39) could all refer to the same individual.

• Gyrfalcon, 31 March 2002, Grand

Plain Township, Marshall County (record

#2002-28, vote 6–1).

This was apparently an immature gray-

morph individual.

• Sharp-tailed Grouse, 18 March 2002,

Big Stone County (record #2002-29, vote

7–0).

This individual probably wandered in

from nearby northeastern South Dakota.

In Minnesota, the nearest Sharp-tailed

Grouse are found in Polk County, about

150 miles north of Big Stone County.

• Western Sandpiper (two individu-

als), 2 May 2002, Mud Lake, Traverse

County (record #2002-20, vote 7–0 one

individual / vote 6–1 both individuals,

The Loon 74:182).

The observer, who is very experienced

with this species in other states, included

field notes, sketches, and a marginally

identifiable photo with the documenta-

tion. This represents only the fifth doc-

umented record ever in Minnesota, al-

though this species was formerly (and

probably erroneously) considered Regu-

lar here.

• White-rumped Sandpiper, 10 August

2001, New Germany, Carver County (re-

cord #2002-02, vote 5–2).

This record was accepted on a sec-

ond-round vote after the first vote was

an inconclusive 4–3. Those in the minor-

ity still unable to accept the record in

their second vote were concerned that

the observer had no previous experience

with this species, a bird whose relatively

rare status in fall and its identification

difficulties then are relatively unfamiliar

to many birders.

• Ruff, 23 May 2002, Lake Byllesby,

Dakota County (record #2002-21, vote

7–0).

This female was seen by many birders

and thoroughly documented by two of

the observers.

• unidentified jaeger, sp., 1 August

2001, Cass Lake, Cass County (record

#2002-01, vote 7–0).

The observer reported this as a prob-

able adult Parasitic Jaeger, but he also

stated that he (and the description pro-

vided) could not entirely rule out the

possibility of it being a Long-tailed. The

record was accordingly accepted only as

an unidentified jaeger.

• California Gull (two individuals),

25 April 2002, Clay County landfill, Clay

County (record #2002-22, vote 7–0 one

individual / vote 6–1 both individuals).

• California Gull, 3 May 2002, Athens

Township, Isanti County (record #2002-

23, vote 7–0).

Two of the three individuals involved

in this and the previous record (2002-22)

were full adults, with the other a bird in

nearly adult plumage. All diagnostic field

marks were described by the observer

who is very familiar with the difficulties

of gull identification.

• Sabine’s Gull, 21 September 2001,

Paynesville, Stearns County (record

#2002-05, vote 6–1, The Loon 74:120).

This was a juvenile bird with its diag-

nostic wing pattern clearly described.

• Black-legged Kittiwake, 12 Novem-

ber 2001, near Grand Marais, Cook Coun-

ty (record #2002-10, vote 7–0, The Loon

74:122).

Clearly identifiable photos of this juve-

nile/first-winter bird were included in the

documentation.

• Black-legged Kittiwake, 30 No-

vember 2001, Duluth, St. Louis County

(record #2002-12, vote 7–0, The Loon

74:176–177).

There is the possibility that this and

the other two kittiwake records (2002-10

and 13) all refer to the same individual.

• Black-legged Kittiwake, 2 Decem-

ber 2001, near Sandstone, Pine County

(record #2002-13, vote 7–0, The Loon

74:58–59).

This gull was found under unusual cir-

cumstances: it was feeding on a deer car-

cass on the shoulder of Interstate 35.

• Common Tern, 27 October 2001,

Bemidji, Beltrami County (record #2002-

09, vote 6–1, The Loon 74:118).

With late fall reports of Common

Terns, it is necessary to preclude the pos-

sibility of both Forster’s and Arctic terns,

as this observer does in his documenta-

162 The Loon Volume 74