Proceedings of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee

Proceedings of the Minnesota

Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee

Thomas A. Tustison, Chairman

The most recent meeting of the Minnesota

Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee

(MOURC) was conducted electronically

on 6 December 2020. In attendance and voting

at this meeting were MOURC members Ded-

rick A. Benz, Rebecca R. Engdahl (alternate),

Andrew R. Forbes, Anthony X. Hertzel, Ann E.

Kessen, Douglas W. Kieser, William C. Marengo,

John P. Richardson (alternate), Steven P. Stucker

(alternate) and Thomas A. Tustison (chair).

The following records were voted on (most

electronically) at, or subsequent to, the meeting

and were Accepted:

• Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocyg-

na autumnalis) [Accidental], 29 June – 17 July

2020, Osborne Township, Pipestone County

(record #2020-039, vote 7–0). Pair of adults,

photographed. First county record. Mating

was observed in mid-June, but no subsequent

evidence of nesting was observed. This species

was first recorded in the state in 1980; eight of

the first nine records were apparent migrants or

post-breeding wanderers. The pattern changed

in 2016 when most summer records began to

appear.

• Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope) [Ca-

sual], 16–17 April 2020, Pelican Lake, Wright

County (record #2020-007, vote 7–0). Adult

male, photographed.

• Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexica-

nus) [Casual], 4–5 May 2018, South Landfill Res-

ervoir, Olmsted County (record #2018-067, vote

6–1). Four adults, photographed. First county

record. The species’ status seems destined for

a change as it has occurred in each of the last

nine years with a total of 35 records. There is

one nesting record from 2014.

• Black-necked Stilt, 27 May 2018, Pelican

Lake, Wright County (record #2018-065, vote

6–1). Adult, photographed.

• Black-necked Stilt, 14–17 October 2018,

North Ottawa Impoundment, Grant County

(record #2018-061, vote 7–0). Adult, photo-

graphed.

• Black-necked Stilt, 3 May 2020, Warren

Lake, Windom, Cottonwood County (record

#2020-018, vote 7–0). Adult, photographed.

New county record.

• Black-necked Stilt, 3 May 2020, Freeborn

County (record #2020-019, vote 7–0). Adult,

photographed. New county record.

• Black-necked Stilt, 1 June 2020, Steele

County (record #2020-028, vote 6–1). Three

adults, photographed.

• Black-necked Stilt, 9 June 2020, just south

of county road 15 and about one quarter mile

west of 425th Avenue, Sibley County (record

#2020-040, vote 7–0). Adult, photographed.

• Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) [Ca-

sual], 26 May 2018, on a sandbar near Western

Lake Superior Sanitary District, St. Louis County

(record #2018-066, vote 6–1). Adult. Nineteenth

state record.

• California Gull (Larus californicus) [Ca-

sual], 15 March 2020, Shakopee Mdewakanton

Sioux Community (off reservation trust land),

Scott County (record #2020-002, vote 7–0).

Adult, photographed. First county record. A

surprising four records of this Casual species

were recorded in the first one-half of 2020.

• California Gull, 23 March 2020, 140th Street

Marsh, Dakota County (record #2020-004, vote

7–0). Adult, photographed.

• California Gull, 10 May 2020, near the

intersection of County Roads 12 and 23, Clay

County (record #2020-021, vote 5–2). Adult.

• California Gull, 5 June 2020, Mud Lake,

Traverse County (record #2020-031, vote 7–0).

Adult, photographed. First county record.

• Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) [Casual],

29 June 2020, Mother Lake, Hennepin County

(record #2020-037, vote 7–0). Adult, photo-

graphed. Fascinatingly, there is a published

report of as many as 25–30 birds of this species

at the same location in 1951 (The Loon 26:83).

However, this report was prior to the forma-

tion of MOURC in 1974 and has never been

officially reviewed.

• Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax

brasilianus) [Accidental], first reported 3 June

92 The Loon Volume 92