This winter season was notable for a number of rarities, including two Accidental species (Ancient Murrelet, Bullock’s Oriole) and seven Casuals (King Eider, California Gull, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Gyrfalcon, Mountain Bluebird, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch). Three species were found in winter for the first time, and there were seven first county records.

Generally mild autumn weather persisted into December, and contributed to some waterfowl lingering in significant numbers, especially in the Mississippi River pools in the southeast. As in the previous three winters, there was little evidence of widespread early spring waterfowl migration into southern Minnesota. Reports of early migrants mostly consisted of small numbers of a few duck species in late February and reports of early migrant geese were lacking. Besides Canadas, the only geese reported after December were Cackling, from 11 counties. A total of about five Mute Swans was reported from four counties, which is typical of recent winters. As with most reports, their provenance is undetermined. In recent years, most sightings have come from near the Minnesota River in the Twin Cities and the Mississippi River from Point Douglas to Minneiska. Trumpeter Swans overwintered widely and in large numbers, with midwinter counts of 200 or more from eight counties. In contrast, only a few Tundra Swans were reported after December.

As usual, a good variety of ducks overwintered at Blue Lake W.T.P. in Scott County. Fifteen species were reported after December, including state midwinter high counts of Northern Shoveler, Ring-necked Duck, and Hooded Merganser. A female King Eider spent over a month in Grand Marais, and over 50 birders were able to see it. This is the fifth winter record in the past decade. Four Harlequin Ducks were reported (one in Two Harbors, three in Grand Marais), as were all three scoter species for the first winter since 2012. Most were White-winged, with a total of about seven individuals in four counties. Away from Lake Superior, Long-tailed Ducks were reported from six south counties, including Hennepin (Bde Maka Ska) where a flock of five stayed for over three weeks.

Eurasian Collared-Doves continue to thrive in the state. They were reported from a season-record 63 counties, including midwinter reports near the Canadian border in Roseau and Kittson counties, but there were no reports from the North-central or Northeast counties. An Ancient Murrelet was discovered off Stony Point, St. Louis County in January, and word quickly spread so that 100 or more birders were able to see it that day; searches the following day were unsuccessful. This is the eighth record for the state and the first in over two decades. The first six were specimen records of birds that were recovered dead or ill, or shot by hunters. Only the last two were from Lake Superior.

For likely the first time ever, four species of shorebirds were recorded in December. In addition to the expected Killdeer and Wilson’s Snipe, two separate American Golden-Plovers provided only the second and third winter season records. A Greater Yellowlegs on the first was only the second ever for the month and only the third for the winter season. Gull records of note included a second-cycle California Gull in Duluth, the sixth winter record of this species. Iceland Gull numbers were modest in comparison with some previous years, with counts of four or fewer. Great Black-backed Gulls continue in low numbers, with probably only two individuals in Duluth and none reported elsewhere. One Lesser Black-backed Gull in Dakota continued the string of reports of this species to thirteen consecutive winters. Away from Lake Superior, the only gulls found after mid January were a few Ring-billeds in four south counties.

The mild start to December probably contributed to a record number of counties (14) reporting American White Pelicans, although only one bird remained beyond December. Two immature Black-crowned Night-Herons attempted to overwinter in Winona; one succeeded but the other was found dead in late February. The location (Gilmore Creek) is where two other immatures successfully overwintered in 2012. This was only the seventh winter season record in the past 20 years. Single Turkey Vultures in three south counties were unexpected. There have been only two other December reports in the past 20 years. Also unexpected was the state’s second winter record of Broad-winged Hawk. An adult was photographed in Savage (Scott County) on December 19, on the Bloomington CBC. The two Minnesota records (the first was in December 2017) are the only ones that have been reported to eBird for any Midwestern state during the winter season. Remarkable was the Great Gray Owl photographed at an undisclosed location in Nobles County in February. Not only was this the first county record, but also the first for the Southwest region.

The fourth Lewis’s Woodpecker to be found in Minnesota in the past ten years frequented a feeder in Morrison County from December 21 well into the spring season, providing a first county record and allowing many birders the opportunity to observe this Casual species. Red-headed Woodpeckers were reported from 12 counties, but curiously none from the Cedar Creek Bog CBC, which counted 98 individuals on the prior year’s count. Both Belted Kingfisher and Northern Flicker set season-high marks. After a three-year absence, a Gyrfalcon was reported this season from Clay County.

Common Raven reports from 15 south counties continued the trend from the past several years of the southerly occurrence of this corvid. Trending in the opposite direction, Tufted Titmouse observations came from a season-high 15 counties, including a new county record for Blue Earth. A single Bohemian Waxwing in a flock of Cedar Waxwings spent the winter season in Mankato, far from the normal winter range.

Season-high counts were also observed for many species this past winter and in particular, wrens had a strong showing. Two Marsh Wrens, including one in Hennepin County that lingered throughout January, were the first since 2016. Winter Wrens were seen in a season-high 13 counties. Most remarkable was the tally of Carolina Wrens in 21 counties, including four north counties, exceeding the previous high of 18 set in 2012 and more than tripling the ten-year average of six. A single Northern Mockingbird observed in Washington County was the first winter record since 2017.

The highlight of the season for many birders was a highly cooperative male Mountain Bluebird that mingled with a flock of Eastern Bluebirds at the Como Regional Park from 12 December to 6 March. This bird was seen by over 500 observers and certainly qualifies as the most photographed bird of the season, if not the year.

Most winter finches were seen in nearly average or slightly above-average numbers this winter, rebounding strongly from last winter’s dismal reports. The strongest showing came from White-winged Crossbills, which were reported from 55 counties in all regions of the state. During the prior winter they were reported from only 11 counties. After a winter without a single report, Hoary Redpolls were found in 23 counties. And Evening Grosbeaks, observed in only two counties in the 2019 winter season, were found in 21 counties, the highest total in over 15 years.

Unseasonably mild late fall and early winter conditions led to an unusually high number of late migrants. Most remarkable was a Wood Thrush seen in south Minneapolis from 12 to 24 December. This sighting established a first winter record for this species, besting the previous late date of 13 November set the previous fall by more than a month. Another record late visitor was an American Pipit observed at the Blue Lake area of Scott County until 21 December. Baltimore Orioles were observed for the third consecutive winter, including a record late date of 14 January from Mille Lacs County. A wayward Bullock’s Oriole continued in Itasca County until 19 December, establishing a first winter record. In Hennepin County, a deceased Summer Tanager was photographed on 25 December. And one hardy Rose-breasted Grosbeak visited a feeder in Chisago County as late as 15 January.

The mild late fall and early winter weather also contributed to several late lingering warbler reports. Two Common Yellowthroat observations were the first since the 2009 winter season, including a second latest date of 19 December in Olmsted County. The third winter report of a Black-throated Blue Warbler seen as late as 12 December came from Vadnais-Snail Lake Regional Park in Ramsey County. And most remarkable was a first winter record of a Black-throated Green Warbler last seen on 13 December in Olmsted County.

Weather summary: Statewide average temperatures in December were almost six degrees (F) above normal. Many regions did not experience sub-zero temperatures until Christmas Eve. In January these average temperatures rose to 7.5 degrees above normal. An Arctic air mass over the state in much of February dropped average temperatures to almost nine degrees below normal. The coldest temperature of the season was -50º east of Ely, St. Louis County, on 13 and 14 February, though two weeks later it was 57º in Rushford, Fillmore County.

December was a dry month and much of the state was brown until a major storm hit on 23 December. It brought a half-foot to a foot of snow to much of the state, and winds of 55 mph and higher buffeted all but the northernmost areas. January was also dry, apart from a rain and wet snow event mid-month. February was the sixth consecutive month with below average precipitation. It also had one major weather event, a storm that moved from the Southwest into the Central region on 28 February and dropped 7–8 inches of snow in its path.

Documented reports still under review: Eurasian Tree Sparrow 1/7 Freeborn (rural Hartland).

Insufficiently documented records of Regular species: Western Grebe 12/2 Wabasha (only the second county record and rare statewide in winter); Common Nighthawk 1/9 Hennepin (extraordinarily late date).

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Dave Cahlander for building and maintaining the seasonal reports submission and production web pages (http://moumn.org/moureports/season.php) through which most of this data is collected and organized. In addition to the data collected through this MOU website, we are grateful for the data provided for the creation of this report by eBird (http://www.ebird.org, accessed March 2021). Steve Weston, serving as Minnesota CBC coordinator, compiled vast amounts of data from 80 counts. Medians of recent arrivals and departures are based on published and unpublished seasonal report data from 1995 through 2019. Our appreciation goes out to all our contributors, especially those who respond to our requests for details and who submit observations online.