Proceedings of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee

Record #2021-049, Neotropic Cormorant, 13

July 2021, Richfield Lake Park, Hennepin

County. Photo by Paul E. Budde.

Bigelow, Nobles County (record #2020-067,

vote 7–0). Juvenile, photographed. First coun-

ty record.

Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasil-

ianus) [Accidental], 19 July 2020, Richfield

Lake Park, Hennepin County (record #2020-

082, vote 7–0). Adult, photographed. Ninth

state record. This bird joined another Neo-

tropic adult (see The Loon 92:93–94) which

had been frequenting this location since 3

June 2020. As mentioned in the immediately

preceding citation, both birds were seen si-

multaneously until 21 August 2020. The two

were well photographed on 2 August 2020

clearly showing two different adults.

Neotropic Cormorant, 24 April – 21 Septem-

ber 2021, Richfield Lake Park, Hennepin

County (record #2021-013, vote 7–0). Adult,

photographed. Tenth state record. This bird

was joined by an immature Neotropic Cor-

morant (see below) which was first observed

on 11 June 2021. Apparently, this immature

bird had been seen at least several weeks

prior to 11 June 2021 and possibly as early

as early May 2021 until the observer realized

there were two different birds when both the

immature and the adult were observed to-

gether. Both individuals were seen together

sporadically at least until 21 September. One

of these two individuals lingered until 5 Oc-

tober 2021 although the age of that bird was

not documented.

Neotropic Cormorant, 11 June – 21 September

2021, Richfield Lake Park, Hennepin County

(record #2021-049, vote 7–0). Immature, pho-

tographed. Eleventh state record. This bird is

the immature bird referred to in the preced-

ing paragraph.

Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) [Ac-

cidental], 16 August 2020, Hammond Road,

Finlayson, Pine County (record #2020-043,

vote 7–0). Adult. First county record.

Swallow-tailed Kite, 6 September 2020,

Duesler, Carlton County (record #2020-053,

vote 7–0). Adult, photographed. First county

record. This is possibly the same adult that

was seen three weeks earlier and roughly 23

miles southwest in Pine County (see the im-

mediately preceding record #2020-043).

Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) [Ca-

sual], 26 August – 15 September 2020, Land

of Memories City Park, Mankato, Blue Earth

County (record #2020-046, vote 7–0). Numer-

ous photographs were taken. As many as four

birds were seen. Some of the same birds were

also observed in adjoining Nicollet County.

There were at least 128 observers alleging

differing numbers of adults and juveniles

making it very difficult to discern what actu-

ally transpired over this time span (but see

The Loon 93:105–106). This assortment of

adults and juveniles at this location may be

an indication of possible nesting nearby. Par-

enthetically, an adult was seen at this exact

same location 21 May 2014 (The Loon

86:107).

Mississippi Kite, 9 September 2020, Duluth,

St. Louis County (record #2020-077, vote 6–1).

Apparent juvenile, photographed.

Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) [Casual], 22 De-

cember 2019, Shakopee, Scott County (record

#2019-067, vote 7–0). Juvenile gray morph,

photographed and video recorded.

Tropical/Couch’s kingbird (Tyrannus melan-

cholicus/couchii), [Accidental], 25 September

2020, Big Stone N.W.R., Odessa, Lac qui Par-

le County (record #2020-058, vote 6–1).

Photographed. First county record. Not Ac-

cepted at either species level (vote 0–7).

MOURC has accepted three Tropical/Couch’s

kingbird records since the first was docu-

mented in 2011. All are fall records from the

following counties: Lac qui Parle, Stearns, and

St. Louis. A fourth fall record from Lake Coun-

ty is pending MOURC consideration. The

chronological dates by month for all of the

48

The Loon Volume 93