The Loon, journal of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
The last 2 years are available to MOU members.
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Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon - Blackbirds, Orioles | 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 |
| Species: Blackbirds, Orioles |
| Great-tailed Grackle(Quiscalus mexicanus) | ||||
| Year | Season | N | S | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Spring | First confirmed state record, 4/4–10 Rice KS, mob (The Loon 65:148–150). | ||
| 1998 | Spring | Third state record seen 4/18 through the end of the period in Jackson (Grover's Lake WMA). Initially, two males and one female were found north of the state line by KE and DBM (The Loon 70:183). As many as six individuals were reported on the Minnesota side of this WMA by subsequent observers. | ||
| 1999 | Spring | Fourth state record 3/26 through the end of the period in Jackson Co. (at or near Grover's Lake WMA) mob; no fewer than two males and two females were at the same location as last year. Photographs were obtained on 3/30 (KB). One male was found at a new Jackson Co. location on 5/13 (Middletown Twp., section 33) PS. | ||
| 1999 | Fall | The colonization in the Grovers L. area of Jackson, just north of the Iowa border, continues to expand. Up to 40–50 birds were found in October between Grovers L. and areas along Highway 86 north of the border. Last reported 10/23 Jackson (2) SL. | ||
| 2000 | Spring | Reported 4/1+ Jackson (Grovers L.) †PBu, TT et al., also documented nearby in section 29, Minneota Twp. on 4/9 (†KE). Stay tuned for the summer season! One male photographed 5/14 Cottonwood †BBo. | ||
| 2000 | Summer | The first summer record and the first confirmed nesting record for the state. Two nests (each with 4 eggs) were found at a small pond three miles north of the Iowa border in Jackson †AXH, †PH. Identification of the adults is pending review of the documentation by the Minnesota Ornithological Records Committee. | ||
| 2001 | Spring | Seen 4/8 Lyon (male at Black Rush L.) †RJS, 5/7+ Olmsted (pair at county road 9 marsh near Rochester) DSq et al., †PHS. | ||
| 2001 | Fall | All reports from Jackson: 10/17 (20 males and 30 immature/females) †PHS; last seen 10/27 (32 at county roads 86 and 4) ADS, TAT. | ||
| 2002 | Spring | Found for the fifth consecutive year at Grovers L., 5/6+ Jackson (3 males, 4 females) †PHS, m.ob. Also seen 5/10–12 Murray (male at Hiram Southwick W.M.A.) †PCC, †CRG, m.ob., 5/27 Lyon (male at Lyon County landfill) †RJS. | ||
| 2002 | Summer | Presumably the same individuals from spring reported 7/17 Jackson (3 in Minneota Twp.) †OLJ. | ||
| 2002 | Fall | All reports from Jackson, where reported from 9/20 (11, †KRE) through 10/20 (ADS). High count 16 on 10/17 (†PEB). | ||
| 2003 | Spring | Accepted records 4/17–19 Mower (adult male near Austin) ph. †JEM et al., 4/18–23 Brown (2 adult males near Sleepy Eye lagoons) †BSm, m.ob., 4/26 Dakota (adult male by Vermilion, present since 4/22 according to local residents) †JR, †ADS, ph. DDM, 5/31+ Rock (3 males and 3 females at Hills) †KRE et al. Reported for the sixth consecutive year in Jackson (Grovers L.) but unfortunately without details. | ||
| 2003 | Summer | Reported from Rock (Hills) through 6/17 m.ob. (please see spring report). | ||
| 2004 | Spring | Male and two females reported without details in Rock (Hills) during May, first documented 6/2 (please see summer report). One male with pale yellow irides and long, wedge-shaped tail was singing “a confusing, varied series of clacks, rattles, and whistles” 5/8 Lac qui Parle (near Madison) †BJU. Two additional reports from Lac qui Parle County lacked sufficient details. Also see undocumented reports. | ||
| 2004 | Summer | Only documented reports: 6/10, 6/28 Rock (pair at Hills W.T.P.) †BWF, ph. †CBr. | ||
| 2004 | Fall | Three undocumented reports from Jackson where this species is now annual: 10/9 (5–7) RMD, KTP, 10/14 (10) DWK, 10/17 (4) m.ob. | ||
| 2005 | Spring | Documented 4/5 Jackson (male at Heron Lake) ph. BRB, 4/16 Rock (five at Hills W.T.P.) †MTA, RMD, CFa, 5/23 Rock (male and 2 females at Hills) †PHS; also reported from usual location in Jackson (near Grovers Lake) beginning 4/4 CRM et al. Undocumented reports from Lyon, Martin, Stearns. | ||
| 2005 | Summer | Documented at new locations 7/10 Chisago (pair) ph. NWa, 7/13 Lac qui Parle (vocalizing male, Walter Twp.) †BJU, 7/15 Yellow Medicine (vocalizing male, Hazel Run Twp.) †BJU, 7/18 Nicollet (vocalizing, Swan L.) †BJU. Continuing observations (see spring report) through mid-July Rock (female carrying food at Hills) CRM et al. and throughout season in Jackson (max. 13, Minneota Twp.) PEB, m.ob. Also see undocumented reports. | ||
| 2005 | Fall | Only report 10/17 Jackson (3 at cattle lot along state highway 86) DWK. | ||
| 2006 | Spring | First county record 4/15–18 Wright (adult male uttering “a variety of rattles and whistles... reminiscent of water slapping on a shoreline and the static of an old ham radio” at Pelican Lake) ph. KTP, †CMB, m.ob. Also documented 4/17 Lac qui Parle (2 adult males vocalizing “clacks, croaks, and mainly of harsh rising whistles” near Rosen) †BJU; 5/1–2 Lac qui Parle (2 adult males with very pale irides, one giving “harsh croaks interspersed with rising whistles” in Walter Twp.) †BJU; 5/3 Brown (adult male vocalizing “clucks and whistles” at Sleepy Eye) †BTS; 5/6+ Brown (female nest-building while 2 males displayed at Rosenau-Lambrecht W.M.A.) †BTS; 5/15–23 Olmsted (male at Eastside W.M.A.) RLE, JWH, ph. PWP. Reported without details from traditional location in Jackson (state highway 86 and CR 4) m.ob. | ||
| 2006 | Summer | MCBS reported vocalizing males 6/1 Murray (Chandler W.M.A.) SPS, 6/2 Murray (Hiram Southwick W.M.A.) MSS, and pair near Hills W.T.P. 6/7–21 Rock MSS. Vocalizing males also documented 6/20 (Hantho Twp.) and 6/26 (2 at Big Stone N.W.R.) Lac qui Parle †BJU. | ||
| 2006 | Fall | Six males and one female observed at traditional location 9/4 Jackson DWK. “At least one of the males gave the rising whistle call several times” 10/6–9 Watonwan (Mud L.) †RBW, m.ob. Reported without details from Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle. [Corrected] | ||
| 2007 | Spring | 5 | All south reports: 4/20–5/25 Watonwan (Mud Lake and Rosendale W.M.A.) m.ob., 5/7–27 Pipestone (Engbarth Slough W.M.A.) HHD, †BJU, m.ob., 5/18 Jackson DAB, BTS, 5/28 Murray (Big Slough W.M.A.) RMD. None were well documented. | |
| 2007 | Summer | 4 | All records: 6/1 Watonwan (Odin Twp.) MCBS, 6/2 Jackson AXH, 6/4 Cottonwood (Rose Hill Twp.) MCBS, 6/5, 6/21, 6/27 Martin (2 locations) MCBS, 6/9–23 Jackson (14 different locations) MCBS, 6/18 Pipestone (Engbarth Slough) †BJU. | |
| 2007 | Fall | All reports: 9/16 Jackson (1/2 mile north of C.R. 4 on S.R. 86) DWK, 9/28 Jackson (sections 17 and 20, Minneota Twp; “their voices consisted of varied whistles, shrieks, short growls and some quite loud clacking sounds”) BJU, 10/12 Jackson (730th and S.R. 86 just north of C.R. 4) JCC. | ||
| 2008 | Spring | 3 | All reports 3/20 Jackson (1/2 mile N/NE of the town of Heron Lake) †BTS, 3/30 Jackson (SR 86) LS, HHD, KRE, 4/6 Jackson (SR 86) DBM, 5/6 Martin (location?) HHD, 5/9 Lyon (Black Rush Lake) RJS, 5/19 Martin (Pierce Lake) JEB. | |
| 2008 | Summer | 2 | Observed 6/2 Scott (male, vocalizing near Jordan) JEB, 6/7 Jackson BRB. | |
| 2008 | Fall | 1 | Only report and new high count 10/12 Jackson (103) JWH. | |
| 2009 | Spring | 2 | All reports 3/21 Jackson (10 along SR 86 near CR 4) RMD, 4/16 Jackson (CR 24 east of HeronLake) RJS, 5/1 Jackson JEB, 5/9 Jackson (Sandy Point C.P., Heron Lake) DBM, 5/13 Lac qui Parle ASc. | |
| 2009 | Summer | No reports. | ||
| 2009 | Fall | 2 | Only reports 8/10 Jackson CRM, 8/11 Cottonwood (Windom) DoM. | |
| 2010 | Spring | 2 | All reports: 3/27+ Jackson (S.R. 86 and C.R. 4) DAB, JWH, 3/31 Jackson (Pletz-Klima W.M.A.) DBM, 5/15 Lac qui Parle (Cory Lake) ph. †BJU. | |
| 2010 | Summer | 1 | Seen 6/13 Jackson AXH, 7/3 Jackson (three nests, each with two chicks; a fourth nest held one chick and one unhatched egg) ph. AXH. | |
| 2010 | Fall | 3 | All reports 10/6 Jackson (5, C.R. 86, Minneota Twp.) BJU, 10/23 Carver JCy, Sibley DBM (probably same individual). | |
| 2011 | Spring | 2 | Only reports 4/18 Lac qui Parle (Cory Lake) ph. BJU, 4/26 Martin TAT. | |
| 2011 | Fall | 1 | All reports from Minneota Twp., Jackson County. High count 10/22 Sangl W.M.A. (26) ARW, RJW. Last reported 10/29 (6) ph. RTe. | |
| 2012 | Spring | 3 | All south 3/31 Waseca (Mott Lake) DBM, 4/11 Lac qui Parle (Plover Prairie East Unit) BJU, 4/30 Yellow Medicine LBF. | |
| 2012 | Summer | 2 | Seen 6/1, 7/25 Jackson (3 females, 2 males at traditional location near MN 86 / C.R. 4) SC, ANy, JWH, 7/7, 7/8, 7/24, 7/26 Lyon female at Cottonwood W.T.P. and nearby Sham Lake) ph. GWe, †DWK, †HCT. | |
| 2012 | Fall | 2 | All south 8/16 Jackson (North of 86 & 4 intersection) ELC, 8/29 Lyon (3, Cottonwood C.P.) GWe, 10/6 Jackson (6, Sangl W.M.A.) KDS. | |
| 2013 | Spring | 4 | All reports 5/3+ McLeod (male) ph. †PRH, m.ob., 5/3+ Jackson ph. BU, 5/27 Lyon (female, Lone Tree Lake) GWe, 5/29 Big Stone (Odden W.P.A.) RMD. | |
| 2013 | Summer | 2 | Found 6/6, 6/13 McLeod ph. PRH, 6/14, 6/25, 7/27 Jackson (max. 3) RMD, GHo, KDS, †SBM. | |
| 2013 | Fall | 1 | Only report 10/19 Jackson (Hwy 86, 3 miles north of the Iowa border) KRE, m.ob. | |
| 2014 | Spring | 1 | Only report 4/5 Nobles (Lake Okabena) KRE, m.ob. | |
| 2014 | Summer | No summer reports, but nesting confirmed 8/9 Jackson AXH. | ||
| 2014 | Fall | 3 | All reports 8/1 Lyon (Cottonwood W.T.P) GWe, 8/9 Jackson (12) AXH, 9/14 Jackson BAb, 10/19 Swift (Lubenow W.P.A.) DLP. | |
| 2015 | Spring | 1 | Only report 4/25 Lyon (Sham Lake) GWe. | |
| 2015 | Summer | 2 | Observed in Cottonwood, Swift. | |
| 2015 | Fall | 1 | All reports from the same location in Jackson county (Hwy 86 and 730th St): 8/23 ClN, 8/25 KEm, 10/18 BRB. | |
| 2016 | Spring | 4 | All reports 4/17–26 Swift (Danvers W.M.A.) †KnM, ph. JPR, m.ob., 5/7 Jackson (Caraway W.M.A.) BAb, 5/15 Redwood (2, Gales Lake W.M.A.) MiO, JSc, 5/20 Yellow Medicine (Clarkfield W.T.P.) GWe. | |
| 2016 | Summer | No reports. | ||
| 2016 | Fall | 3 | All reports were late migrants: 10/29 Cottonwood (Talcot Lake State W.M.A.) DAk, 11/2 Yellow Medicine GWe, 11/3 Faribault ClN. | |
| 2017 | Spring | 4 | All reports 4/8 Jackson KEm, Rock (Springwater Twp.) REn, 4/11 Jackson (Heron Lake W.M.A.) DAk, 4/15 Lincoln (2, near Hendricks) GWe, 5/11, 5/13 Jackson (max.2, S.R. 86 and 730th) PEB, m.ob., 5/12 Yellow Medicine (Fortier Twp.) RAE, 5/14 Murray (Slayton) LiH, 5/24 Yellow Medicine (Normania Twp.) GWe. | |
| 2017 | Summer | 3 | Found in Cottonwood, Jackson, and 6/3, 6/16, 6/23 Lincoln (3 different locations, none had any details) TCz, RCl. | |
| 2017 | Fall | 2 | All reports: 9/7 Jackson (4 or 5, S.R. 86) GHo, KDS, 9/23 Jackson (1, S.R. 86) KnM, ASu, 9/28 Lyon (1, C.R. 91) GWe. | |
| 2018 | Spring | 1 | 3 | All south (median 4/8) 4/22 Cottonwood LiH, ASu, 5/2–14 Olmsted (East Landfill Reservoir) DMA, ph. †JPr, ph. GHo, m.ob., 5/13 Cottonwood JSc, MiO, BTS, 5/28 Lyon GWe. Only north report 4/20–22 Grant (North Ottawa Impoundment) ph. LiH, ASu, m.ob. |
| 2018 | Summer | 2 | Seen 6/19 Lincoln (Tyler W.M.A.) RAE, 7/7 Sherburne (Blue Hill Trail, Sherburne N.W.R.) PLJ. | |
| 2018 | Fall | 1 | Â Only one report 8/16 Cottonwood (2, north of Augusta Lake) LHl. | |
| 2019 | Spring | 6 | All reports 4/18 Lyon (Susan Drive Wetlands, Marshall) ph. NMe, GWe, 4/20 Jackson LiH and subsequently through 5/24 m.ob., 5/3 Pipestone IVa, 5/11 Cottonwood (Storden W.P.A.) ASu, 5/11 Lyon (Balaton Twp.) GWe, 5/23 Yellow Medicine (Lyon/Yellow Medicine County easement) GWe, 5/28 Murray (5) RJS. | |
| 2019 | Summer | 3 | Â Seen 6/15 Lyon (pair, Balaton) GWe, 6/28 Redwood (Wabasso) NMe, 7/1 Nobles AJF. None had details. | |
| 2019 | Fall | 1 | Only one report 10/12 Lyon (3, Lyons Twp.) GWe. | |
| 2020 | Spring | 7 | The most spring reports ever. All south (median 4/15) 3/31 Jackson (South Heron Lake) ASu, 4/7, 5/9–31+ Watonwan (near Madelia) BHW, m.ob., 4/11 Yellow Medicine (Timm Lake) REn, RLF, 4/11 – 5/12 Jackson (S.R. 86, Lakefield area) FFa, m.ob., 5/11 Pipestone (Pipestone N.M.) VKl, 5/14–15 Meeker (Ellsworth Twp., Section 13) LiH, BNn, 5/20–23 Lyon (Black Rush W.P.A.) WCM, PME, m.ob, 5/23 Nobles MAJ. High count only a disappointing 2. | |
| 2020 | Summer | 3 | Seen 6/6 Watonwan (Madelia) MWS, ebd, 6/26 Nobles (Worthington Rest Area, Hwy 60) ebd, 7/4 Jackson (Lakefield) DnS, ASu. | |
| 2020 | Fall | 2 | No count exceeded three birds. Bulk of reports came from traditional site in Jackson (Hwy 86 and 730th St. in Lakefield Twp.) 8/5–25 ASu, m.ob. Only other reports were the latest south 9/17–28 Lyon ( Black Rush Lake W.P.A.) RJS, GWe. | |
| 2021 | Spring | 3 | All reports: record-early 3/7 Jackson (South Heron Lake) ph. REn, RLF, 3/19 Nicollet (Nicollet W.T.P.) †KEm, JWH, 3/22, 5/28 Jackson (S.R. 86 & 730th St.) ASu, KEm, JWH, 4/3 – 5/15 Lyon (Black Rush Lake W.P.A.) NMe, GWe, m.ob. No count exceeded two individuals. | |
| 2021 | Summer | 1 | Reported 6/16 – 7/25 Jackson (max. 5, adults feeding 2 or 3 juveniles) JWZ, ClB, a.t., ph. LiH, m.ob. | |
| 2021 | Fall | 1 | Sole report came from 9/11 at traditional site in Jackson (4, S.R. 86 and 730th St. in Lakefield Twp.) TWe, BWe. | |
| 2022 | Spring | 5 | All reports: 3/16 Jackson (Spirit Lake) †DFN, †PEJ, 3/19 – 4/25 Lyon (Black Rush W.P.A.) GWe, m.ob., 4/2 Pope (Lakeshore Park) †LiH, 4/30 – 5/29 Faribault (Pilot Grove Lake) BAy, m.ob., 5/2 Jackson (S.R. 86 and 730th St.) ph. KEm, 5/10 Cottonwood (Lake Augusta) ph. KEm, 5/11 Jackson ANy, DBz, 5/26–30 Jackson (Skunk Lake W.M.A.) KRE, m.ob. | |
| 2022 | Summer | 1 | Observed 6/3 Murray (MN 91, Chandler) GWe. | |
| 2022 | Fall | First fall season with no reports since 2003 when this species was considered Casual. | ||
| Breeds locally southwest. | ||||
| 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. |