Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon - Stilts, Avocets Occurrence
This is the 1930 to present seasonal report archive for
The Loon, journal of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
The last 2 years are available to MOU members.
Seasons
Families
Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks
New World Quail
Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys
Grebes
Pigeons, Doves
Cuckoos
Nightjars
Swifts
Hummingbirds
Rails, Gallinules, Coots
Limpkin
Cranes
Stilts, Avocets
Plovers
Sandpipers
Jaegers
Alcids
Gulls, Terns
Loons
Shearwaters and Petrels
Storks
Frigatebirds
Boobies and Gannets
Cormorants
Pelicans
Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons
Ibises
New World Vultures
Osprey
Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles
Barn Owls
Screech-Owls, Owls
Kingfishers
Woodpeckers
Caracaras, Falcons
Flycatchers
Vireos
Shrikes
Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows
Chickadees, Titmice
Larks
Martins, Swallows
Kinglets
Waxwings
Silky-flycatchers
Nuthatches
Creepers
Gnatcatchers
Wrens
Thrashers, Mockingbirds
Starlings
Dippers
Thrushes
Old World Flycatchers
Old World Sparrows
Pipits
Finches
Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Towhees, Sparrows
Yellow-breasted Chat
Blackbirds, Orioles
Warblers
Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks

Seasons
Species: Stilts, Avocets
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet

Black-necked Stilt(Himantopus mexicanus)
YearSeasonNS
1989Spring 4/23-25 Roseau WMA, Roseau Co. TP, SW (The Loon 61 :197; first state record).
1989Summer Two birds, male and female, seen by mob near Alberta, Stevens Co. 7/l 2-17 (The Loon 61: 139-140); second state record.
1992Summer Third state record: two birds were discovered on 6/4 at Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge (Old Cedar Ave. Bridge), Hennepin Co. SK (The Loon 64:166–167).
2000Spring Fourth state record 5/24 Martin (Pierce L.) †MK (The Loon 72:240–241).
2003Spring Fifth state record 5/25 Wright (2 adults near Montrose) †BW.
2004Spring Dramatic and unprecedented influx of eight birds in four locations: 4/14 Anoka/Ramsey (record-early at Lakeside Park, Mounds View) †AXH, 5/16–17 Steele (3 at Spindler's Pond near Rice Lake S.P.) GJ, ph. †PWP, ph. JJS, 5/16–27 Scott (3 at Belle Plaine W.T.P.) †WCM, ph. AXH, †CBr, †PHS, m.obs., 5/18 Kandiyohi (NW of Lake Lillian) †RSF.
2005Spring Two accepted records: adult male 4/21–24 Big Stone (Centennial W.P.A.) †LWM, †PCC, ph. †PHS, 5/8–10 Steele (one at Spindler's Pond near Rice Lake S.P., same location where 3 found last spring) NFT, ph. KV.
2006Spring Twelfth state record 5/27 Anoka (2 at Carlos Avery W.M.A.) ph. †RPF, †SHM, DFR.
2007Spring1 Thirteenth state record 5/26 Rock (Hills W.T.P.) †LS, ph. †KRE et al. (The Loon 79:239).
2008Spring1 One bird found 5/11 Kandiyohi (west of Willmar) †BWF.
2010Spring11 Two reports: 5/15 Brown (2, Milford Twp.) ph. †SPS, 5/23 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) SAS, †JMJ, ph. †PHS. These were the 16th and 17th state records, respectively.
2012Spring3 Three reports: 4/15 Hennepin (Old Cedar Ave. bridge) ph. †SLP, ph. †BAF, ph. †CMB, ph. †BeH, ph. ANy, ph. †KRo, m.ob., 4/20–23 Blue Earth (Lily Lake) ph. †AnK, ph. †ChH, m.ob., 5/19 Brown (Sleepy Eye W.T.P.) †BTS, ph. †SVo.
2013Spring2 Three reports: 5/3–4 Big Stone (three miles southwest of Graceville) ph. †BJU, ph. †DLP, 5/10 Steele (Rice Lake S.P.) †DAB, HHD, JWH, 5/22 Big Stone (Thielke Lake) †ASd. [Corrected]
2014Spring12Three first county records: 5/12–13 Faribault ph. †WAF, 5/14–15 Yellow Medicine (Miller Lake) ph. †MHe, ph. ANy, DBz, 5/24+ Grant (Herman W.T.P.) ph. SPS, ph. †DWK, ph. JTa, (5/27 nest with egg) ph. DBM.
2014Summer1Seen 6/1–14 Grant (nesting pair continuing from May, Herman W.T.P.) PSP, AXH, BAb, ph. PEB, JSc, KSw, ph. JPR, m.ob. First state and county breeding record DBM.
2015Spring1 New county record 4/25–26 Stearns (2, Getchell Lake) †PCC, ph. SBM, ph. BWF, ph. CRM, m.ob.
2016Spring11 All reports: 5/18 Grant (1, North Ottawa Impoundment) †DBz, ph. ANy, 5/31 Lyon (1, flooded field near Tracy) DFe, ph. †GWe, m.ob.
2016Summer13 Seen 6/1 Lyon (continuing from spring, SW of Tracy) KMS, SSc, RBW; 6/16–7/26+ Big Stone (2, intersection of MN 28 and C.R. 61) ph. CoM, ph. JWd, ph. †DWK, ph. †DLP, m.ob.; 7/21+ Jackson (up to nine in two family groups, though two were never documented; original report by Tony Thompson was of one individual at Christiana W.P.A.) ph. †KEm, m.ob. First county breeding record 7/22 Jackson †KEm.
2016Fall3 Four south reports of this casual species. Two groups were first discovered in the summer: one continuing through 8/16 Big Stone (2, Toqua Twp.) ph. JPR, ph. LiH, m.ob.; the other through 8/20 Jackson (7, as many as three adults and four juveniles reported at Christiana W.P.A.) KEm, ph. JWZ, m.ob. Additional migrants 9/1 Blue Earth (171st St and C.R. 20) ph. RJA,ph. STa, m.ob., 10/16–18 Blue Earth (C.R. 13 east of C.R. 30) †ChH, ph. APi, WCM.
2017Spring13 All south 4/25–5/2 Lyon/Yellow Medicine (1, Lone Tree Lake) ph. †GWe, ph. HCT, m.ob. (The Loon 89:87–91), 5/9 Blue Earth (1, 557th Ave just north of Maple River W.M.A.) ph. JNe, (2, C.R. 14 near Minnesota Lake) ph. JCF, TDh (The Loon 89:87–91). All north 5/12–13 Grant (max. 2, North Ottawa Impoundment) ph. ALu, ph. WPl, HHD (The Loon 89:87–91).
2017Summer1 Seen 6/15 – 7/31+ Grant (pair, North Ottawa Impoundment) CNn, †PCC, †KRE, ph. m.ob. Copulation was observed and they defended suspected nest area from intrusion by Great Egret and Ring-billed Gulls, but no eggs or young were ever seen.
2017Fall1 At least one of a pair from summer continued through 8/9 Grant (North Ottawa Impoundment) NaH.
2018Spring16 One north report 5/4–12 Grant (1, North Ottawa Impoundment) BMu, ph. †WPl, m.ob. All south reports 5/4–5 Olmsted (max. 4, South Landfill Reservoir) ph. LHv, m.ob., 5/5 Swift (5, Murdock W.T.P.) †HCT, 5/18 Nicollet (2, 701st St./C.R. 21) †RBW, RAE, MiO, 5/18 Watonwan (320th St., Madelia) ph. †DFe, 5/18 Lyon ph. NMe, ph. GWe, 5/27 Wright (Pelican Lake) ph. ToL, m.ob.
2018Fall1 One reported north 10/14–17 Grant (1, North Ottawa Impoundment) ph. WPl, MaJ.
2019Spring3 All south 4/29–5/4 Faribault (1, 130th St. near Winnebego) WAF, † EzH, ph. † PEB, ph. BAy, m.ob., 5/3 Goodhue (1, Lake Byllesby) † PEJ, 5/16 Stearns (1, St. Martin†™s W.T.P.) ph. † DPG.
2020Spring4 All south: 4/27 Hennepin (2, Colman Lake) ph. JMn, RBW, 5/3 Cottonwood (1, Warren Lake) ph. †JWH, KEm, m.ob., Freeborn (1) ph. †PEJ.
2020Summer2 Documented 6/1 Steele (3, Armstrong Wetland Restoration) DFe, ph. BAb, 6/9 Sibley BHe, ph. †DWK, m.ob.
2020Fall1 One south report 9/26 Lyon (4, Cupp’s Slough near Russell) †GWe.
2021Spring10 Fourteen south reports of 20 individuals are the most in any season. All south: 4/10 Sibley (2, High Island Lake) RBW, ph. †WCM, 4/30 Steele (1, Armstrong Wetland Restoration & Straight River marsh) ph. †PEJ, 5/1–2 Carver/Hennepin (1, Rice Lake) ph. †FFa, ph. †EzH, †VRL, †ClB, 5/2 Lyon (1, Lyon/Yellow Medicine Conservation Easement) †RJS, ph. †REn, 5/3 Steele (1, Straight River Marsh) ph. †DBz, LHl, 5/5–15 Steele (up to 3, Armstrong Wetland Restoration) ph. DeW, ph. †PEJ, †PSu, †ClB, 5/6–12 Lyon (1 female, Lone Tree Lake) ph. †RJS, ph. GWe, 5/12 Stearns (1, near Lake Maria) ph. ALu, 5/21 Yellow Medicine (1, Curtis Lake) ph. GWe, VKl, 5/22 Sherburne (2, Sherburne N.W.R.) ph. †FFa, MwT, 5/22–24 Lyon (1 male, Lone Tree Lake) ph. GWe, 5/23–25 Sibley (1, High Island Lake) †DWK, 5/24 Stevens (2, Black Tern Marsh) ph. †DBz, ANy, ph. LiH, 5/26 Washington (2, Paul Hugo Farms W.M.A.) †EzH, ph. †ASu. Most of these sightings were also supported by many other observers with brief, descriptive notes or images placed on ebird.
2021Summer11 Documented 6/6–12 Big Stone (max. 5, Marsh Lake) ph. †DLP, 6/16–21 Grant (North Ottawa Impoundment) †TKa, KTe, †TCL, ebd, 7/1–25 Big Stone (Artichoke L. W.P.A.) ph. †DLP, GWe.
2021Fall2 Two south reports of this casual species, both continuing from summer: 8/2–5 Swift (max. 4, Marsh Lake) †DLP, RAE, 8/21 Big Stone (Artichoke Twp.) ph. †GWe.
2022Spring28 All south 4/17–21 Lac qui Parle (C.R. 7 and C.R. 30) ph. RoF, ph. †EHi, ebd, 4/23 Cottonwood (4, 4/0th St.) ph. †KEm, JWH, 5/7–8 Nicollet (2, Nicollet W.T.P.) ChH, ph. †KEm, ChH, m.ob., 5/7–8 Pipestone (Edgerton W.T.P.) †HVD, †LVD, ph. †KEm, m.ob., 5/8 Steele (3, Armstrong Wetland Restoration) †SHo, ebd, 5/12 Wabasha (Weaver) ph. †PEJ, 5/23 Lac qui Parle (Big Stone N.W.R., West Pool) ph. †MlB, 5/24 Pipestone (Pipestone W.T.P.) ph. ANy, ph. DBz, 5/25 Big Stone (2, C.R. 12 and U.S. 75) ph. †DLP, 5/27 Nobles (Quine Ave.) ph. RZi, KRE, †BTS, m.ob. Two north Douglas 5/2–3 (Osakis W.T.P.) ph. †BLz, m.ob., 5/6 Grant (North Ottawa Impoundment) ph. PPe.
2022Summer3 All reports: 6/1 Stearns (Albany W.T.P.) †PCC, 6/26 – 7/31+ Big Stone (C.R. 61, just N of C.R. 28) ph. †DLP, †EHi, †TWe, 7/23–26 Sibley (Indian Lake W.M.A.) †DWK, m.ob. First county breeding record: 8/3 Big Stone (nesting pair fledged 2 young) DLP.
2022Fall2 Two south reports of this casual species: 8/3–14 Big Stone (max. 4, C.R. 61 and C.R. 28, continuing from summer) ph. †DLP, ph. †CRM, m.ob., 8/6 Steele (2, Armstrong Wetland Restoration) †DWK.
 
 Rare breeder west and south. Migrant mostly south. Formerly Casual.

Notes:

Click on the bird name to see a photographic image of the bird.
Column N  Number of counties where the bird was seen in the North.
Column S  Number of counties where the bird was seen in the South.