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Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon | |
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The 1979-Winter Season 1 December 1979 through 29 February 1980 Kenneth J. La Fond |
Since this is my first attempt at a seasonal report, perhaps a few comments are in order. First, no attempt has been made to change or alter the format of past reports. Since, however, the CBC's have already been reported, (The Loon 52:59-61), they are given no special treatment and only species otherwise absent or unusual for the season are included.
Working on this report in July and August, I find it difficult to recall last winter's weather, perhaps because it was more or less normal and actually seemed mild compared to the preceding three record breaking seasons of cold and snow. December was mild with only a few cold days and Duluth recorded its warmest December in 20 years. January started out about average but had its usual share of cold, snow and winds (80 mph gusts in Worthington on the 6th). Februaryalso was mostly average with cold temperatures in mid-month and near the latter part of the month.
A total of 77 seasonal reports were received. They were submitted by a total of 93 observers and undoubtedly represent a record number of contributors.
The observers were based in 37 different counties. The east central region (Twin Cities Area) was well represented but definitely did not have a monopoly on the number of contributors. The northeast, southeast and southwest regions were also well represented. For perhaps the first time, the extreme northern part of the state (Angle Inlet) was also represented.
A total of 134 species were reported. This is not a record, but is an increase from the past few years.
Many observers seem to judge the season by the abundance of winter finches and, since they were quite scarce for the second year in a row, there were many adverse comments such as "poor season " "dull " "uninteresting," etc. American Goldfinches, again seemed to fill some of the void and they were present throughout the state in what is probably record numbers, particularly in the northern half.
Completely unexpected observations included a Wilson's Snipe in Cass County in late January and an American Bitterri photographed in Carlton County in late December. Both represent the first winter records for the northern half of the state.
Unusual water birds consisted of White Pelicans again overwintering at Albert Lea, a Greater White-fronted Goose in Washington County and a Barrow's Goldeneye on the Mississippi River in St. Paul.
Harlequin Ducks were represented by December reports from the Duluth area. Chukars made a completely unexpected appearance between Aurora and Biwabik. Gyrfalcons were found in Roseau, Aitkin and St. Louis counties, and Boreal Owls were again present along the North Shore of Lake Superior.
A Hermit Thrush overwintered at a feeder in Mountain Lake and a Eastern Towhee overwintered near Lutsen. Lingering mig·rants included a Loggerhead Shrike in Duluth, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a Yellow-rumped Warbler. Other unusual observations included Rosebreasted Grosbeaks in Hennepin Co. on Feb. 1st and Crow Wing Co. on Jan. 21st.
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Species |
Information |
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| Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks | |||||
| Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) | Two reports. Kandiyohi 12-8 (DdA) and Washington 12-29 until 1-6 (DS). Ma·llard Reported from 32 counties north to Cook, St. Louis, Itasca, Beltrami and Becker. | ||||
| Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) | Lake Elmo, Washington Co. 1-1 (DMB), Afton CBC. Very few winter records for this species. | ||||
| Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) | Reported from 18 counties north to Itasca. Peak numbers include 22,000 on Rochester CBC, 20,000 in Lac qui Parle (12-31) and 5000+ in Otter Tail. Late migrants in Nicollet on 12-29 and early migrants on 2-29. | ||||
| Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) | Late migrants in Wabasha, 12-9 1500 (KE) and Washington 1-1 (DGW). Overwintered in Otter Tail (GMO) and Wabasha; two individuals from 12-22 until 2-6 (DWM). Early migrants (?) in Big Stone 2-10 (CMB). | ||||
| Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) | Fewer reports than normal. December migrants in Stearns, Nicollet and Anoka. Early January in Washington and Ramsey. | ||||
| Gadwall (Mareca strepera) | Reported from Lac qui Parle and Big Stone on 12-30 (CMB) and 1-1 (BJ) and in Scott until1-19 (m.ob.). | ||||
| American Wigeon (Mareca americana) | Late migrants in Anoka 12-25 (KL), Big Stone 12-30 (CMB) and Washington 1-3 (DS). | ||||
| American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) | Reported from eight southeastern counties and Cook and St. Louis in the northeast. | ||||
| Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) | Two reports: Late migrants in Scott 12-15 (BJ) and Carver 1-5 (SY). | ||||
| Redhead (Aythya americana) | Three reports: Scott 12-9 (RSA), Nicollet 12-7 (JCF) and Hennepin 1224 (PF). | ||||
| Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) | Five December and early January reports from Washington, Hennepin, Dakota, Scott.and Olmsted. | ||||
| Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) | Late migrants in Beltrami 12-15 (NB), Big Stone 1-1 (BJ) and Hennepin 12-29 (DB); early migrants (?) Big Stone 2-10 (CMB) and Olmsted 2-24 (JB). | ||||
| Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) | Female or imm. present until 12-9 at Duluth (m.ob.). | ||||
| Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) | Reported only from Cook 1-19 45 (DGW), and St. Louis 1-19 (KE). | ||||
| Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) | Two reports, almost identical with last year: Duluth CBC (12-15) and Stearns 1-20 (NMH). | ||||
| Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) | Reported from 15 counties. | ||||
| Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) | Lilydale, Ramsey Co. 12-30 until 1-4 (B. Litkey). | ||||
| Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) | Three reports: Dakota 1-5 (RSA) in the south and Otter Tail1-13 until2-27 (GMO) and Beltrami 12-15 and 1-31 (NB) in the north. | ||||
| Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) | 15,000 migrants in Wabasha on 12-3 (KE). Also reported from 16 counties north to Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Itasca and Hubbard. | ||||
| Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) | Four reports from Lake Superior, St. Louis Co. including a flock of six females/ imm. and 1 male 1-1 (KH) and 1-5 (KL). | ||||
| Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys | |||||
| Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) | Reported only from Houston (MEF). | ||||
| Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) | Reported from 17 counties. | ||||
| Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis) | Reported from Cook, Lake, St. Louis and Lake of the Woods. | ||||
| Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) | Reported from Aitkin, Itasca, Lake of the Woods, Kittson and Clay 2-29 (SY) (Need details). Ring-necked Phea,san:t Reports from 28 counties are down from last year's 42 counties. | ||||
| Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) | Two reports from Wilkin and also present on the Crookston CBC. | ||||
| Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) | Reported from 13 counties eastward to Sherburne, Washington 12-14, near Forest Lake (WHL) and Olmsted. | ||||
| Grebes | |||||
| Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) | Three reports: Overwintered at Fergus Falls (GMO). Also reported from Hennepin 1-20 (BJ), 2-23 (VL} and Big Stone 12-15 (CMB). | ||||
| Pigeons, Doves | |||||
| Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) | Reported from 30 counties throughout the state. | ||||
| Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) | Reported from 24 counties north to St. Louis and Marshall. | ||||
| Rails, Gallinules, Coots | |||||
| American Coot (Fulica americana) | Three individuals overwintered in Otter Tail (GMO, GW), and stragglers present in Washington, Hennepin, Martin and Scott 1-19 (BJ) and Itasca 12-9 (TL). | ||||
| Cranes | |||||
| Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) | Late migrants reported on 12-2, 50 individuals, from Lac qui Parle Lake (P. Joyce). | ||||
| Plovers | |||||
| Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) | A late migrant in Houston 12-12 (MEF) and an early migrant in Whitewater State Park 2-25, (D. Palmquist). | ||||
| Sandpipers | |||||
| Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) | Southeast reports from Mower and Sibley. Also, what is apparently the first north record from eight miles south of Walker, Cass Co. on 1-29 and 1-30 (SY). | ||||
| Gulls, Terns | |||||
| Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) | December migrants reported from St. Louis, Hennepin, Dakota and Wabasha, and a report from Ramsey on 1-1 (REH). | ||||
| Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) | Down in numbers in the three Lake Superior counties. Also reported from Sherburne, Hennepin, Washington, Dakota, Ramsey and Wabasha. | ||||
| Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) | Only one report: Big Stone 12-9 until12- 31 (CMB). No reports from Lake Superior. | ||||
| Loons | |||||
| Common Loon (Gavia immer) | A late migrant, (12-15) on the Duluth CBC. | ||||
| Cormorants | |||||
| Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) | Late migrants at Big Stone; until 1-1 at Ortonville (BJ), latest date on record. | ||||
| Pelicans | |||||
| American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) | Again overwintered at Albert Lea, Freeborn Co. (fide BJ). | ||||
| Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons | |||||
| American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) | An individual photographed in Carlton Co. 12-28 (JL), provides the first documented winter record for this species in the northern half of the state and is one of very few winter records for the entire state. | ||||
| Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) | Two reports: 12-2 Rock (NB) and 12-29 Bloomington CBC. | ||||
| Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles | |||||
| Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) | Three February reports from the Winona-Whitewater area and a report from Lyon 12-18 (HK), 2-17 Sax-Zim (KE). | ||||
| Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) | More reports than usual. Reported from Kandiyohi, Lyon and Swift in the southwest and Aitkin 12-2, 11 (TS), 12-26 (SC) and St. Louis 1-2 SaxZim (KE) in the north. | ||||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) | Reported from eight counties north to St. Louis and Otter Tail. | ||||
| Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) | Three reports: Stearns, overwintered (NMH), Le Sueur 12-23 and 1-7 (HFC) and Duluth Feb. 1, banded (fide KE). | ||||
| American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus) | Fourteen reports: five counties north including Marshall 1-1 and 2-9 (SKS) and four counties south to Olmsted 12-15 (JB). | ||||
| Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) | Reported from 20 counties north to Lake, St. Louis, Itasca and Becker. This included 20 adults, 14 immatures and 49 with no age given. | ||||
| Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) | Reported from 23 counties north to Lake, St. Louis and Itasca. Red-shouldered Ha,wk Reported from Hennepin, Winona and Whitewater State Park. | ||||
| Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) | Reported from eight counties north and 12 counties south, including 124 in Aitkin on 12-2 (TS) and 34 in the Sax-Zim area on 1-2 (KE). | ||||
| Screech-Owls, Owls | |||||
| Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) | Reported from five south counties ahd Aitkin and Otter Tail in the north. Grea·t Horned Owl Reports from 32 counties including an Arctic subspecies in Hennepin on 12-18 (PF) and a nest with eggs in Stearns on 2-5 (fide NMH). | ||||
| Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) | Numbers down from last year with 12 on the Duluth CBC, reports from eight north counties and only Dakota 1-27 (JD) in the south. | ||||
| Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) | Reported from St. Louis, Alden Twnsp. 12-9 until 2-10 (DA), Sax-Zim area (KE), three individuals near the Village of Cook 2-17 (DP). Also reported in Aitkin 12-16 until 2-9 (m.ob.), Carlton 2-13 (DB), Cook 2-3 until 2-16 (KE) and Polk 1-27 (SKS). | ||||
| Barred Owl (Strix varia) | Reported from 12 counties. | ||||
| Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) | Numbers down from last year. Reported from St. Louis: Aurora Dec. (NLB), Sax-Zim area 2-6 (KE) and Duluth Twnshp 12-4 (KH). Also reported from Lake of the Woods (TD), Chisago 1-5 (KL) and 2-20 Roseau (KE). Long-ea•red Owl Only one report: St. Louis 12-4 and 12-21 (DA). | ||||
| Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) | More reports than usual. North reports: Marshall 1-27 (SKS) and Aitkin, mid Jan. to mid Feb. (TS, WN). South reports from Lyon 12-18 (HK), Mur! 1ay 12-29 (AD), Sherburne 2-6 (ES) and Wabasha 1-14 until 1-24 (DHJ). | ||||
| Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) | Above average numbers along the north shore of Lake Superior. Up to seven individuals in the Duluth area from 1-19 to 2-9 (m.ob.), and three in Cook Co. ; two at Grand Marais 1-29 (JL) and one at Tofte 2-18 (GS). Satw-whet Owl More reports than usual. North reports include St. Louis: one dead on Hwy. 61, Lester River 12-3 (DA), one in Duluth Twnshp. 2-22 (KH), Itasca, Squaw Lake, one at feeder 1-22 (MS) and Carlton, north of Nickerson 1-29 (DGW). Only south report: Le Fall 1980 105 | ||||
| Kingfishers | |||||
| Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) | Nineteen reports: Late north migrants in St. Louis 12-3 (DA), 12-28 (fide Jan Green) and Otter Tail 12-4 (SM). An early north migrant (?) in Cass 2-25 (SY). Eight Dec. reports, two Jan. reports and six Feb. reports in the south. | ||||
| Woodpeckers | |||||
| Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) | Numbers up sharply from last year. Overwintered in Anoka, Blue Earth and Olmsted. Also reported from 20 additional counties north to Aitkin, Crow Wing, Cass, Wadena and Otter Tail. | ||||
| Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) | Reported from 18 counties north to Aitkin and west to Yellow Medicine and Redwood. | ||||
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) | Reported from Nicollet 12-14 to 1-4 (JCF). | ||||
| Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) | Sixteen reports from Cook, St. Louis, Itasca and Hubbard Counties. Northern American Three-toed Woodpecker Three reports for this elusive species: Cook, Gunflint Trail 2-5, 2-16 (KE), 2-10 (NB), Lake, two individuals at Isabella 2-16, 2-18 (SW) and Babbitt, St. Louis 2-6, 2-29 (TH). | ||||
| Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) | Reported from 42 counties. | ||||
| Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus) | Reported from 40 counties. | ||||
| Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) | Overwintered in Clay in the north with south overwintering reports from Lac qui Parle, Kandiyohi, Hennepin, Redwood, Murray, Cottonwood, Nicollet and Wabasha. Also reported from Wilkin, Lyon (16 on the Marshall CBC), Dakota, Le Sueur and Mower. | ||||
| Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) | Reported from 30 counties west to Lac qui Parle. | ||||
| Caracaras, Falcons | |||||
| Merlin (Falco columbarius) | Four reports: Roseau 2-21 (KE), one adult St. Louis (DB), Big Stone 12-15 (CMB) and Ramsey 12-31 (OJ) and 1-5 (BJ). | ||||
| GYRFALCON (Falco rusticolus) | An immature in Roseau 2-21 (KE), one in Aitkin 12-7 Steve Blanich, and a gray phase immature in Duluth, St. Louis all winter (m.ob.). | ||||
| Shrikes | |||||
| Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) | One in Duluth 12-3 (MC). Starling Reported from 23 counties. | ||||
| Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) | Reported from 29 counties, numbers down somewhat. | ||||
| Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows | |||||
| Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) | Reported from Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Lake of the Woods, Beltrami, Itasca, Hubbard and Aitkin. | ||||
| Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) | Reported from 43 counties throughout the state. | ||||
| Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) | Numbers apparently down in the northwest although reported as fairly common at Angle Inlet, Lake of the Woods (TD). Reports also f.rom Aitkin 12-8 to 1-20 (WN) and 12-28 (SC). Common. Ra,ven Reported from 17 northern counties. | ||||
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) | Reported from 40 counties. Apparently more common than usual in the the northern regions with reports north to Cook, Lake, Itasca and Pennington. | ||||
| Chickadees, Titmice | |||||
| Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) | -by Dana Gardner | ||||
| Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) | Seven reports from Cook, St. Louis, Lake of the Woods and Hubbard. | ||||
| Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) | This species, which is apparently withdrawing its range southeastward along the Mississippi River Valley, was reported only from Le Sueur, Houston and Chisago 12-28 (DB). | ||||
| Larks | |||||
| Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) | This harbinger of spring was reported from 34 counties. December migrants or wintering birds were reported from nine counties, principally in the southwest. Returning migrants, however, seem predominant in the reports. In the south 17 counties reported early arrivals: earliest Wabasha 117, Mower 1-19 and Olmsted 1-25. Early north arrivals were reported from eight counties, including Aitkin 1-26, Cook 2-25 and Pennington 2-26. | ||||
| Kinglets | |||||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) | Two reports: Hennepin 12-10 (SC) and Olmsted 12-9 (JF). | ||||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) | Reported from 12 counties in the south and north reports from Lake 1-20 (KG), St. Louis, Roseau, Clearwater, Clay, Becker, 50, 2-10 (TNWR), Otter Tail and Crow Wing. | ||||
| Waxwings | |||||
| Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) | Reported from five north counties plus Ramsey 1-1 (REH) and Hennepin 12-15 (BJ) in the south. | ||||
| Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) | Reported from 24 counties north to Cook, St. Louis, Beltrami and Pennington. | ||||
| Nuthatches | |||||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) | Reported from eight northern counties and Hennepin, Anoka and Swift in the south. | ||||
| White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) | Reported from 39 counties. | ||||
| Creepers | |||||
| Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) | Again quite common. Reported from 33 counties with overwintering individuals as far north as Pennington. | ||||
| Thrashers, Mockingbirds | |||||
| Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) | One at a feeder in Little Marais, Lake Co., through Jan. (fide KE). | ||||
| Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) | One in Hennepin Co. from 12-15 until 1-26 (OJ, BJ). | ||||
| Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) | Two reports, both from the north: Lake, Two Harbors 1-18 (KE) and Clearwater 2-16 (SY). | ||||
| Thrushes | |||||
| Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) | One report: Nicollet 1-4 (JCF). | ||||
| Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) | Minnesota River Valley 12-21 through 2-8 (JCF). | ||||
| Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) | One overwintered at a feeder in Mountain Lake, Cottonwood Co. from 12-21 on (LAF). | ||||
| American Robin (Turdus migratorius) | Common along the North Shore of Lake Superior, apparently due to a Mountain Ash berry crop. Also overwintered in Crow Wing and a late north migrant in Pennington 12-28 (SKS). Also reported from ten counties north to Otter Tail. Early migrant in Anoka, Carlos Avery area on 2-19 (BH). | ||||
| Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) | One in Theodore Wirth Park, Hennepin Co. from 12-22 until 2-22 (m.ob.), Duluth 12-13 until 1-31 (KE), Dakota 12-2 until 1-18 (JD, KG), Brooklyn Park, Hennepin (OJ) and one in Bovey, Itasca Co. (J. Newstrom). | ||||
| Old World Sparrows | |||||
| House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) | Reported from 29 counties. Meadowlark sp. Two reports: Chippewa 12-12 (BJ) and Blue Earth 1-15 (DHJ). | ||||
| Finches | |||||
| Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) | . Numbers down for the second year m a row. Reported from 14 counties in the north, common only in Cook and Crow Wing, plus Swift County in the south. | ||||
| Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) | This species was also way down in !lumbers. Reported as common only m Cook (m.ob.). Additional north reports from Lake, St. Louis, Lake of the Woods, Itasca, Becker and Hubbard. Only south report from Carlos Avery, Anoka County 12-23 (KL). | ||||
| Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) | Reported from 23 counties north to Cook, Lake of the Woods and Marshall. | ||||
| Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) | An article in American Birds several years ago indicated that this species is common in the northern Uni.ted States on an every other year basis. Such was not the case in Minnesota this season since for the second year in a row, this species was quite scarce. Reported from only 10 counties, six of which were in the north. | ||||
| Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni) | Only report: Lake 1-20 (DGW). | ||||
| White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) | Repo_rted from Cook (common, JL), St. Loms, Beltrami, Hubbard and Cass. | ||||
| Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) | Although this species was reported as abundant in Cook Co., it was apparently down in numbers in the balance of the state with reports from only 15 additional counties. | ||||
| American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) | . Ano~her excellent year for this speCies with reports from 37 counties including 14 in the northern half of the state. Red Cross bill Numbers up somewhat with reports from nine northern counties. | ||||
| Longspurs and Snow Buntings | |||||
| Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) | Reported from feeders in St. Louis 1-10 and Cook 2-16 in the northeast. Also reported from Otter Tail, L~c qui Parle, Swift, Redwood, Lyon, Nicollet and Mower. | ||||
| Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) | Reported from 33 counties throughout the state. | ||||
| Towhees, Sparrows | |||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) | Reported from 35 counties north to Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Itasca Beltrami and Otter Tail. ' Tree Sparrow Reported from 27 counties north and northwest to Aitkin, Crow Wing, Todd, Otter Tail, Polk, Pennington and Marshall. Field Spanow Overwintered at a feeder in Webster, Scott Co., photographed on 1-12 and 2-10 (R. Leis). Also reported on the Hastings and St. Paul CBC. | ||||
| White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) | Late migrant in Nicollet 12-7 (JCF). | ||||
| Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) | Overwintered again in Murray (AD). Late migrants in Lac qui Parle 12-4 (AE) and Blue Earth 12-31 (JCF). Also reported from Redwood and the Mountain Lake, Marshall and East Grand Forks CBC. | ||||
| White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) | Overwintered in Hubbard, Anoka and Houston. Also reported from Hennepin, Redwood and Nicollet. Song Spa~rrow Overwintered in Houston (m.ob.). December migrants Hennepin, Goodhue and Marshall. January reports from Cottonwood 1-1 (RLG) and Mower 1-19 (RRK). February migrant in Olmsted 2-27 (JF). | ||||
| Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) | Two reports: one overwintered at a feeder near Lutsen, Cook Co. (TRB), and one at an Anoka Co. feeder on 1-30 (RBA). | ||||
| Blackbirds, Orioles | |||||
| Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) | Two reports this winter: Big Stone 1-1 (BJ) and 1-5 (DB) and Nicollet 1-25 (JCF). | ||||
| Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) | One report from Hennepin, early Nov. until 1-12, Robert Lorentzen Residence on 42nd Ave. NW, Mpls. | ||||
| Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) | Reported from 13 counties north to Clay, Otter Tail and Pine. | ||||
| Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) | Reported from Redwood 2-14 on (LJF). | ||||
| Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) | Reported from six counties in the south and Douglas 1-4, Evansville in the north. | ||||
| Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) | Two reports: Nicollet 12-14 (JCF) and Cottonwood 12-30, 1-1 (RLG). | ||||
| Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) | Reported from 22 counties north to Norman, Becker (overwintered) Crow Wing (overwintered), St. Louis' (overwintered) and Lake. | ||||
| Warblers | |||||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) | One in the Twin Cities area on 12-7 (fide KE). | ||||
| Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks | |||||
| Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | Reported from 23 counties north to Otter Tail and St. Louis. | ||||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) | Two reports: Hennepin, one female 2-1 (BJ) and Crow Wing, Deerwood 1-21 (TL). | ||||