Proceedings of the Minnesota

Ornithological Records Committee

Kim R. Eckert, MORC Chairman

T here was a meeting of the Commit-

tee on 20 July 1998, and among the

items on the agenda were discus-

sions on three potential first state records,

four recirculated records (i.e., those with

inconclusive first-round vote totals), and

nine records documented with photo-

graphs. Of these 16 records, 11 were

found to be Acceptable:

• Eurasian Collared-Dove, 25 April -

May 1998, Ortonville, Big Stone Co. (first

state record #98-43, vote 10-0).

• "Brewster's"-type Warbler, 14 Octo-

ber 1997, Hoyt Lakes, St. Louis Co. (recir-

culated record #98-04, vote 5-2).

• Painted Bunting, 24 May 1995,

Blaine, Anoka Co. (photo record #98-27,

vote 7-0).

• Black-headed Grosbeak, 24 May

1997, Ulen, Clay Co. (photo record #98-

28, vote 7-0.

• Iceland Gull, 2 November - 8 De-

cember 1997, Grand Marais, Cook Co.

(photo record #98-29, vote 7-0).

• Glaucous-winged Gull , 26 November

- 13 December 1997, Duluth, St. Louis

Co. (photo record #98-30 , vote 7-0).

• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, 15 May

1998, near Randall, Morrison Co. (photo

record #98-49, vote 7-0).

• Bewick's Wren, 21 May -June 1998,

near Sherburne NWR, Sherburne Co.

(photo record #98-56, vote 7-0).

• Eurasian Tree Sparrow, 6 June -July

1998, near Rollag, Clay Co. (photo record

#98-61, vote 7-0).

• Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, 18

May- 22 June 1998, Summit Twp., Steele

Co. (photo record #98-63, vote 7-0).

• Great Black-backed Gull (ilnm.), 13

December 1997, Duluth, St. Louis Co.

(photo record #98-32, vote 7-0).

Four of the 16 records were found to

be Unacceptable:

• Spot-breasted Oriole, 27 May 1998,

Woodbury, Washington Co. (potential

first state record #98-57, vote 0-10). The

description of the bird only mentions its

"orange head with the black mask and

the very distinct black spots on the breast

... and white bars on its wings". For such

an unusual species, which probably

never has been recorded in the U.S. out-

side of Florida, much more thorough

documentation would be necessary, (e.g. ,

no description of the back, belly or tail is

given). In addition, the description of white

wing bars is inconsistent with this spe-

cies, which actually has an orange wing

bar along and a larger white wing patch.

• Curlew Sandpiper, 9 October 1997,

near New Germany, Carver Co. (recircu-

lated record #97-67, vote 1-6). Although

the majority of the Committee initially

voted to accept this record, it was recon-

sidered as two problems with the docu-

mentation were pointed out. First, the de-

scription of the rump/ tail is inconsistent

and contradictoty: although the sketch

and parts of the written documentation

indicate the rump was white, the descrip-

tion also states in two places that the

rump and tail were black. Second, the

overall shape of the bird is described as

slender and yellowlegs-like, which would

fit a Stilt Sandpiper more than a Curlew

Sandpiper; though the black legs would

seem to preclude the former, there is the

possibility of the legs actually being

greenish and covered with mud to make

them appear black. For such an unusual

sighting (there is only one accepted Min-

nesota record) , it was felt the documenta-

tion - though well-written by an experi-

Fall1998

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