Proceedings of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee 

Lewis’s Woodpecker, 22 May 2017, Aurora, St. Western Wood-Pewee, 4 June 2017, Clay

Louis County. Photo by Steven G. Wilson.

County. Photo by Anthony X. Hertzel.

cidental], 8–9 June 2017, North Ottawa Im-

poundment, Grant County (record #2017-

020, vote 7–0). Photographed. First county

record. Sixth summer record.

• Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)

[Casual], 15 February 2016, Agate Bay, Two

Harbors, Lake County (record #2016-053,

vote 7–0). Juvenile, photographed.

• Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis)

[Accidental], 27 April 2017, Park Point, Du-

luth, St. Louis County (record #2017-033,

vote 10–0). Salvaged specimen. Photo-

graphed. First state and county record. The

bird was found dead on the beach at Park

Point, having apparently been killed and

partially eaten by a Peregrine Falcon (two

Peregrines were seen in the immediate vi-

cinity). The bird was dry, indicating it had

not washed up on to the beach, and rigor

mortis had not set in at the time of the dis-

covery. The specimen was prepared four

days later and is now part of the collection

at the Bell Museum of Natural History. The

Northern Fulmar is a very abundant sea

bird found primarily in subarctic regions of

the north Atlantic and north Pacific oceans.

There are three generally recognized sub-

species: the nominate form, F. g. glacia-

lis, breeds in the high Arctic regions of

the north Atlantic; F. g. auduboni breeds

in the low Arctic and the boreal regions of

the north Atlantic; and F. g. rodgersii, (the

“Pacific” form) breeds on the Pacific coasts

of eastern Siberia and the Alaskan Penin-

sula. The Committee ascertained that the

bird was the “Atlantic” form — either the

nominate glacialis or auduboni — primar-

ily based on the paleness of the upper tail

and rump. A few members were leaning

toward the subspecies auduboni which is

distinguished by its bill, described as “long

and rather wide.” The auduboni subspe-

cies has darker nostril tubes (this bird has

nearly black tubes) and the tail averages

paler and less contrasting with the upper

tail coverts (again, consistent with the Min-

nesota specimen). However, the majority of

the Committee thought it best to simply

refer to it as the “Atlantic” form. (The Loon

89:43–46).

• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) [Acci-

dental], 22–23 April 2017, Slaughter Slough,

Murray County (record #2017-030, vote

7–0). Adult, photographed. First county re-

cord.

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) [Casual],

5–19 June 2017, North Ottawa Impound-

ment, Grant County (record #2017-019, vote

7–0). Adult, photographed. First county re-

cord.

88 The Loon Volume 89