Brewer’s are not as widespread in Minne-

sota as many birders think.

• Redpolls. Routine reports of Hoary

Redpolls are always suspicious, since it’s

very easy — and tempting — to mistake

a marginally pale Common Redpoll for

the more highly sought Hoary.

The end. I assume, though, that many

readers would disagree with some of

these choices and have other nominees

in mind. If so, let’s hear them. Also, let’s

keep in mind that this essay is not intend-

ed to be critical of those who make these

common mistakes. The intent here is to

help birders of all abilities to be aware of

and thus avoid — or at least understand

— those difficulties others often have.

1921 W. Kent Rd., Duluth, MN 55812.

Proceedings of the Minnesota

Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee

Peder H. Svingen, Chairman

The most recent meeting of the

Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union

Records Committee (MOURC) was

conducted at the James Ford Bell Museum

of Natural History in Minneapolis on 3

December 2006. In attendance and voting

at this meeting were MOURC members

Paul Budde, Philip Chu, Ann Kessen, Jim

Lind (alternate), Bill Marengo (alternate),

Jim Mattsson, Drew Smith, Steve Stuck-

er, and Peder Svingen (Chairman). In ac-

cordance with its policy on term limits,

the Committee reviewed nominations for

membership and elected Bill Marengo as

a regular member, replacing Paul Budde.

Kim Eckert was elected as an alternate

member.

Among the items on the agenda was

additional discussion of Carolina Parakeet

(Conuropsis carolinensis) (record #2005-

045). In December 2005, the committee

voted to table this record for one year

to allow research into the possibility of

unpublished evidence from archaeological

sites. No new information was submitted,

so it was decided to vote on whether or

Record 2006-065. Burrowing Owl, 14 August

2006, Rendsville Township, Stevens County.

Photo by Donna Oglesby.

50 The Loon Volume 79