Proceedings of the Minnesota

Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee

Thomas A. Tustison, Chairman

The most recent meeting of the Minneso-

ta Ornithologists’ Union Records Com-

mittee (“MOURC”) was conducted at

the Trailhead Lodge at the Carpenter Nature

Center on 4 December 2016. In attendance

and voting at this meeting were MOURC

members Dedrick A. Benz, Robert M. Dunlap,

Andrew R. Forbes, Bruce A. Fall, Douglas W.

Kieser (alternate), William C. Marengo (alter-

nate), Robert P. Russell, Andrew D. Smith, and

Thomas A. Tustison (chair).

At, or subsequent to, the meeting the fol-

lowing records were voted on and were Ac-

cepted:

• Brant (Branta bernicla hrota), 18–22

October 2016, Agate Bay boat launch and

various nearby locations, Two Harbors, Lake

County (record #2016-041, vote 7–0). Juve-

nile of the hrota subspecies (“Atlantic” Brant),

photographed. First county and the nine-

teenth state record. The first report since fall

2012.

• White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica),

23 November – 4 December 2016, private resi-

dence, Ramsey, Anoka County (record #2016-

046, vote 7–0). Photographed, first county re-

cord.

• Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus ru-

fus), 10 October – 2 December 2016, private

residence near Isanti, Isanti County (record

#2016-048, vote 7–0). Photographed, adult fe-

male. First county record. Photographs were

submitted to an outside expert who con-

firmed the identification as an adult female

Rufous. Apparently, the bird was present ap-

proximately two weeks earlier than 10 Octo-

ber, but additional documentation is lacking

to support a specific date.

• Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexi-

canus), 18 May 2016, southern edge of the

Ottawa Impoundment, Grant County (record

#2016-032, vote 7–0). Adult, photographed.

• Black-necked Stilt, 16 June – 16 August

2016, slough at the intersection of state high-

way 28 and county road 61, Big Stone County

(record #2016-030, vote 7–0). Two individuals

photographed.

• Black-necked Stilt, 21 July – 20 August

2016, Christiania Waterfowl Production Area,

Jackson County (record #2016-031, vote 7–0).

First county record and first county breeding

record. Four adults were observed on 22 July

2016. Three adults and four young were seen

on 20 August 2016; all were accepted. Some

of these individuals were photographed. As

many as nine individuals may have been pres-

ent in the immediate vicinity on 28 July 2016

(as reported by one observer), but were not

formally documented.

• Black-necked Stilt, 1 September, 171st

Street, about four miles west of county road

20 near Lake Crystal, Blue Earth County

(record #2016-036, vote 7–0). Adult, photo-

graphed.

• Black-necked Stilt, 16–18 October

2016, county road 13 between county roads

30 and 32, Blue Earth County (record #2016-

039, vote 7–0). Adult, photographed.

• Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acu-

minata), 20–25 September 2016, county road

32 just east of Tacoma Avenue, Carver County

(record #2016-037, vote 10–0). First state re-

cord. Two juveniles were shown in the same

photograph taken on 23 September 2016 and

both remained until the last date indicated

above (The Loon 89:6–8). Both individuals

were accepted. It is unknown whether the

second juvenile, first noticed and photo-

graphed on 23 September, was present dur-

ing the entire period and went undetected

by observers, or whether it arrived sometime

between 20 September and 23 September.

• Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicar-

ius), 13 October 2016, county road 32 just

east of Tacoma Avenue, Carver County (re-

cord #2016-040, vote 7–0). Photographed. First

county record.

• Red Phalarope, 19–22 October 2016,

Spring 2017

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