Proceedings of the Minnesota

Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee

Tom Tustison, Chairman

The two most recent meetings of the

Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union Re-

cords Committee (MOURC) were con-

ducted at Drew and Becky Smith’s home in

Eagan on 4 March 2012, and at the Bell Muse-

um of Natural History on 2 December 2012.

In attendance and voting at the first meeting

were MOURC members, Robert M. Dunlap,

Bruce A. Fall, Anthony X. Hertzel, Robert P.

Russell (alternate), Andrew D. Smith (alter-

nate) and Tom A. Tustison (Chair). The chair

appointed Robert B. Janssen to serve as a

temporary, alternate member and allow the

Committee to reach a quorum. These mem-

bers were also in attendence at the December

meeting, along with MOURC members Ter-

rance B. Brashear (alternate), Kim R. Eckert,

James W. Lind, and William C. Marengo.

Prior to these meetings, the following re-

cords were voted on by e-mail and were Ac-

cepted:

• Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala is-

landica), 26 December 2011, Lake Pepin out-

let near Camp Lacupolis, Wabasha County

(record #2011-053, vote 7–0). The descriptions

of this adult male are convincing.

• Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala is-

landica), 31 December 2011 – 6 January 2012,

Mississippi River one mile south of the Waba-

sha County border, Winona County (record

#2011-055, vote 7–0). The description by an

experienced waterfowl observer is diagnos-

tic. First county record. This adult drake may

have been the same individual documented

five days earlier (see record #2011-053 above)

at the Camp Lacupolis overlook 22 miles to

the north in Wabasha County. Undocumented

reports from the U.S. Highway 61 rest area on

Lake Pepin on 5 and 8 December 2011 may

also pertain to this individual.

• Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala is-

landica), 2 January 2012, Lake City, Good-

hue County (record #2012-001, vote 7–0). The

Record #2012-004, Neotropic Cormorant, 30

March 2012, Ellsborough Township, Murray

County. Photo by Craig R. Mandel.

photo clearly shows an adult, drake Barrow’s

Goldeneye. This may be the same male refer-

enced above.

• Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala is-

landica), 26 December 2011, Lake Pepin out-

let near Camp Lacupolis, viewed from U.S.

Highway 61, Wabasha County (record #2011-

052, vote 7–0). The documentation from two

experienced observers was conclusive. Adult

female. While its status is currently Casual

in Minnesota, Barrow’s Goldeneye likely will

become a Regular species when the next

Checklist is updated in 2014.

• Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala is-

landica), 16 March 2012, Lac qui Parle Coun-

ty (record #2012-002, vote 5–2). Although the

field notes were not included with the Re-

quest for Documentation, the description is

adequate. The record would have been ap-

preciably better had a copy of the field notes

Fall 2012

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