Certainly the most noteworthy sighting for the season was the first state record Crested Caracara observed briefly in Scott County on 18 July. The bird was very well documented; of question is only its origin (see The Loon 67:59–61). One other Accidental species was documented this summer when a Magnificent Hummingbird was photographed in Kanabec County in mid-July. This species was first documented in the state in 1987. Unlike many recent years, the summer of 1994 could almost be characterized as “normal”. Statewide the temperatures and the rainfall were relatively close to what one might expect, especially compared to the cool and wet summer of 1993. The usual number of species was reported, including one new state record. A surprisingly large number of species appeared to be less numerous, especially waterbirds and a variety of songbirds. On the other hand, most shorebirds and warblers were fairly well represented.

No fewer than 112 observers submitted seasonal reports and/or breeding information for the summer. A total of 267 species was observed, very close to the previous ten-year average of 266. Contributors sent in 1,055 nest or brood cards, nearly as many as the record years of 1985 and 1986. Excellent work! Breeding information is always useful, and nest or brood cards that provide enough details to confirm breeding are especially valuable. Breeding data were collected for 162 species, roughly the average number for the past ten years. Special thanks go to the members of the Hiawatha Valley Audubon (HVA) Nesting Project: Margaret Boller, Marian and Walt Carroll, Dawn Hinebaugh, Florence Holzingworth, Anah and Howard Munson, Carol Schumacher, and Rick Swanson. The HVA volunteers contributed 162 nest/brood cards from Winona, Fillmore, and Wabasha counties. Other top contributors of breeding information included Jennifer Pospichal (161), Jean Segerstrom / Mark Newstrom (158), William Longley (61), and Steve & Diane Millard (54). As always, a hearty thanks to all contributors for your excellent efforts. Each sighting and breeding record is important — keep up the good work!

Four casual species were reported this season; Clark's Grebes were found nesting in Faribault County, two immature Plegadis sp. were observed in Big Stone County, a single Sprague's Pipit was discovered in the tall grass prairie within Clay County, and the very cooperative male Yellow-throated Warbler (see Spring Seasonal Report) remained on territory in Kandiyohi County.

Other interesting observations included Snow Geese at five separate locations (one or more Snow Geese have lingered in the state almost every summer in recent years); a late migrant Greater Scaup found during early June in Pennington County and an early migrant at 40th Ave. west in Duluth; a Harlequin Duck spending the entire summer in Minneapolis (very peculiar behavior if this bird was wild!); a sorry-looking Rough-legged Hawk hunting hay fields in Winona County for a couple of days in mid-June; a Townsend's Solitaire in Cook County (the first summer record for the state — normally solitaires are observed in the fall and winter); an immature Summer Tanager in Rock County, which ironically is the first summer record in ten years; Pine Grosbeaks reported in mid-summer at two locations in the bogs of Lake of the Woods County (only one other summer record exists for this species); and a Common Redpoll at a feeder into early June in Otter Tail County, the latest date ever recorded.

Some breeding records of note include the two new nesting colonies of American White Pelicans discovered in Faribault and Pope counties. For many years the only breeding sites known for this species have been at Marsh Lake in Lac Qui Parle County, and at Lake of the Woods. Reintroduced Trumpeter Swans, although not on the “wild” list yet, have taken another small step forward by nesting in Aitkin County. A remarkable concentration of nesting Red-shouldered Hawks was well documented by survey personnel within Camp Ripley in Morrison County; birders should note that Camp Ripley is open to visitors under certain conditions (see The Loon 66:117–126). Probable breeding of Northern Bobwhites occurred in Houston County, the only county within Minnesota where there has been any notable occurrence of wild bobwhites. American Three-toed Woodpeckers nested in northern St. Louis County; the number of documented nest records for this elusive species can be counted on one hand. Last but not least, the first confirmed breeding record in the State for Kentucky Warbler was well-documented in Nicollet County.

Of concern this summer was the unusually large number of species for which reports declined. No fewer than 60 species were observed in significantly fewer counties than in recent years. In contrast, only ten species had a significant increase. It is not clear how much of this was due to changes in observer coverage; although the number of observers remained about the same as usual, it appeared that many travelled to fewer counties than in the past. It is always very difficult to standardize observer effort for seasonal reports, and for this reason apparent changes in range or abundance should be viewed with extreme caution. Having said that, the decline for some species was still very alarming. For example, the number of counties reported for Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Gray Partridge, Wilson's Phalarope, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Yellow-headed Blackbird was less than 60% of the previous ten-year average. An additional 25 species were observed in fewer counties than in the previous ten or more years. There were isolated exceptions; Cattle Egrets were observed in at least seven counties, Cerulean Warbler reports were way up and extended beyond their usual range, and Prothonotary Warblers appeared to be more numerous.

A small number of species were notably absent this summer. Perhaps most disturbing was the lack of any reports of Henslow's Sparrows. In recent years a scattered few could still be found primarily in the southeastern region of the state, especially at O.L. Kipp State Park in Winona County. Unfortunately, like many other prairie inhabitants, their status has become questionable. This species is easily overlooked; birders are encouraged to listen carefully when visiting suitable pastures and grasslands! Another species that has become scarce as a breeder is the Yellow-breasted Chat, formerly a rare nester in extreme southeast Minnesota but now unreported for the past six summers. Boreal Owls were not reported for the third consecutive summer (although they are regularly found during spring censuses). Very unusual was the lack of American Avocet sightings; this species had been observed in all of the previous 13 summers. Other missing species that have been reported in seven or more of the past ten summers were Snowy Egret, Tundra Swan(!), Whimbrel, and Red-necked Phalarope.

The format for the species accounts is the same as used in the past. The key to the seasonal reports is located below. Breeding records are classified based on the criteria found in The Loon 58:22 or in Minnesota Birds, p. 7 (Green and Janssen 1975). Counties for which positive breeding is documented for the first time since 1970 are in italics and identified as such according to updated versions of Janssen and Simonson's breeding maps (The Loon 56:167–186, 219–239 and 57:15–34). Divisions of the state into regions (e.g. west central, southeast) are based on those delineated in Birds in Minnesota, p. 25 (Janssen 1987).

A final thanks to all of the summer season reporters who make it possible to document avian distribution and migration. Thanks also to Peder Svingen for his assistance in preparing this report.