Within one year of an unprecedented 26 on Lake Superior, an amazing flock of 30 Red-throated Loons was discovered off Park Point in Duluth, St. Louis County. One Pacific Loon in alternate plumage spent several days near the mouth of the Lester River in Duluth. There are still less than a handful of spring records in the state.

Concern about the status of Eared Grebe in Minnesota recapitulates earlier declines of the Horned Grebe as a nesting species (The Loon 64:75–78). Current data are needed for comparison with previous surveys (e.g., The Loon 59:14–16). Another Clark's Grebe was found on Thielke Lake in Big Stone County — in recent years, it has been most remarkable when this species does not occur here!

Unprecedented numbers of Snowy Egrets were recorded. This influx may somehow be related to an above-average four Little Blue Herons and the state's thirteenth record of Tricolored Heron, though the latter was not found until late May. Three reports (one undocumented) of four Plegadis ibises were also more than usual, even as the White-faced Ibis approaches Regular status. In contrast, the total of only 15 Cattle Egrets was very low compared to the 105+ recorded during spring 1993.

Except for geese, waterfowl migration (which was well underway by the end of February) was relatively unremarkable. Good numbers of Greater White-fronted Geese were found in western Minnesota, while the litany of new record high counts for Ross's Geese seems never-ending. Phil Chu's report of an apparent Blue-winged Teal X Cinnamon Teal in Lac Qui Parle County and Bob O'Connor's discovery of a presumed hybrid of the Green-winged Teal in Clay County, remind us to always consider the possibility of hybridization when identifying unusual waterfowl.

Following several unacceptable sight records of the White-tailed Kite over the past several decades, one was finally well documented by photographs. It was seen by many observers during its ten day stay at Afton State Park, Washington County. Another feather in Bob Janssen's cap! Less unexpected was a Mississippi Kite at the Minnesota Valley NWR. Based on its recent history in Iowa (Birds in Iowa, Kent and Dinsmore 1996), this species appears to be a good candidate for future breeding in Minnesota.

Frank Nicoletti's fourth annual spring census of raptor migration over Duluth, formerly called the Enger Tower census, has been renamed. According to Frank, calling it the “West Skyline Hawkwatch” more accurately reflects use of locations along Skyline Parkway in addition to Enger Tower. Among this season's 26,550 raptors were four Red-shouldered and two Swainson's hawks, species which are rare in Duluth at any season. Table 1 (thanks Frank!) excludes 39 unidentified raptors. A most impressive 454.5 hours of observation over 85 count days resulted in nearly three times as many raptors compared to last spring! Also noteworthy was the total of 63 Golden Eagles at this Hawkwatch (40 last spring).

Unlike recent spring migrations in the state, shorebird numbers were fantastic! Dry conditions persisting from last fall, especially in southwestern Minnesota, provided good habitat along the edges of lakes and sloughs. Before they were flooded by very heavy rains in mid-May, 1000–2000 shorebirds could be found on any of several wetlands in the southwest and south-central, including Miedd Lake in Yellow Medicine County, Lone Tree Lake in Lyon County, Pierce Lake in Martin County, and Minnesota Lake in Blue Earth/Faribault counties. In the northwest region, conditions were not as favorable except at Agassiz NWR, Marshall County. Noteworthy high counts of shorebirds are included in the species accounts.

Among many thousands of shorebirds scrutinized by observers at Pierce Lake this spring, only one unusual species stood out — the state's fourth Black-necked Stilt -— which should stand out in any flock of waders! Unfortunately, it could not be relocated after its discovery. Although one could be overlooked in a flock of peeps, Western Sandpiper was not found in Minnesota — again. Since the late 1980s, when its status (formerly Regular, now Accidental) was reassessed, the Minnesota Ornithological Records Committee has requested documentation for all reports of Westerns. Only two have been found Acceptable! Its true status and our knowledge about its migration in the state remain shrouded in mystery.

Just like last spring, the only Piping Plovers were in Duluth. Good numbers of American Avocets, Willets, and Hudsonian Godwits were noted. Away from the North Shore of Lake Superior, Whimbrels were unexpectedly found in three locations. The shorebird highlight for many observers was the cooperative Long-billed Curlew that lingered for six days in Wilkin County. Peak counts of Wilson's Phalaropes have declined in recent years, but this was the best spring migration in decades for the Red-necked Phalarope.

During each of the most recent five spring migrations at least one jaeger has been found in Duluth, but none were reported this year. Following a six-year hiatus when none could be located in Duluth during the spring migration, Little Gull was discovered for the second May in a row. The adult California Gull in Lyon County was at Sham Lake, where this Casual species has occurred in the past. “White-winged” and “dark-mantled” gulls were conspicuously scarce.

A continuing irruption of Short–eared Owls that began last spring and possibly earlier, led to spectacular concentrations of 17–20 owls in each of three counties. The seasonal total of 98 Short-eareds was more than twice that of spring 1999! But Bill Lane's nocturnal surveys for Boreal Owls in northeastern Minnesota found only seven singing males (15 last year, 10 in 1998).

Although predicted as a species that would eventually make its way onto the Minnesota list (The Loon 59:16–18), no one anticipated that the skyscrapers of downtown Minneapolis would attract the state's first White-throated Swift! They nest as close as the Black Hills of South Dakota and previously strayed as far east as south-central Michigan in August 1926.

Loggerhead Shrikes were reported from a total of only 11 counties (14 last spring). The number of individuals found in spring has clearly dwindled since the 1990s peak of 42+ shrikes in 1995. For spring 1996 through 2000 respectively, the totals are 35, 27, 21, 21, and 15.

An interesting trend among passerines during this migration was earlier than usual arrivals, in some cases well before recent medians and for a few species, the earliest ever. Also, a surprising number of passerines arrived almost simultaneously in southern and northern regions. As written by Karl Bardon in the last issue, winter 1999–2000 was so mild that some exceptional dates reported this spring most likely represent overwintering birds rather than early migrants. A few of the most exceptional dates for early migrants were reluctantly excluded due to lack of any documentation.

Reversing the recent trend, Mountain Bluebird was unreported in the state this spring. Two Townsend's Solitaires and the Varied Thrush found in May were tardy. Fourteen Northern Mockingbirds was about double the number seen in recent spring migrations. Two Accidental thrashers never before seen in Minnesota during the winter, Sage and Curve-billed, both survived into March but their ultimate fates remain unknown.

Among the warblers, individual birds arrived earlier than normal but migration as a whole peaked in mid-May. Examples were 20 or more species in Rice County on the 12^th and the 16^th (TBo), 20 species in Lake County on the 13^th (DKi), and 23 species in Hennepin County on the 16^th (SC). Three first county occurrences were reported for the Blue-winged Warbler, including far out of range locations in Pipestone and Clay.
Most exciting was Minnesota's fifth Black-throated Gray Warbler, found by Jim & Sharon Lind near the lighthouse in Two Harbors, Lake County. This species has long been anticipated as a potential autumn vagrant along the North Shore of Lake Superior (there are numerous late fall records from eastern North America, including Newfoundland) but its cameo appearance in late May was startling.

Other highlights among the Parulidae included a (returning?) pair of Yellow-throated Warblers at Sibley State Park. Except for 1998, this species has occurred here annually since 1993 and probably nested in 1997 (The Loon 70:230–232). Although numbers of individuals remained low, the Cerulean Warbler was reported from nine counties. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been petitioned recently by conservation groups to consider listing this species as threatened throughout its range. Only one Worm-eating Warbler was reported, a far cry from the five found last spring, but other “southern warblers” including the Prothonotary, Kentucky, and Hooded, were reported in average numbers. Another rare Regular species, the Yellow-breasted Chat, was found only in the extreme southeast.

Three Summer Tanagers were well-documented and identifiable photographs were taken of a male Western Tanager in Stevens County. A male Lark Bunting along the North Shore of Lake Superior would be unexpected there regardless of season or status, but since this species is only Casual in Minnesota and especially because it stayed put for five days, this bird galvanized observers.

Rounding out a long list of exceptional rarities in Minnesota this spring were a male McCown's Longspur in Duluth, a female Black-headed Grosbeak and a male Lazuli Bunting both found in Lyon County, and presumably returning to the same feeder for the second year in a row, a Painted Bunting in Hennepin County. Great-tailed Grackles were found again in Jackson County while one strayed to Cottonwood County for the first time.

Unconfirmed and/or Undocumented Reports: White-faced Ibis 5/11 Olmsted, Eurasian Collared-Doves 3/15 Yellow Medicine and (date?) Kandiyohi, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 5/6 Blue Earth. For Unacceptable records, see Proceedings of the Minnesota Ornithological Records Committee articles.

Weather Summary: Balmy conditions continued from winter, inducing an early migration among diverse families of birds and contributing to the many earlier than normal arrival dates noted in this report. Temperatures during March averaged 9.2 degrees above normal statewide, while precipitation was close to average. It was more than startling to see temperatures in Minnesota soaring into the 60s and 70s during March! It was soon back to reality (actually, back to normal) during April. All regions had average or near average temperatures, plus normal precipitation, except for slightly dry conditions in the southeastern quarter of the state. May temperatures were one to three degrees above normal in all nine regions. Rainfall was near average in May except for the three southernmost regions, where it was above normal — especially during the second half of the month in the southwest and south-central.

Acknowledgments: I thank Paul Budde for compiling flycatchers through finches. Additional thanks to Paul and co-editor Karl Bardon for reviewing this report. Betsy Beneke, Kim Eckert, and Anthony Hertzel summarized bird sightings called in to the MOU “hotlines” in Detroit Lakes, Duluth, and the Twin Cities, respectively. Data from the West Skyline Hawkwatch in Duluth are courtesy of Frank Nicoletti. Robert Janssen and Paul Budde compiled the early and late dates that were used to calculate median migration data.