Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon - Thrushes 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: Thrushes
Eastern Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
Townsend's Solitaire
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
Fieldfare
[Clay-colored Thrush]
American Robin
Varied Thrush

Mountain Bluebird(Sialia currucoides)
YearSeasonNS
1945WinterOne at Duluth, February 2 to February 14, 1943, (Mrs. Olin).
1967Spring3-25 Clay Co., 10 miles NE Moorhead, 1 adult, good details, L WJ. Probably the sixth state record.
1969Fall10-14 Hennepin 2 DB and KP.
1970Fall1-20-24 Lutsen, Cook Co. JP, K&JG, KH.
1970Winter1-20-24 Lutsen, Cook Co. JP, K&JG, KH.
1974Spring 7 reports of this casual species: 3-6 Rice OR; 3-11, 3-13 Marshall T. Fuller; 3-25 Clearwater R. Newcomb (fide RCD); 3-29 Lac qui Parle JS; 3-30 Rock KE; 4-12 Rock KE; 4-13 Roc.k RBJ; (see last issue of LOON, Vol. 46, No. 3 for more details).
1975Spring 3 reports: 4-3 to 4-11 Beltrami (Bemidji) 2 H. T. Peters; 4-7 Lac qui Parle G. Larson; 4-9 Redwood (Sanborn) 1 dead M. Penner.
1976Spring 2 reports: 3-28, 3-29 Marshall (2 males) SV; 4-1 Rock (1) KE.
1976Fall 10-24 Duluth DS, JG; very few fall reports on record.
1977Spring 1 report: 3-28 (1) Lake of the Woods PH, Robert Nero. See Loon 49:171.
1977Fall 10-22 Anoka (KL) 11-21 Stoney Point, St. Louis Co. CKE).
1977Winter A female was sporadically present near Le Sueur from 1-14 on (RJ and m.ob.); only the third winter report on record.
1979Spring 4-1 Wilkin SM, Scott DGW, 4-2 Wilkin DGW, 4-7 Carver LH, 4-8 Carver DGW, RJ, 4-9 Otter Tail GMO.
1980Spring 3-18 Carver L. Burmeister.
1981Spring Two reports: 3-27 Roseau FDS and 4-19 Wabasha JSD.
1982Spring 3-17 Brown EBI K, 3-29 Otter Tail TS, SDM, 4-9 Carlton D. Dart, Lyon HK -all reports.
1982Winter Reported from Cook County, Cascade .River on 12/18 (KMH).
1983Spring 3/20, 23 Stoney Point, St. Louis KE, 4/19 Otter Tail GMO.
1983Summer One male, 6/1, Agassiz NWR, Marshall Co. (Jeff DiMatteo).
1984Spring Two reports: 3/31 Lac qui Parle m.ob, 4/1 I Marshall JD, JP/ AM.
1984Fall Two reports: 10/12-13 Duluth KE, I II 20 Cook KMH.
1984Winter One in Duluth stayed until 12-15 (mob).
1985Spring All reports: 3/16 Kittson RJ (I male), 3/20 Wilkin KE, SDM (pair), 4/8 Dakota JPIAM.
1985Fall All reports; 8/24 Beltrami KL, 10/13 Chippewa AB, 10/24 St. Louis MSt.
1986Spring 3/23 Steams NH one male.
1986Summer Male paired with Eastern Bluebird in Aitkin to produce two hybrid offspring (m.ob., The Loon 58: 194-196; first nesting record [half record?] in state).
1986Fall Still present 8/2-3 Aitkin WN.
1988Spring All reports: 3/27 OtterTail SDM, 3/30 Marshall ANWR, 4/1 Murray ND.
1988Fall All reports: 9/19 Blue Earth MF, 10/1 Wilkin SDM, 10/27 St. Louis B. Tefft, SS, 10/30 11/2 Cook (3) KE et al.
1989Spring Only reports: 3/25 Brown AB and BL, 4/1 Rock KE et. a!.
1989Fall One report: 10/20 Cottonwood (1) JB.
1990Spring All reports : 3/15-25 Hennepin (1) mob, 4/22-5116 Polk (male mated with female Eastem) DJ.
1990Summer Several records, including first state nesting record for a Mountain Bluebird pair, Marshall Co. (The Loon 62:160-161). A mixed pair (male Mountain, female Eastern) nested Bell's Vireo, 1 June 1990. Eagle Lake Trail, Mankato, Blue Earth County. Bell's Vireo nest, 1 June 1990, Eagle Lake Trail, Mankato, Blue Earth County. Photos by Brad Bolduan. near the western edge of Polk DJ; at least one bird also reported north of Itasca State Park in Clearwater DB!.
1990Fall All reports: 10/15 Lac qui Parle AB, 10/21 Lake MS.
1991Spring All reports: 3/18 Kandiyohi (male) RG, 3/31 Norman (pair) AB, 4/15-5126 Florian, Marshall Co. (pair returned) mob.
1991Summer Probable nesting of male Mountain with female Eastern in Kittson (The Loon 63:207-208); Mountain pair nested for second straight year in Marshall, producing six young (JRo).
1991Fall One report: 11/7 Hawk Ridge, Duluth (1) FN.
1992Spring All reports: 3/28 Polk (two males, one female) KSS, 4/13 Roseau (two males) MCBS, 4/15 Red Lake (two pair) MCBS.
1992Summer Observed in Marshall (no details) SDM, PS, MCBS.
1992Fall All reports: 9/30 Lac qui Parle (one) SDM, 10/3 Swift (one) RG, RJ, 11/8 Cook BS.
1993Fall Two reports: 10/7 Roseau (one) PS, 10/30 Cook (one) mob.
1994Spring All reports: 3/12 Traverse (male) MO, 3/20 Marshall (4) KSS, 4/10 Anoka (female) PKL, 4/16–17 St. Louis (male) SS, BT et al.; 5/19 Todd (male Mountain X Eastern hybrid) SDM (The Loon 66:149–150); 5/21 Norman MO.
1994Fall Two reports: 10/19 Otter Tail (female) SDM, 11/5 Faribault (pair) RG, RJ.
1995Spring Two reports: 3/12–4/2 Washington (male) JF, mob, 4/19 (late south migrant) McLeod (female) RG.
1995Fall All reports: 11/6–8 (ties fourth latest on record and surpasses previous late south by three days) Dakota (pair) JBu, AH, 10/15 Clay (1 female) CF.
1996Spring All reports: (no date) Kandiyohi fide RJF, 3/14–15 Todd JSK, 3/16–17 Martin BBo, 3/20 (captured by a high school student while the bird was catching flies near a window!) Marshall SKS, 3/23 Grygla, Marshall County fide BSi, 4/6 Kittson JR, and 5/5 Kanabec KR.
1996Fall Two reports: 10/18–19 Tamarac NWR, Becker Co. (male) BBe; 10/27 Co. Rds. 144 & 1/6, Hennepin Co. (female) SC.
1996Winter One male was present 1/26–2/15 near Jordan, Scott Co. KHe/JoW, mob; female reported there 2/2–8 AH, TT. Incredibly, a flock of four was reported on 2/17 at the Jordan location KHe/JoW. Another female was reported on 2/19 near Rochester, Olmsted Co. DA/BE. There has not been a winter record since 1985, and there is only one previous winter report in the south (The Loon 50:119–20).
1997Spring All reports: 3/23 Freeborn (Myre Big Island State Park) ABa, 3/30 Jackson (male on east side of Heron Lake, along Co. Road 24) KB, 4/9 Jackson (Hwy 71/Co. Road 4) CMa, 5/7–24 (nested with a female Eastern Bluebird behind Calgary Lutheran Church in Bemidji) Beltrami mob. [Corrected]
1997Summer A male apparently nested with a female Eastern Bluebird near Bemidji in Beltrami County DJo.
1997Fall All reports: 8/1 Beltrami (same bird that nested with an Eastern at Calvary Lutheran Church in Bemidji) DJo, 10/21 St. Louis (female) KE, PS, 11/2 St. Louis (male in Ely) BT, 11/8 St. Louis (male in Duluth) DSc.
1997Winter Only report: 2/26 Freeborn (2) WL, second county record.
1998Spring Only report: 4/5 Kittson (female) PS.
1998Fall All reports: 9/21 Kanabec (male near Mora) AH, 10/20 Lake (female) PS, KE, 10/23 Chippewa (female) ABo.
1999Spring All reports: 4/5 St. Louis (female, Park Point in Duluth) JN, 4/24Kanabec (male, Pomroy Twp.) KR, 5/10–11 Chippewa (male, Leenthrop Twp.) LEA.
1999Fall All reports: 10/4 Mille Lacs (female near Princeton) PS, 10/14 Kanabec (female at Ogilvie) AH, 10/14–15 Dakota (female at L. Byllesby) †DBS, 11/3 Pipestone (pair at Holland) fide AH.
2000Spring No reports.
2001Spring Lone males seen 3/23–30 Becker (TNWR) LDe et al., 4/14 Cottonwood (Red Rock) BRB, ED.
2001Fall One observation: 10/16 Lake (male at Castle Danger) PHS.
2002Spring No reports.
2002Fall Three reports: 10/18 Scott (male at Louisville Swamp) †RMD, 10/20 St. Louis (female) †KRE, 11/3 Lake (female at Castle Danger) PHS.
2003Spring Male found 4/10 Kandiyohi (near Kandiyohi) ES; refound and documented 4/11 †HHD, †CBr.
2003Fall All observations: 10/31–11/3 Cook (female east of Grand Marais) DRB et al., JWL, 11/10 Lac qui Parle (male along U.S. highway 75, Agassiz Twp.) BJU, 11/14–15 Swift (female at Appleton) RAE, RHO.
2004Spring Only report: male in Walter Twp., 4/5 Lac qui Parle BJU.
2004Fall One report: 10/29 Aitkin (south of Palisade) fide DRB.
2005Spring Three reports: 3/12 (ties second earliest north) Wilkin (male) BJU, 3/15 Dakota (Hastings, along CR 42 near 132nd St.) fide AXH, 4/9 Meeker DMF.
2005Fall Four individuals: 10/2 Wadena (female in Red Eye Twp., second county record; the first was collected by Dick Oehlenschlager in the late 1960s (Green and Janssen 1975)) PHS, 10/25-27 Cook (female near Grand Marais) RBJ, JGW, 10/26 Ramsey (male in Shoreview) AXH, 11/6 St. Louis (female at Tower municipal airport) SES, BET. [Corrected]
2006Spring Only found in Lac qui Parle by BJU: a male on 4/3 in Mehurin Twp.; a female on 4/11 about one mile north of Madison; another female on 4/27 along CR 66 in Hantho Twp.
2006Fall Three females were discovered along the North Shore over two days! The first was very cooperative: discovered 10/17 St. Louis (Bayfront Park, Duluth) DOK, it was seen by many through 10/30 (KRE). The second and third both appeared 10/18, but neither was refound: one in Lake west of Two Harbors ph. JWL, and one in St. Louis (Duluth, near 44th Ave East and Regent St) JRN. All south reports: 8/19 Chippewa (2 females at Gneiss Outcrops S.N.A.) RBJ, 10/30 Big Stone (male at Odessa) BJU.
2006Winter1 Observed 1/18-25 Dakota (Ravenna Twp.) ph. †JPM, †CMB, ph. DAC, m.ob. This female associating with Cedar Waxwings furnished the first winter record for the county.
2007Spring2 Two reports, both from Northwest: 3/23 Pennington (River Falls Twp.) SAS, 4/28 Clay (adult male) PBB.
2007Fall3 All reports from the North Shore: 10/23 Lake (female at Castle Danger W.T.P.) fide JWL; female and immature male present 10/27–11/11 Cook (Grand Marais municipal campground and nearby) SLL, ph. JWL, ph. CGu (male), †KRE, m.ob.; and 11/2 St. Louis (female near Sky Harbor Airport) CMB.
2007Winter1 Only report a female at the Grand Marais Coast Guard station 12/18 Cook fide JWL. This is possibly one of the birds present there in November (see fall report).
2008Spring1 Only report 4/19 Meeker (male with several Eastern Bluebirds) DMF.
2008Fall1 Migrant observed at H.R.B.O., St. Louis 10/27 KJB.
2009Spring No reports.
2010Spring No reports.
2010Fall No reports.
2011Spring2 All south reports 3/20 Lac qui Parle (male, Marsh Lake) ph. BJU, 4/10 Stevens (male, county road 1, just south of S.R. 28) ph. KRE, PME, HHD, LS, RAE.
2011Fall1 One report 10/20 Cook (male, Grand Marais) ph. DMB. [Corrected]
2011Winter1Rare winter record 2/16 Cook KWR (no details).
2012Spring11 Two reports: 3/3 Cook (2 birds in Tofte) ph. DeB, fide JWL, 5/21 Hennepin (Ft. Snelling S.P.) fide AXH.
2012Fall21 Four individuals reported: male seen 10/20 in Ramsey and Anoka AXH; female found by PHS 10/31 Lake (Two Harbors Lakewalk) continued through 11/7 ph. PHS, ph. BU, m.ob.; female seen 11/12–13 St. Louis (Park Point R.A.) JHu, ph. AMe, ph. KRE, ph. PHS, m.ob.; one migrating along Hawk Ridge 11/13 St. Louis KJB.
2013Spring11 Only south report 4/30–5/2 Rice (female, River Bend N.C.) TFB. One north report 5/6 Lake (Two Harbors cemetery) ph. JWL.
2013Fall2 Three reports of four individuals: 8/31 Marshall LS, 10/26 St. Louis (2, Hawk Ridge/Lester River Census) KJB, 10/27 St. Louis (south of Ely) SLF.
2014SpringNo documented reports.
2014Summer
2014Fall No reports.
2015Spring1 Only report was a new county record: 4/11 Crow Wing (adult female) JWH, BWF, ph. †JPR, 4/12 FGo.
2015Fall1 Only report 10/24 St. Louis (female, Hawk Ridge/Lester River Census) KJB, m.ob.
2015Winter1 See Insufficiently Documented Reports.
2016Spring2 Two south reports. Long-staying adult male 3/5–28 Sherburne (Island View R.P.) ph. †MJB, ph. MwS, m.ob. Second adult male seen 3/12–16 Dakota (Spring Lake P.R., Schaar's Bluff) CWa, NAW, ph. †AlF, †CMB, ph. GHo, m.ob. Both birds also well-documented by photographs submitted to eBird.
2016Fall1 Only report: 10/2 Anoka (male) AXH.
2017Spring No reports.
2017Summer No reports.
2017Fall2 All north reports, 10/22 Clay PBB, 10/28 – 11/14 Lake, with up to 3 individuals reported in Two Harbors JWL, ph. GHo, ph. PHS, m.ob.
2017Winter1 See Insufficiently Documented Reports.
2018Spring1 Only report was a new county record, an adult male 3/10 Houston (Yucatan Twp.) DBz.
2018Summer No reports.
2018Fall1 Only one individual reported, a female 11/12–18 St. Louis (H.R.N.R.) ph. SNe, H.R.B.O., m.ob.
2018Winter1 Only report was of a single bird found during the Cedar Creek Bog CBC 12/16 Isanti † MHe, ph., JSa, DGn, JRk. Continuing observations of this individual by many observers through 1/17.
2020Spring21 One south report of this now-Casual species: 4/28–29 Yellow Medicine (male, Sioux Agency Twp.) ph. †JH, ph. KEm, ph. NMe. Two north reports, 3/21–26 Becker (female, Dunton Locks C.P.) †MO, m.ob., 4/11–13 Clay (male, north of Rollag) †PBB, ph. †LBa, MO, HeH, ShG.
2020Fall31 All north 10/24 St. Louis (Stony Point) ph. †JLK, ph. †PHS, JWL, NPo, StK, 11/10 Cass (Walker W.T.P.) ph. †REn, RLF. One south 11/27–29+ Ramsey (Les Bolstad Golf Course) ph. †SBE, ph. †RMD, ph. †ASu, ph. †JWZ, ph. AXH, m.ob. Also see Documented reports still under review.
2020Winter1 One discovered in late November was seen 12/4 Ramsey (Les Bolstad Golf Course, University of Minnesota) PRH, m.ob. and then relocated at a nearby park 12/11 – 2/28+ Ramsey (Como Regional P.R.) JbS, †EzH, ph. †GHo, m.ob. There are 330 images and one audio recording of this long-staying individual in the eBird database.
2021Spring1 Two Ramsey reports, both likely the same individual that wintered at Lake Como, 3/4 Ramsey (Lake Como) BHw, 3/6 Ramsey (Silverwood Park) NSg.
2021Fall1 One north report: 10/8 Itasca (Splithand Twp., C.R. 68) ph. †HCT, ph. CRM, m.ob.
2022Spring11 One south report 4/17 Blue Earth (female, fourth county record, east of Madison Lake) †JWH, ph. †BTS, ph. BAb. One north 5/1 Red Lake (female, second county record) †RAE.
 
 Migrant throughout. One breeding record (1991); five mixed-pair breeding records with Eastern Bluebird (S. sialis). Recorded in eight of the last ten years, most recently 2023.

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.