olmsted (JB, The Loon 58:129-130; AP, The Loon 58:144-145; first southeast region sightings).
60:1351988indexLeast Tern in Murray County
1361:101988-07-30Lake Wilson Murray(vote 7-0; The Loon 60:135). Accepted
avian
information
1988-07-30Murray7/30 Murray (thirteenth state record) (first county record)
61:140-1411989indexLeast Tern at Hastings
1462:121989-06-12Hastings Dakota(vote 7-0; The Loon 61:140-141). Accepted
avian
information
1989-06-12Dakota6/12 Dakota (fourteenth state record) (first county record)
One bird 6/12 Hastings, Dakota Co. (The Loon 61 : 140-141).
64:222-2231992indexLeast Terns in Dakota County
1565:331992-08-29Spring LakeDakota(vote 7-0; The Loon 64:222-223). Accepted
avian
information
1992-08-29Dakota8/29 Dakota (fifteenth state record) (second county record)
One report: 8/22 Spring Lake, Dakota County KB (1 adult, 1 juvenile) (The Loon 64:222–223)
1669:1521996-05-16Whitewater WMAWinona(record #97-13, vote 7-0). Accepted
avian
information
1996-05-16Winona5/16 Winona (first county record)
5/16 Winona SSt. [Corrected]
avian
information
1998-09-111998-09-12Lyon9/11, 12 Lyon
Reported 9/12 Lyon (two at Gabriel Lake) PE.
1771:1561998-09-12Gabriel L.Lyon(record #99-03, vote 7- 0). Accepted
1872:401999-06-241999-06-25Agassiz N.W.R.Marshall(record #99-36, vote 6-1). Accepted
avian
information
1999-06-241999-06-25Marshall6/24-25 Marshall (first county record)
First summer report since 1989. Single bird found on 6/24,25 with group of Forster's at Agassiz NWR in Marshall Co. JiW.
1978:402005-06-082005-06-09Sherburne National Wildlife RefugeSherburne(record #2005-036, vote 7-0). This adult was photographed by several observers. Accepted
avian
information
2005-06-082005-06-09Sherburne6/8-9 Sherburne (first county record)
Nineteenth state record: 6/8–9 Sherburne (Sherburne N.W.R.) †PLJ, †PCC, †CMB, ph. AXH, ph. DWK, m.ob. (The Loon 78:55). [Corrected]
78:552006indexLeast Tern in Sherburne County
2079:502006-06-04Lake OchedaNobles(record #2006-053, vote 7-0). Accepted
avian
information
2006-06-042006-06-06Nobles6/4, 6 Nobles (second county record)
Twentieth state record and second county record 6/4 Nobles (Lake Ocheda) †DBz, COB; †PHS, m.ob. This bird could not be found the next day, but may have returned on the 6th when DAC stated he was “not able to make a definitive ID of this bird, since it was 500 m away.” Twenty-first state record and third county record 6/24 Olmsted (South Landfill Reservoir by Rochester) †JWH; ph. CCB, ph. RLE, m.ob.
2179:502006-06-24South Landfill Reservoir near RochesterOlmsted(record #2006-053, vote 7-0). Both records were of adults; distant photographs were obtained of the latter. Accepted
avian
information
2006-06-24Olmsted6/24 Olmsted (second county record)
Twentieth state record and second county record 6/4 Nobles (Lake Ocheda) †DBz, COB; †PHS, m.ob. This bird could not be found the next day, but may have returned on the 6th when DAC stated he was “not able to make a definitive ID of this bird, since it was 500 m away.” Twenty-first state record and third county record 6/24 Olmsted (South Landfill Reservoir by Rochester) †JWH; ph. CCB, ph. RLE, m.ob.
avian
information
2014-08-102014-08-14Rock8/10-13, 14 Rock (first county record)
A juvenile found 8/11 Rock (Luverne) HHD, †TAT, †RMD, †KRo, m.ob. was seen with an adult 8/13 ph. DAC. Last report was of a single bird (which one?) 8/14.
2287:42014-08-112014-08-14southeast of Luverne City ParkRock(record #2014-039, vote 7-0). An adult and a juvenile were both photographed. Twentysecond state and seventh fall record. The juvenile bird was sighted on 11 August 2014 and was later reported with an adult bird on 13 August 2014. The adult was observed feeding the juvenile (this does not necessarily indicate breeding as adult terns are known to feed juveniles accompanying them during migration). Both birds were accepted. Accepted
avian
information
2016-07-202016-07-21Big Stone7/20, 21 Big Stone (first county record)
New county record 7/20 Big Stone (Hwy. 28 and C.R. 61, west of Graceville) ph. JPR, JWn (pending MOURC vote).
2391:892018-06-12Cannon LakeRice(record #2018-056, initial vote 2-5, reconsidered vote 7-0). Apparent first-cycle alternate in “portlandica” plumage. First county record. Accepted
avian
information
2018-06-12Rice6/12 Rice (first county record)
See Documented Records Still Under Review in the introduction to this report.
2491:892019-06-09near Roseau County lineLake of the Woods(record #2019-033, vote 7-0). Same bird reported in Roseau County. Adult, photographed. First county record for Lake of the Woods and Roseau counties. Accepted
avian
information
2019-06-09Lake of the Woods6/9 Lake of the Woods (first county record)
 Found 6/9 Lake of the Woods, Roseau (same adult observed flying over lake and standing on beach in Warroad) ph. † CDB, MDB.
avian
information
2019-06-09Roseau6/9 Roseau (first county record)
 Found 6/9 Lake of the Woods, Roseau (same adult observed flying over lake and standing on beach in Warroad) ph. † CDB, MDB.
2592:922020-06-29Mother LakeHennepin(record #2020-037, vote 7-0). Adult, photographed. Fascinatingly, there is a published report of as many as 25-30 birds of this species at the same location in 1951 (The Loon 26:83). However, this report was prior to the formation of MOURC in 1974 and has never been officially reviewed. Accepted
avian
information
2020-06-29Hennepin6/29 Hennepin (second county record)
 Photographed by m.ob. 6/29 Hennepin (adult, Mother L.) †TAT, ph. †ADS, †DWK, †EzH.
2694:32021-08-08 Tuttle Lake, Tenhassen TownshipMartin (record #2021-095, vote 7-0). Adult. First county record.

Accepted
avian
information
2021-08-08Martin8/8 Martin (first county record)
An adult was found 8/8 Martin (Tuttle Lake) †SJD.
94:32022-05-28 Edgerton wastewater treatment plantPipestone (record #2022-058, vote 2-5). While the described flight characteristics were suggestive of this species, overall details were insufficient.

Not Accepted
2794:1152022-06-122022-06-13 Woodstock WMAPipestone (record #2022-061, vote 7-0). Adult, photographed. First county record. Accepted
avian
information
2022-06-122022-06-13Pipestone6/12, 13 Pipestone (first county record)
Seen 6/12–13 Pipestone (Woodstock W.M.A., West Unit) ph. †KEm, JWH, RAE, †NMe, EHi, VKl, SCh, LVD, ebd.
 
 Twenty-seven records: 4 spring, 16 summer, and 7 fall. Recorded in five of the last ten years, most recently 2022.

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