The following records were voted on at

the meeting and found Unacceptable:

• Sprague's Pipit (3 individuals), 10

May 1997, near Sabin, Clay Co. (recircu-

lated record #97-42, vote 3-4). The major-

ity felt the description was not complete or

specific enough to preclude the possibility

of the birds being juvenile Horned Larks ,

American Pipits, Vesper Sparrows or long-

spurs. The legs were described as pink,

but the light conditions at the time were

not described, and some references state

that Horned Larks and American Pipits

sometimes have legs which are flesh-col-

ored or tinged with pink. The description

of the underparts implies they were un-

streaked, which alone would preclude

Sprague's Pipit. The only reason stated for

eliminating Vesper Sparrow from consider-

ation was the lack of a visible chestnut

shoulder patch, a mark which is often not

visible. Neither observer had any useful

experience with this species, and they

consulted field guides while making their

identification, but in life Sprague's Pipits

do not resemble the illustrations in any of

the standard field guides. Finally, the loca-

tion of the birds in a roadside ditch adja-

cent to a stubble field would be atypical

for this species, and it would be highly

unusual to find three individual Sprague's

Pipits migrating together in Minnesota.

• Baird's Sparrow, 7 June 1997, near

Strandquist, Marshall Co. (reconsidered

record #97-56, vote 0-7). This record was

previously accepted by the majority of the

Committee since the plumage description

seems to be consistent with this species

and since the song heard reportedly

matched a Baird's Sparrow tape recording.

However, the record was reconsidered af-

ter further discussion for several reasons:

1) the song was never actually described;

2) the plumage description of the facial

pattern is incomplete; 3) the observer had

no previous experience with this species,

which is a relatively difficult sparrow for

even experienced birders to identify; 4)

the field guide used during the observa-

tion to identify the bird has an inaccurate

illustration of this species; 5) the descrip-

tion appears to be only written from

memory three months after the sighting;

and 6) a subsequent visit to the site by

other observers revealed the habitat was a

mix of stubble cornfield, hayfield and

trees, which would be atypical for a

Baird's Sparrow.

The following records were voted on

by mail July-December 1997 and found to

be Acceptable:

• Prairie Warbler, 18 May 1997, Fridley,

Anoka Co. (record #97-34, vote 7-0).

• Yellow-throated Warbler, 18 May

1997, Bloomington, Hennepin Co. (record

#97-35, vote 7-0, The Loon 69:229).

• California Gull, 11 June 1997, Lake

Vermilion, St. Louis Co. (record #97-36,

vote 7-0).

• Gyrfalcon, 2 March 1997, near

Waskish, Beltrami Co. (record #97-39,

vote 7-0).

• Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, 6 May

1997, near Ghent, Lyon Co. (record #97-

41, vote 6-1).

• Western Tanager, 14-15 May 1997,

near Rochester, Olmsted Co. (record #97-

43, vote 6-1).

• Yellow-throated Warbler, 19 May

1997, Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Dakota

Co. (record #97-44, vote 7-0) .

• Western Tanager, 19 May 1997, near

Greenbush, Roseau Co. (record #97-45,

vote 7-0).

• Little Gull, 19 May 1997, Marsh Lake,

Big Stone Co. (record #97-46, vote 7-0,

The Loon 69:227-228).

• Clark's Grebe, 25 May 1997, Thielke

Lake , Big Stone Co. (record #97-47 , vote

7-0).

• Arctic Tern, 29 May 1997, Duluth, St.

Louis Co. (record #97-50, vote 7-0, The

Loon 70:59-61).

• Arctic Tern, 2-3 June 1997, Duluth,

St. Louis Co. (record #97-51, vote 7-0,

The Loon 69:171).

• Baird's Sparrow, 6-9 June 1997, near

Felton, Clay Co. (record #97-52, vote 7-0 ,

The Loon 70:62).

• Clark's Grebe, 1-13 July 1997, Lake

Osakis, Todd Co. (record #97-54, vote 7-

0, The Loon 69:225-226).

• Sage Thrasher, 1-4 May 1997, Blaine,

Anoka Co. (record #97-55, vote 7-0).

44 The Loon Volume 70