Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon | ||
The 1963-Winter Season 1 December 1963 through 29 February 1964 by Ronald L. Huber |
General considerations: So warm was the weather that a Duluth newspaper clipping showed a picture of a butterfly that had emerged one warm sunny day. Although the picture was not very clear, it appeared to be one of the Fritillaries. Mrs. Goranson reported that the Elk herd has increased in the Red Lake area, as reported by Conservation Department personnel up there. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Harms have had moonlight mammal-watching at their home overlooking the Minnesota Valley in SĀ·outh Minneapolis. Meat scraps that they throw out at dusk have brought Raccoons, Spotted Skunk, Red and Gray Foxes to visit them. Identifications were aided by a back-yard floodlight.
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Species |
Information |
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Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks | |||||
Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) | Last fall migrants seen Dec. 16, at Lac qui Parle Refuge. One Snow Goose (blue phase) wintering as usual at Rochester. | ||||
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) | Wintering as usual at Rochester and a few other areas in Southeastern Minnesota; most interesting report was 7 seen on Feb 15, Shotley, Beltrami Co., R. Grant and Tom Jegla. | ||||
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) | Feb 9, Reads Landing, Wabasha Co., 1 photographed by the Goldbergs; Feb 16, near Wabasha 1 seen by Ken Krumm, same bird? | ||||
American Wigeon (Mareca americana) | Dec 11, Minneapolis, Mpls Audubon Society; Feb 1, Winona, Avifaunal Club_ | ||||
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) | Jan 4 and Feb 1, Winona, Avifaunal Club. | ||||
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) | Jan 4 and Feb 1, Winona, Avifaunal Club. | ||||
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) | Jan 4, Red Wing, Goodhue Co., Avifaunal Club. Lesser Scaup.-Dec 3, Minneapolis, Mpls Audubon Society; Dec 14, Ramsey Co., Bill Litkey; Dec 29, Duluth, L. T. Magnus. | ||||
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) | Dec 12, Duluth, Janet Green. | ||||
Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) | Jan 6, Two Harbors, Lake Co., 1 male seen, Dr. Church. (See Notes of Interest). | ||||
Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) | Jan 18-19, Two Harbors, Lake Co., 1 immature, Jan Green, Avifaunal Club. | ||||
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) | Jan Green reports that from 4 to 7 immatures present at Two Harbors, Lake Co., up until Dec 22; One immature seen there on Jan 2, Jan 18, and Feb 15, probably all sightings of same bird; Feb 15, Good Harbor Bay, Cook Co., two seen, P. B. Hofslund and others; Feb 16, Tofte, Cook Co., two seen, R. Grant and Tom Jegla. (same as Feb 15 birds) | ||||
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) | Usual flocks reported all winter at various points along North Shore of Lake Superior. | ||||
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) | Dec 11, Minneapolis, Mpls Audubon Society; several wintering at Rochester, John Feehan. | ||||
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) | Jan 4, Winona, Avifaunal Club. | ||||
Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys | |||||
Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis) | Jan 4, Carp, Lake-ofthe- Woods Co., 1 male collected, Bert Anderson; Feb. 16, Isabella, Lake Co., 1 female seen picking gravel, R. Grant and Tom Jegla. | ||||
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) | all winter throughout rural Hibbing, St. Louis Co., Harriet Micensky and Mrs. McCracken; Jan 19, near Meadowlands, St. Louis Co., Avifaunal Club; Feb 1, Washkish, Beltrami Co., R. Grant and Tom Jegl:3.; Feb 19, Blackduck, Beltrami Co., Mabel Goranson. | ||||
Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) | Feb 1, Roseau, Kitts ·on Counties, small flock in each county R. Grant and Tom Jegla; Feb 4 through 11, Dakota Co., Mpls Audubon Society. | ||||
Grebes | |||||
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) | Jan 4, Winona, Avifaunal Club, Jan 18, NSP Blackdog Plant, Dakota Co., R. B. Janssen. | ||||
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) | Dec 6, Ramsey Co., Mpls Audubon Society; Dec 12 and 15, Duluth, Jan Green; Jan 12 and 26, Two Harbors, Dr Church; Feb 15, mouth of Encampment River, Lake Co., Jan Green and others; all birds were in winter plumage. | ||||
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) | Jan 4, Two Harbors, Lake Co., 1 bird in winter plumage; Gerald Church. Feb. 15, Janet Green and others saw what was presumably the same bird, in the same bay. | ||||
Pigeons, Doves | |||||
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) | Smal numbers but widely scattered; reported from Kandiyohi, Traverse, Wright, Hennepin, Winona and Fillmore Counties. | ||||
Plovers | |||||
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) | Jan 4, Feb 1, Winona, Avifaunal Club. | ||||
Gulls, Terns | |||||
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) | Dec 14, Blackdog NSP plant, Dakota Co., Robert Janssen. | ||||
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) | all winter, one first year bird in vicinity of Talmadge, French and Knife Rivers along North Shore of Lake Superior, seen by many observers, photographed at distance of 20 feet, first arrived Dec 15, seen thru March; One second year bird s·een at Two Harbors dump, Lake Co., Dec 15, Jan Green. | ||||
Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) | all winter, several individuals, various plumages at scattered points along North Shore of Lake Superior, from Duluth to Grand Marais. MOURNING DOVE THROUGH | ||||
Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons | |||||
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) | Jan 4, Winona, Avifanual Club. | ||||
New World Vultures | |||||
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) | Jan 5, Whitewater Refuge, Winona Co., 2 seen, John Feehan. Very few winter records for Min nesota. | ||||
Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles | |||||
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) | Jan 11, Carlos Avery Refuge, Anoka Co., Brother Theodore· Feb 6, Minnesota City, Winona Co., i imm seen, Grace Gordon; Feb 9, Forestville, Fillmore Co., John Feehan. | ||||
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) | Wintering in reduced numbers for the past two winters. Reported this winter from Dakota, Stevens and St. Louis Counties, the latter records apparently the first winter records from that area (Dec 30, Duluth, L. T. Magnus and Jan 18, Sax, Jan Green). | ||||
American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus) | Janet Green reports that in Northeastern Minnesota, they were present "all winter...in greater num· bers than usual." Reports from elsewhere are as follows: Nov. 25, Ramsey Co., R. B. Janssen Dec 1, Ramsey Co., A. C. Rosenwinkel Dec 27, Ramsey Co., Eliz. Campbell Dec 28, Hennepin Co., Mrs. Ed Harms Dec 28, Dakota Co., A. C. Rosenwinkel Dec 29, Anoka Co., Avifaunal Club Dec 29, Winona Co., Grace Dahm Jan 6, Dakota Co., R. B. Janssen Jan 6, Goodhue Co., R. B. Janssen Jan 11, Anoka Co., R. B. Janssen Jan 12, Ramsey Co., Eliz. Campbell Jan 17, Anoka Co., Bill Litkey Jan 17, Ramsey Co., Bill Litkey Jan 17, Chisago Co., Bill Litkey Feb 1, Olmsted Co., R. B. Janssen Feb 2, Fillmore Co., John Feehan | ||||
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) | Dec 7, Homer, Winona Co., 1 ad, Alton Shira; Dec 17, Beaver Bay, Lake Co., 1 ad, fide Jan Green; Jan 5-12, Encampment Forest, Lake Co., 1 ad, Myrtle Penner; Jan 18, Dakota Co., 2 ad, 1 imm, A. C. Rosenwinkel; Feb 8, Dakota Co., 1 ad, A. C. Rosenwinkel; Feb 11, Cass Co., 1 ad, John Mathisen; Feb 25, Mankato, Blue Earth Co., 1 ad, Earl Kopischke; all winter, Reads Landing, Wabasha Co., with high counts of 31 adults on Jan 4 and again Feb 1, Avifaunal Club; only immatures reported there were 4 on Feb 8, Grace Dahm and 2 on Mar 8, Jane Olyphant. | ||||
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) | Fewer numbers than usual this winter. Most interesting report was a melanistic individual with a red tail seen Jan 21 in Anoka Co., by Mrs. Joul. Melanism is virtually unknown in the eastern race, so this individual is probably referable to the western race, Buteo jamaicensis calurus, and is probably the first winter record for our state for that race. | ||||
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) | Reported from Big Stone, Stevens, Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Washington and St. Louis Counties. Largest concentration was in St. Louis Co., between Sax and Zim, where 17 were seen on a single ten-mile roadside count, Jan Green et al. | ||||
Screech-Owls, Owls | |||||
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) | all winter, Stillwater, Washington Co., 1 red phase, D. Honetschlager; Feb 8, Minneapolis, 1 calling, Avifaunal Club; Feb 28, Morris, Stevens Co., 1 red phase, R. Briggs fide R. Grant; Feb 28, Eden Prairie, Hennepin Co., Mpls Audubon Society. G1·eat Horned Owl: Nov 15, Harrison Township, Kandiyohi Co., a very white individual, possibly subarcticus, was collected and sent to the Minnesota Museum of Natural History. In the Fall Report, I listed three possible reports of subarcticus, only one of which (Olyphant) seemed reasonably certain. Now, however, after seeing photographs of her bird, there is the possibility that it was scalariventris. Many specimens in many museums stand incorrectly under the name subarcticus when they are actually scalariventris. | ||||
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) | Reported south into Iowa this winter. The invasion in Minnesota involved the following counties in approximately the numbers indicated: Hennepin 13, Ramsey 4, Winona 1, Wabasha 1, Blue Earth 1, Watonwan 1, Stevens 1, Wilkin 12, Sherburne 1, Mille Lacs 1, Morrison 1, Becker 1, Roseau 1, St. Louis 21, Lake 3, Cook 2, Goodhue 1 and Chisago 1. Largest concentrations were in St. Louis Co., between Sax and Zim, where 7 were seen on a ten-mile roadside count, and south of Breckenridge, Wilkin Co., where 12-13 were seen hunting mice in a single field on March 8. | ||||
Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) | early Nov, Warroad area, Lake-of-the-Woods Co., fide James Ruos; Jan 3, Washkish, Beltrami Co., 1 collected, Bert Anderson; Feb 1, Washkish, Beltrami Co., R. Grant; Feb 1, Roseau Co., R. Grant; Mar 1, Aitkin Co., the Goldbergs; Feb 12, Ely, St. Louis Co., Professor Earl Ros· enwinkel; Oct thru March, 11 observations involving a total of 7 to 12 birds, fide Jan Green, St. Louis Co. | ||||
Barred Owl (Strix varia) | Far more reports than usual this winter; reported from Lake· of-the-Woods, Beltrami, Cook, Hennepin, Ramsey, Goodhue, Winona, Olmsted and Fillmore Counties. | ||||
Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) | Nov 2, Cook Co., Helen Hoover; Jan 5, Washkish, Beltrami Co., 1 collected, Bert Anderson; Jan 20, Canyon, St. Louis Co., J. W. Gaw- boy; Feb 21·23, Central Lakes, St. Louis Co., Nels Hervi, et aL | ||||
Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) | Dec 15, Rochester, 1 found dead, John Feehan; mid-Jan thru Feb, Rochester, 1 wintering, many observers; Feb 18, Eden Prairie, Hen· nepin Co., two newly arrived, Brother Theodore; Mar 8, Minneapolis, heard calling, Mpls Audubon Society. | ||||
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) | Jan 18, Traverse Co., two seen, R. Grant. | ||||
Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) | Feb. 14, Duluth, one found dead, fide Jan Green. | ||||
Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) | Mar 7, Lake DeMontre· ville, Washington Co., 1 calling from 9:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m., Jane Qly. phant. | ||||
Kingfishers | |||||
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) | One all winter in west Minneapolis, Gloria Peleaux. | ||||
Woodpeckers | |||||
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) | Jan 4, Fron· tenac, Goodhue Co., Brother Theodore; Jan 12, Martin Lake, Anoka Co., 4 seen, Lucia Johnson; Feb 14, Coon Lake, Anoka Co., Mpls Audubon S:::J· ciety. | ||||
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) | Dec 21, Will· mar, Kandiyohi Co., 3 on Christmas count; Feb 1, Cokato, Wright Co., Jl;rma Christopher. | ||||
Caracaras, Falcons | |||||
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) | Wintering in reduced numbers. Reported from Rams·ey, Hennepin, Dakota, Winona Counties and "SE Minn (John Feehan)." GALLINACEOUS BIRDS THROUGH | ||||
Merlin (Falco columbarius) | Dec 28, Hibbing, St. Louis Co., Harriet Micensky. | ||||
GYRFALCON (Falco rusticolus) | Jan 15, French River, St. Louis Co., a gray-phase bird was seen by Robert Widmeier; perhaps a Note of Interest will appear in a future issue. This is one of the rarest birds ever recorded within the boundaries of the coterminal United States. ; | ||||
Shrikes | |||||
Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) | Scattered individu· also reported from Roseau, Lake-of· the-Woods, Beltrami, St. Louis, Lake, Chisago, Anoka, Hennepin, Dakota, Winona and Stevens Counties. MEADOWLARKS THROUGH Eastern M eadowlark: Jan 4, Hastings Dakota Co., R. Huber; Jan 18, Pots· r~~1-:1. Olmsted Co., John Feehan. | ||||
Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows | |||||
Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) | Usual reports from Roseau (R. Grant), Lake-of-the-WWoods (B. Anderson), Beltrami (M. Goranson), St. Louis-Lake-Cook (J. Green, et al) and Cass (Mrs. E. A. Schmid) Coun· ties | ||||
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) | Jan 23, 12 mi N. Virginia, St. Louis Co., Mrs. A. J. Wer· merskirchen; Feb 1, Beltrami, Kittson, Marshall Co.'s R. Grant. | ||||
Common Raven (Corvus corax) | Common all winter in northern third of state. | ||||
Chickadees, Titmice | |||||
Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) | Usual reports from Lake-of-the-Woods, Beltrami, St. Louis, Cook and Cass Counties. | ||||
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) | Usual numbers win· tering throughout southeastern Minnesota; most interesting reports were 2 on Willmar Christmas count and one all winter at Green Lake, Kandiyohi 03., R. A. Thompson. | ||||
Larks | |||||
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) | A few wintered in south· eastern part of state; first migrants were Jan 15, Minneapolis, Mpls Audubon Society and Jan 18, Traverse Co, R. Grant; by Feb 1, common through· out most of open areas of state. | ||||
Waxwings | |||||
Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) | Scarce this win· ter; one flock of about 65 wintering in Duluth; Dec 18, small flock in St. Paul, A. C. Rosenwinkel; Dec 26, Dec 31, two seen in Washington Co., D. Honetschlager; Jan 16, Minneapolis, about 50, Mpls Audubon Society; Jan 21, Ramsey Co., Mpls Audubon S-o· ciety; Jan 31, Pickwick, Winona Co., about 20, fide Grace Dahm; scattered ::-long North Shore of Lake Superior ("not common") fide Jan Green. See Christmas counts. | ||||
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) | Scarce this winter; one small group arrived in St. Paul about mid-Feb, A. C. Rosenwinkel; er· ratic all winter at feeder of Mrs. Ed Harms, Minneapolis; small group Mar 1, Washington Co., D. Honetschlager; Jan 31 thru Mar 3, small flocks in Minneapolis, Mpls Audubon Society: Jan 9-23, Duluth, A. K. Arndt, Lyle Patterson. See Christmas count. | ||||
Nuthatches | |||||
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) | Cass, Stearns, Hennepin, Anoka, Ramsey, Washing· ton, Olmsted, Winona Counties and NE Minnesota, "not common (Jan Green)." None reported from western part of state. | ||||
Wrens | |||||
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) | Feb 8, Eden Prairie, Hennepin Co., Avifaunal Club. | ||||
Thrashers, Mockingbirds | |||||
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) | one all winter at feeder of Mrs. Ed Harms, Mpls and V. F. Ogren, Willmar, Kandiyohi Co. Robin: Much scarcer than usual this winter; reported from St. Louis (Du· luth, Hibbing), Cass (Walker), Kandi· yohi (Willmar), Ramsey (St. Paul), ·Blue Earth (Vernon Center) and Rice (Northfield) Counties, one bird in each case. | ||||
Finches | |||||
Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) | Except for one or two large flocks, occurred mostly as small groups and scattered individuals in Cass, St. Louis, Stearns, Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Washington, Winona, Olmsted, Kandiyohi, Beltrami, Lake-ofthe- Woods Counties. See Christmas counts. | ||||
Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) | Fewer numbers than usual, reported only from northernmost parts of state: Beltrami, Lakeof- the-Woods, Cass, Carlton, St. Louis, Lake, Cook Counties. In NE Minn, "not common" fide Jan Green, in NW Minn, reasonably common, Goranson, Grant, Avifaunal Club. | ||||
Redpoll (Common) (Acanthis f. flammea) | Several large flocks reported on some Christmas counts, otherwise occurring in small to medium flocks in Cass, Clay, Lake-of-theWoods, Beltrami, St. Louis, Lake, Cook, Pine, Stearns, Anoka, Hennepin, Washington, Ramsey, Dakota, Winona, Olmsted, Kandiyohi, Pipestone, Stevens and Traverse Counties-virtually the whole state. | ||||
Redpoll (Hoary) (Acanthis f. exilipes) | Dec 9 thru Feb 21, Duluth, A. K. Arndt; Dec 28, Duluth, Avifaunal Club; early Jan, Verdi, Pipestone Co., 1 collected, Bert Anderson; Jan 5, Morris, Stevens Co., R. Grant; Jan 18, Traverse Co., R. Grant; Feb 15, Washkish, Beltrami Co., R. Grant; Feb 15 Grand Marais, Cook Co., Jan Green, et al; F eb 16, Tofte, Cook Co., R. Grant and Tom Jegla; far more reports than usual. See also Christmas counts. | ||||
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) | More widely scattered over state than usual, but in small numbers. Reported from Cook, St. Louis, Ramsey, Hennepin, Anoka, Kandiyohi and Clay Counties; singles scatt ered along North Shore of Lake Superior in Feb, fide Jan Green. | ||||
White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) | Almost entirely absent this winter; see Christmas counts. | ||||
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) | Scattered singles and small groups reported from St. Louis, Washington, Ramsey, Hennepin, Olmsted, Stearns, Cass, Clay and Kandiyohi Counties. Rufous-sided To1whee: Feb 21, Bass Ponds, Hennepin Co., 1 adult male seen by Bill Litkey; very few winter records for Minnesota. | ||||
Longspurs and Snow Buntings | |||||
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) | Jan 4, Red Wing, Goodhue Co., R. Huber; Jan 18, Traverse Co., R. Grant; Feb 1, Altura, Winona Co., Avifaunal Club. See also Christmas count. | ||||
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) | Reported from Roseau, Beltrami, Lake-of-the-Woods, St. Louis, Hubbard, Anoka, Washington, Goodhue and Wabasha Counties, mostly in small numbers. Only large flocks seen were "100" in Washington Co. (D. Hornetschlager), "several hundred" in Goodhue Co., (J. Feehan) and flocks "up to 100" in Roseau and Lake-of-theWoods Co.'s (R. Grant); Absent along North Shore of Lake Superior, but seen inland in NE Minnesota (Jan Green); see also Christmas count. | ||||
Towhees, Sparrows | |||||
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) | One wintering until Jan 1 at Rochester fide John Feehan; Feb 9, Frontenac, Goodhue Co., R. Huber; Dec 3 thru Feb 6, Schroeder, Cook Co., at feeder, Marie Aftreith. | ||||
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) | Dec 3, Eden Prairie, Hennepin Co., Mrs. Eck; Dec 10-15, Minneapolis, Mpls Audubon Society; Dec 28, Dakota Co., Frank Kelley; most of winter, Minneapolis, feeder of Mrs. Ed Harms; Jan 5, Stevens Co., R. Grant; Jan 12, Willmar, Kandiyohi Co., at feeder, 0. Pearson; most of Feb, Washington Co., D. Honetschlager. See also Christmas counts. | ||||
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) | Jan 1, Rochester, Olmsted Co., wintering bird banded by Carl M. Johnson; Jan 1, Barden, Scott Co., 1 imm, Avifaunal Club; Feb 11, Anoka, Anoka Co., 1 imm, Lucia Johnson; Mar 7, Minneapolis, 2 imm at feeder of Mrs. Ed Harms fide R. B. Janssen; to the best of my knowledge, this is the first winter that this species has been recorded here. | ||||
Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) | Several near Cedar, Anoka Co., on Christmas·count; Dec 31, Luverne, Rock Co., 3 collected, Bert Anderson; one even wintered at Ft. William, Ontario (see Canadian Lakehead report). See also Notes of Interest. Very few winter records for our state. | ||||
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) | Dec 6 daily to Jan 19, Minneapolis, Mpls Audubon Society; Dec 22, Green Lake, Kandiyohi Co., feeder of R. A. Thompson; Dec 28, May Township, Washington Co., D. Honetschlager; Nov 20 thru Dec 1, Minneapolis, Mrs. Ed Harms; all winter, Rochester, fide John Feehan; F eb 26, Winona, 2 at feeder, Eunice Christenson. See also Christmas count. | ||||
Blackbirds, Orioles | |||||
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | Jan 1, Eden Pra· irie, Hennepin Co., Brother Theodore; Jan 14·20, Minneapolis, 4·5 seen, Mpls Audubon Society; Mar 1, Twin Cities, common, singing, many observers. |