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Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon | |
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The 2005-Fall Season 1 August through 30 November 2005 Paul E. Budde, James W. Lind, William C. Marengo, and Peder H. Svingen |
For the third time since Fall 2000, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck wandered north into west-central Minnesota. Betting on the appearance of a male Barrow's Goldeneye at Reno paid off for the fourth time in five years. Red-throated Loon returned to Lake Superior after being absent last fall. At least six Pacific Loons along the North Shore and two away from Lake Superior almost equalled last fall's total; those in Beltrami and Meeker were well-documented.
Family groups of Common Moorhens in Stearns and Stevens counties raised hopes for this declining species. Shorebird surveys in western Minnesota turned up significantly fewer birds compared to last fall; poor habitat for shorebirds was apparently responsible.
Above-average numbers of jaegers, plus Little Gull, California Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and record-high numbers of Sabine's Gulls, plus one or two adult Arctic Terns were among the highlights at Duluth. Common Ground-Dove showed up in Lake County for the second consecutive October. Good numbers of Snowy Owls and Northern Hawk Owls were reported this fall, but the expected “echo invasion” of Great Gray Owls did not materialize.
Providing the first county and refuge record at Rice Lake N.W.R. was a record-late Say's Phoebe on 25 October. A late Western Kingbird in Cook County was carefully studied to eliminate Tropical, Couch's, and Cassin's kingbirds — all are potential fall vagrants along the North Shore of Lake Superior. A Rock Wren was discovered along the North Shore in late October. Carolina Wrens continued their recent expansion with new county records as far northwest as Beltrami and Clay. Ten Townsend's Solitaires was above average, while eight Varied Thrushes paved the way for dozens more to follow in winter.
Except for near record-late individuals of various species, and a sixth state record of the Black-throated Gray Warbler in Virginia, warbler migration was lackluster. Resuming the pattern of late October vagrants along the North Shore was a female Summer Tanager in Cook County on 30 October. As usual, a few Smith's Longspurs were found along the North Shore; the Chestnut-collared Longspur at Stoney Point was more unexpected.
Weather Summary: August was slightly cooler than normal statewide, with above-average precipitation in the Northwest and relatively dry conditions in the Northeast. September was 3.3 to 5.8 ºF warmer than normal in all regions, with rainfall near normal in northern regions and above-average elsewhere, especially in the South-central and Southwest regions, where precipitation was more than five inches above the norm.
October was mild. Temperatures were 2.0 to 3.6 ºF warmer than normal in all regions (statewide average of 2.9º warmer). Precipitation was near average except for above-average rainfall in the Central and East-central regions. This trend continued through November, which was 4.5 ºF warmer than normal statewide, with near average to above-average precipitation in all regions.
Undocumented reports: Red-throated Loon 9/21 Duluth (4); Little Blue Heron 9/17 Cass (Mississippi River); Mississippi Kite 8/8 Duluth (2) and Hennepin (Lake of the Isles); Sabine's Gull 9/8 Duluth (3); Gray-cheeked Thrush 8/13 (record-early south) Lac Qui Parle; Bohemian Waxwing 9/4 (record-early by 11 days) Clearwater; Summer Tanager 9/26 Rice.
Acknowledgments: We thank H.R.B.O. for data from Hawk Ridge in Duluth. Also Anthony Hertzel, Jim Lind, and Jeanie Joppru for providing transcripts of Minnesota's weekly birding reports. Medians of recent arrival and departure dates were calculated by Paul Budde from published and unpublished seasonal report data from 1985 through 2004. Many thanks to all of our contributors; we are especially grateful to those who respond to our requests for details and those who submit data online.
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Species |
Information |
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| Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks | |||||
| BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis) | Eighth state record 10/17 Stevens (adult harvested by hunter in Rendsville Twp.) ph. †SV. | ||||
| Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) | Reported from nine north and nine south counties. Early north 9/2 Beltrami BJU, 9/17 St. Louis (H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB. Early south 8/19 (summering?) Lac qui Parle BJU, 9/23 Olmsted JWH. Late north 11/16 Beltrami BJU, 11/19 Todd BWF. Late south 11/15 Freeborn AEB, 11/22 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Ross's Goose (Anser rossii) | Only north report: 10/21 Beltrami (L. Bemidji) BJU. Total of 25 birds in eight south counties. Early south (median 10/20) 10/10 Dakota (single near Rosemount) JPM, 10/16 Stevens (7 in Synnes Twp.) BJU. Late south 11/4–20 Steele (max. 7) FVS, ph. NFT, 11/22 Lac qui Parle (2 in Perry Twp.) BJU, 11/12–27 Hennepin (L. Hiawatha) BAF, m.ob. | ||||
| Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) | All reports: 8/20 (second-earliest south date) Yellow Medicine (apparently healthy bird at Lanners W.M.A.) PHS, 10/4 Dakota fide AXH, 10/13 Wilkin (250) BJU, 11/23 Lac qui Parle (35) BJU. | ||||
| Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) | Documented in 5 of 15 north counties and 7 of 24 south counties. Early north 9/17 St. Louis †PHS, 9/18 Lake †JWL. Early south 9/17 Sibley †RBJ, 9/20 Hennepin †ChM. Highest reported counts 10/1 Clay (329 at Moorhead W.T.P.) BWF, 11/6 Lac qui Parle (654 in Toqua Twp.) †PCC. Late north 11/23 Kanabec †AXH, 11/25 Lake †JWL. Late south 11/23 Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle BJU, 11/25 Le Sueur AXH, but also see winter report. Observers are asked to document all sightings with notes, photographs, or recordings to improve our understanding of this species in the state. | ||||
| Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) | Reported throughout the state and the season. | ||||
| Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) | Bird of uncertain origin 11/1–4 Otter Tail (Brown L.) ph. †DTT, SMT. | ||||
| Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) | Statewide total of >245 Trumpeters in 17 north and 12 south counties. Peak counts 10/3 Sherburne (37 at Sherburne N.W.R.) PLJ, 10/8 Mahnomen (28 at Beaulieu L.) BJU. | ||||
| Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) | Reported from 11 north and 13 south counties. Early north 9/3 Roseau (possibly injured) KRE, CRM, 10/1 Koochiching BJU. Early south 10/14 Anoka JLH, 10/15 Lac qui Parle BJU. Peak counts 11/4 Beltrami (est. 2,000–3,000 near Waskish) JEB, RBJ, 11/22 Houston (9,480 at Pool #8, includes birds in Wisconsin) Upper Mississippi River N.W.F.R. Late north 11/23 Mille Lacs AXH, 11/30 Marshall GT. Please see winter report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) | Seen in 28 north and 35 south counties. High count 9/15 Aitkin (969) Rice Lake N.W.R. Late north 10/30 Itasca BJU, 11/3 Beltrami PJR, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) | Observed in 26 north and 30 south counties. High count 9/27 Aitkin (10,166) Rice Lake N.W.R. Late north 10/16 Grant BJU, 10/25 Aitkin (Rice Lake N.W.R). Late south (median 11/2) 11/7 Steele NFT, 11/13 Hennepin BAF. | ||||
| Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) | Seen in 14 north and 30 south counties. High count 11/2 Marshall (700) Agassiz N.W.R. Late north 11/10 Polk EEF (median 10/31). Please see winter report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Gadwall (Mareca strepera) | Observed in 19 north and 25 south counties. High count 10/18 Marshall (7,000) Agassiz N.W.R., 11/8 Houston (2,820 at Pool #8, includes birds in Wisconsin) Upper Mississippi River N.W.F.R. Late north 11/10 Polk EEF, 11/12 St. Louis SLF. Please see winter report for additional migrants and overwintering birds. | ||||
| American Wigeon (Mareca americana) | Reported from 12 north and 24 south counties. High count 10/18 Marshall (12,500) Agassiz N.W.R. Late north 11/2 Marshall Agassiz N.W.R., 11/19 Todd BWF, but splease ee winter report. | ||||
| Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) | Reported throughout the state. High count 10/4 Marshall (25,000) Agassiz N.W.R. | ||||
| American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) | North reports from Carlton, Clearwater, Cook, Hubbard, Itasca, Marshall, St. Louis. Early south (median 8/21) 9/5 Sherburne PLJ, 10/4 Rice TFB. Reported from seven additional south counties, none in the Southwest. | ||||
| Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) | Found in 10 north and 17 south counties. High count 11/2 Marshall (700) Agassiz N.W.R. Late north 11/5 Lake CRM, 11/26 St. Louis PHS (median 11/10), but also see winter report. | ||||
| Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) | Reported from 13 north and 21 south counties. High count 10/18 Marshall (2,200) Agassiz N.W.R. Late north 11/5 Lake CRM, 11/6 St. Louis JT. Late south 11/11 Rice DAB, 11/13 Wabasha DFN, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) | Observed in 11 north and 18 south counties in all regions. High count 11/8 Houston (56,155 at Pool #8, includes birds in Wisconsin) Upper Mississippi River N.W.F.R. Late north 11/10 Polk EEF, 11/19 Todd BWF. Please see winter report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Redhead (Aythya americana) | Seen in 19 north and 18 south counties. High count 10/18 Marshall (700) Agassiz N.W.R. Late north 11/17 St. Louis LAW, 11/19 Todd BWF, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) | Reported from 24 north and 20 south counties. High counts 10/14 Aitkin (58,960) Rice Lake N.W.R., 11/14 Houston (19,720 at Pool #8, includes birds in Wisconsin) Upper Mississippi River N.W.F.R. Late north 11/14 Mille Lacs CRM, 11/23 St. Louis SLF, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) | Observed in ten north and six south counties. Record-early north (but note female at Duluth 23–24 July 1991) 8/23 St. Louis †JPM, 9/23 Clay BWF. Late north 11/19 Todd (55) BWF, 11/26 St. Louis (10) PHS, but also see winter report. All south reports: 10/14 Lac qui Parle BJU, 10/18 Sherburne PLJ, 10/23–11/3 Dakota (max. 8) JPM, 11/5 Meeker DMF, 11/12 Stearns HHD, 11/19 Brown BTS | ||||
| Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) | Reported from 18 north and 15 south counties. Please see winter report for late migrants. | ||||
| Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) | Two reports from Lake Superior: 10/15 Cook (adult male photographed at mouth of Cross River) fide AXH, 11/23 Cook (adult male in Grand Marais) KJB. | ||||
| Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) | Many north reports from L. Superior: 9/18–11/11 St. Louis (max. 10 on 10/23, KRE) PHS, m.ob., 10/15–30 Cook (max. 8 near 5-Mile Rock on 10/30, JPM) m.ob., 10/29–11/5 Lake (2 at Two Harbors) SLL, ASc. Two reports away from L. Superior: 10/22–11/12 Meeker (L. Ripley) DMF, 10/30 Cass (L. Winnibigoshish) BJU. Also see winter report. | ||||
| White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) | Many reports from L. Superior: 9/25–11/26 St. Louis (max. 6 at Park Point, Duluth) PHS, m.ob., 10/15–11/6 Cook (reported from several locations, max. 9 on 10/29) m.ob., 11/5 Lake ASc. Two north reports away from L. Superior: 10/8 Mahnomen (3 at Bealieu L.) BJU, 10/25 Cass (L. Winnibigoshish) PHS. All south reports: 11/16 Dakota (L. Byllesby) †JPM, 11/18 Goodhue (3 at Hok-Si-La Park) †RPR, 11/20 Meeker (L. Washington) DMF. | ||||
| Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) | All reports: 9/12 (second-earliest date) Beltrami (adult male at L. Bemidji) BJU, 10/8–11/23 St. Louis (Duluth harbor) MTA, m.ob., 10/15–11/5 Cook (1–5 individuals in several locations) m.ob., 11/19 Stearns/Benton (2 on Mississippi R. at Sauk Rapids) HHD, 11/23 Big Stone/Lac qui Parle/Swift (flock of 6 flying around Marsh L.) BJU. | ||||
| Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) | Early north 10/13 Lake JWL, 10/15 Cook AXH, PHS. High count 11/23 Cook (101 from 5-Mile Rock to Paradise Beach) KJB. All other reports: 10/15 Aitkin (female along County Road 18) WEN, WMS, 10/22 Pope (harvested on L. Johanna), 10/30 Cass (female on L. Winnibigoshish) BJU, 11/16 Beltrami (15 on L. Bemidji) BJU. | ||||
| Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) | Reported from 15 north and 19 south counties. Early south 9/26 Sherburne PLJ, 10/9 McLeod PRH. High count 11/2 Marshall (175) Agassiz N.W.R. | ||||
| Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) | Seen in 19 north and 14 south counties, none in the Southwest. Early south 10/9 McLeod PRH, 10/16 Meeker DMF. High count 11/24 Meeker (2,000 on L. Ripley) DMF. | ||||
| Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) | Adult male 11/20 Houston (Pool #8) †DBz, CHo, JWH. Fourth November record from this location since 2001. | ||||
| Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) | Seen in 24 north and 27 south counties. High counts 11/2 Marshall (800) Agassiz N.W.R., 11/24 Meeker (260 at L. Ripley) DMF. | ||||
| Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) | Reported from 15 north and 11 south counties, none in Southwest. Early south (median 10/24) 11/5 Meeker DMF, 11/13 Dakota CRM and Houston DFN. High count 11/26 Wabasha (14,000 at L. Pepin) KJB. | ||||
| Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) | All north reports: Beltrami, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Lake, Mille Lacs, St. Louis. All south reports 11/11–17 Dakota JPM, 11/14 Olmsted JWH, 11/20 Meeker DMF, 11/26 Goodhue KJB. High count 9/26 Beltrami (34) BJU. | ||||
| Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) | Found in 10 north and 25 south counties, none in Northeast. High count 9/28 Marshall (2,000) Agassiz N.W.R. Late north (median 11/11) 10/19 Wilkin JEB, RBJ, 10/30 Pennington JMJ. Late south 11/27 Hennepin PEB, 11/30 Rice TFB. Also see winter report. | ||||
| Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys | |||||
| Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) | Found in 34 counties as far north as Kittson (adult with young, LW), Polk, Hubbard, and Pine (max. 44, JMP). Some north reports probably refer to recently released birds. | ||||
| Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) | Reported from 18 north and 3 south counties, including 10/1–28 Fillmore (2) NBO. | ||||
| Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis) | Exceptional report 11/12 Aitkin (one along CR 18) ASc. Also seen in Itasca, Koochiching (max. 8 along CR 13) m.ob., Lake of the Woods (max. 10 in three locations) MHK, GMM | ||||
| Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) | Observed in Aitkin (7) KWR, Clearwater (Greenwood Twp.) BJU, Kanabec (3) JMP, Pennington SAS, Pine (3) JMP, Polk, Red Lake (3) SAS, Roseau CRM, St. Louis (6) ALE, NAJ, Wilkin (2 near Tenney) BJU. | ||||
| Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) | North reports from Clay (35) and Polk JEB, RBJ. South reports 8/7–11/22 Lac qui Parle m.ob., 8/23 Lincoln BJU, 10/16 Stevens BJU, presumably related to D.N.R. releases in Chippewa and Lac qui Parle. | ||||
| Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) | All north reports: 10/13 Norman (Winchester Twp.) BJU, 11/3 Kittson fide JMJ, 11/12 Polk EEF. Seen in 11 south counties, including 8/13 Fillmore (7) JWH. High counts 8/27 Lincoln (27 in Ash Lake Twp.) BJU, 10/18 Watonwan (13) BRB. Also reported from Brown (12), Chippewa, Freeborn, Kandiyohi (4), Lac qui Parle (5), Meeker, Rock (10), Stearns (5), Traverse (8), Watonwan (12), Yellow Medicine (13). | ||||
| Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) | Observed in 47 counties as far north as Clay in the Northwest region, Wadena, Hubbard and Beltrami (origin?) in the North-central, and Kanabec and Pine in the East-central. | ||||
| Grebes | |||||
| Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) | Reported from 30 north and 32 south counties. Late north 11/19 Todd BWF, 11/23 Kanabec AXH. Late south 11/19 Rice DAB, 11/27 Dakota BAF, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) | Seen in 15 north and 13 south counties, including 10/1 Rock KRE. Early north 8/24 Polk JEB, RBJ, 9/4 Clearwater BJU (median 8/16). Early south 9/30 Freeborn AEB. Highest fall count on Mille Lacs L. 10/26 (198) PHS; notable count 10/13 Lake (50 on L. Superior) JWL. Late north 11/12 Mille Lacs WCM and Polk EEF, 11/25+ Lake JWL. Late south 11/18 Houston FZL, 11/19 Brown BTS, but see winter report. | ||||
| Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) | Observed in 16 north and 8 south counties. Late north 11/19 St. Louis DWK, 11/25+ Lake JWL. Late south 10/30 Meeker DWK, 10/31 Dakota JPM (median 11/10), but also see winter report. | ||||
| Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) | Reported from six north and six south counties. No reports from eastern regions. Late north 10/23 Lake of the Woods fide JMJ, 11/12 Polk EEF (median 10/10). Late south 10/13 Brown BTS (median 11/1). | ||||
| Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) | Found in five north and nine south counties. Unusual location 9/4 Clearwater (Pine L.) BJU. Late north 10/23 Polk fide JMJ, 11/18 Todd BWF (median 10/31). Late south 10/21 Big Stone PHS, 11/23 Brown BTS (median 11/18). | ||||
| Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) | Adult observed feeding “two well-grown young” 9/27 Douglas (L. Osakis) RBJ. | ||||
| Pigeons, Doves | |||||
| Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) | Statewide. | ||||
| Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) | Reported from new locations 9/14–10/7 Clay (Glyndon) †BWF, RBJ et al., 11/22+ Nicollet (3, east of Courtland) †RMD et al. Continuing reports from Chippewa (Milan), Dakota (Farmington), Lac qui Parle (2 at Marietta), Otter Tail (6+ at Ottertail), Renville (Renville). Also reported where previously documented 9/17 Yellow Medicine (2 at Clarkfield) DBi. Details insufficient to eliminate Ringed Turtle-Dove in Blue Earth and Lyon; the presence of a Ringed Turtle-Dove at the same location as the Eurasian Collared-Dove in Glyndon underscores the need to carefully document birds in new locations and to consider the possibility of hybridization. Also see undocumented reports. | ||||
| COMMON GROUND DOVE (Columbina passerina) | Third state record 10/16 Lake (Two Harbors) †JWL. Second consecutive October along the North Shore of L. Superior. | ||||
| Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) | Observed throughout the state. No significant counts, though reported to be abundant in Sibley RBJ. | ||||
| Cuckoos | |||||
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) | More reports than usual. All north reports: first county record 8/28 Wilkin BJU; unusual reports from the North Shore of L. Superior 9/18 Cook (Taconite Harbor) SLL, †JWL, 10/1 Lake (near Two Harbors) JWL. Reported from 15 south counties, including (late south) 10/9 Sibley RMD, BWF, JWH, 10/15 & 10/19 Hennepin (third latest, Wood Lake) †DWK, †CMB. | ||||
| Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) | Reported from 7 north and 12 south counties in all regions. Late north 9/22 Lake EEO, 9/23 Polk EEF. Late south 9/15 Lyon RJS, 9/16 Fillmore NBO. | ||||
| Nightjars | |||||
| Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) | Reported from 17 north and 13 south counties. High count 8/27 St. Louis (3,310 at H.R.B.O. in Duluth) RSB. Late north 9/14 Pine JMP, 10/3 Beltrami BJU. Late south 9/30 Brown JSS, 10/13 Meeker DMF. | ||||
| Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) | Only north report: 9/1 Hubbard BJU. All south reports: 8/13 Sherburne PLJ, 8/28 Big Stone BJU, 9/22 Hennepin TV. | ||||
| Swifts | |||||
| Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) | Observed in 13 north and 27 south counties. Late north (median 9/15) 9/6 Lake, Otter Tail and Pine. Late south (median 10/9) 10/4 Ramsey FKB, only October report. | ||||
| Hummingbirds | |||||
| MEXICAN VIOLETEAR (Colibri thalassinus) | Second state record ~7/25–8/21 Hubbard (Straight River Twp.) ph. JDH, ph. CO. | ||||
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) | Seen in 23 north and 33 south counties. High counts 8/17 Pine (25 near Kerrick) MCA, 8/22 Fillmore (30 near Canton, ties record high) NBO. Late north 9/26 Lake JWL, 9/27 Otter Tail DTT, SMT. Late south 10/9 Hennepin BAF, 10/14 Scott JEB. | ||||
| Rails, Gallinules, Coots | |||||
| Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) | Reported from three north and six south counties. Late north 9/4 Roseau CRM, 9/8 Itasca RBJ. Late south 10/3 Freeborn AEB, 10/25 Waseca fide OLJ. | ||||
| Sora (Porzana carolina) | Found in 7 north and 12 south counties. Late north 9/21 St. Louis SLF, 9/25 Kittson LW. Late south 9/25 Hennepin BAF, 10/10 Sherburne ASc. | ||||
| Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) | All reports: adult through 8/3 and six young through 8/25 Stearns (St. John's Arboretum) PCC, m.ob., adult with four young 9/3–17 Stevens (Morris) RBW. | ||||
| American Coot (Fulica americana) | Reported from 62 counties. Highest reported counts 10/8 Clearwater (6,000 at Upper Rice L.) BJU, 10/14 Mille Lacs (8,500 at L. Onamia) ASc. | ||||
| Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) | First county record 9/12 Brown (near Bashaw W.M.A.) †BRB. | ||||
| Cranes | |||||
| Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) | Reported from 25 north and 18 south counties. No reports from Southwest. Late north 11/4 Kanabec JMP, 11/8 Marshall (20) GT. Late south 11/11 Sherburne (672) ASc. High count 9/3 Roseau (680) KRE et al. | ||||
| Stilts, Avocets | |||||
| American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) | All reports: singles 8/13 Chippewa (Wegdahl) BJU, 8/23 Lincoln (Lake Benton) BJU, 10/9 Lac qui Parle (Salt L.) PCC, PHS, plus (late south) 10/16 Swift (2 at Lubenow W.M.A.) BJU. | ||||
| Plovers | |||||
| Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) | Observed in eight north and nine south counties, and in all regions except the Central. Early north 8/26 St. Louis PHS, 8/27 Becker SN. Early south 8/13 Lac qui Parle BJU, 8/26 Hennepin CMB, ADS. First juvenile 9/3 St. Louis PHS. High count 10/21 Lac qui Parle (24 at Salt L.) PHS. Late north 10/18 Cook SLF, 10/27–31 Lake m.ob. Late south 11/9, 11/13 Dakota JPM, ADS. | ||||
| American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) | Found in 8 north and 11 south counties. Early north 8/20 St. Louis SLF, 8/31 St. Louis ALE. Early south 8/6 Le Sueur AXH, 8/8 Sibley WCM. First juveniles 9/22 St. Louis PHS. High count 10/15 Lac qui Parle (146 at Salt L.) PCC. Late north 10/15, 10/17 St. Louis NAJ, DOB. Late south 11/13 Dakota (2 at L. Byllesby, only November report) DWK. | ||||
| Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) | Observed in 24 north and 36 south counties. Please see summer report for high counts. Late north 10/8 Polk EEF, 10/16 Grant BJU. Late south 11/20 Nicollet RMD, 11/28 Houston FZL. | ||||
| Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) | Observed in 6 north and 11 south counties in all regions. Please see summer report for high count and first fall migrants. First juveniles 8/13 Big Stone PHS and Lac qui Parle PCC. Late north (median 10/2) 10/8 Mahnomen (6) BJU. Late south (median 10/3) 10/16 Swift BJU. | ||||
| Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) | No reports. | ||||
| Sandpipers | |||||
| Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) | Only report: 8/13 Lac qui Parle (2) BJU. | ||||
| Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) | All reports: singles 9/13 Crow Wing (Ironton W.T.P.) JSB, 9/18 St. Louis (Minnesota Point) †PHS et al. | ||||
| Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) | One north report: 8/28 Becker (2) GHo fide JMJ. All south reports: 8/4 Lincoln BJU, 8/26 Hennepin (27 at Purgatory Creek Wetland, Eden Prairie) †CMB, 9/17 Lac qui Parle KRE et al., 10/4 Hennepin (2) ADS, 10/15 Big Stone PCC. | ||||
| Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) | All north reports: 8/13 Traverse (2) PHS, 9/3 Roseau (4) KRE et al. Except for 8/4 Lincoln BJU and 8/13 Big Stone PHS, all south reports from Lac qui Parle, including max. of 10 at Salt L. on 8/13 PCC, BR; late south 9/9 (Salt L.) PHS. | ||||
| Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) | Scarce statewide for the fourth consecutive fall; weekly shorebird surveys in West-central region found none (PCC, PHS). All north reports: 8/26–27 St. Louis RSB et al., 9/16 Beltrami BJU, 9/26 St. Louis PHS. All south reports: 8/22 Lac qui Parle BJU, 8/23 Lincoln BJU, 8/24 Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| RED KNOT (Calidris canutus) | Four reports of singles: 8/4 Lac qui Parle (juvenile at Perry W.M.A.) †BJU, 8/19 Carver (near New Germany) †ChM, 8/26 St. Louis (Duluth) ph. RSB, 9/3–11 St. Louis (Duluth) PHS, DWK, ph. SBM. | ||||
| Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) | Reported from 10 north and 12 south counties. See summer report for high count and first juveniles; secondary peak 9/4 Yellow Medicine (276) PCC. Late north (median 9/20) 9/17 Cass BJU. Late south (median 10/1) 10/26 Olmsted JWH, 10/27 Big Stone (16) and Yellow Medicine (1) PHS, 10/30 Big Stone (20) and Yellow Medicine (2) PCC, 11/6 Yellow Medicine (2, record-late) PCC. | ||||
| Sanderling (Calidris alba) | Reported from eight north and seven south counties; none in East-central or South-central regions. Early north 8/27 St. Louis m.ob. Please see summer report for early south migrant; next reported 8/11 Lac qui Parle BJU. First juveniles 8/21 Big Stone PHS, 8/28 Lac qui Parle PCC. Relatively scarce for the fifth consecutive fall along the North Shore of L. Superior. Late north (median 10/10) 10/4 St. Louis LAW. Late south (median 10/21) 10/14 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Dunlin (Calidris alpina) | Relatively scarce for the fifth consecutive fall, especially along the North Shore of L. Superior, where only a handful seen in early October. Reported from 15 counties (15 last fall, 14 in Fall 2003, 16 in Fall 2002, 8 in Fall 2001). Early north 9/13 Wilkin RBJ. Early south 10/2 Big Stone (1) PHS. High count 10/21 Big Stone (147) PHS. Late north 11/4 Beltrami (6) JEB, RBJ. Late south 11/7 Dakota (4) JPM, 11/5–9 Brown (1) BTS. | ||||
| Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) | Reported from 6 north and 15 south counties in all regions. First juveniles 8/13 Big Stone PHS and Lac qui Parle PCC. High count 9/4 Lac qui Parle (182 at Salt L.) PCC, following 134 there 8/28 PCC, PHS. Late north dates not representative (median 10/12): last reported 9/10–12 St. Louis PHS. Late south (median 10/29) 11/4 Renville (2) †WCM, 11/6 Big Stone (3) PCC, 11/14 (second-latest) Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) | Reported from 11 north and 23 south counties. Please see summer report for high counts and first juveniles. Late north (median 10/11) 9/13 Wilkin RBJ, 9/17 Clay BWF. Late south (median 10/24) 10/30 (14), 11/6 (2) Lac qui Parle PCC. | ||||
| White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) | Only north report: 9/17 Hubbard BJU. Early south 8/22 Lac qui Parle †BJU, 10/8 Le Sueur †RBW. First juvenile 10/9 Big Stone PCC, PHS. High count 10/9 Big Stone (5) PCC, PHS. Late south 11/4–6 Renville WCM, †PRH, 11/11 Brown BTS (no details, record-late). Note: Undocumented reports of fall migrant White-rumpeds prior to September are not published. | ||||
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) | Relatively low numbers for the third consecutive fall, especially at Dakota County sod farms. Statewide total of about 110 individuals in 19 counties (80 last fall, 194 in Fall 2003, 547 in Fall 2002, 550+ in Fall 2001). No reports from the Northwest, and only Lincoln in Southwest, Olmsted in Southeast. Please see summer report for first fall migrants. First juvenile 8/13 Lac qui Parle PCC. High count 8/26 Aitkin (23) KWR. First county occurrences 8/29 Steele (Spindler's Pond) JWH, 9/4 Hubbard (4 near Lake George) BJU, 9/17 Cass (Cass Lake W.T.P.) BJU. Late north 9/22 St. Louis KRE, 10/1 Koochiching (2) BJU. Late south 9/13 Scott JEB, 9/16–18 Dakota (2) m.ob. | ||||
| Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) | Observed in 9 north and 23 south counties statewide. First juveniles 9/4 Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine PCC. High counts <10% of last fall's totals; peak 8/13 Lac qui Parle (364) PCC, BR. Late north 10/13 Lake of the Woods JEB, RBJ, 10/15 Lake AXH, PHS. Late south 11/9 Dakota JPM, 11/14 Olmsted (2) JWH. | ||||
| Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) | Reported from 8 north and 17 south counties in all regions. Please see summer report for high counts and first juvenile; juveniles also seen 8/6 Big Stone and Traverse PHS. Late north dates not representative: last seen 9/5 St. Louis PHS. Late south 10/9 Lac qui Parle PHS, 10/12 Dakota (8) JPM. | ||||
| Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) | Very scarce; weekly shorebird surveys in the West-central region found a total of seven birds. North reports from Roseau and St. Louis counties; also observed in six south counties. First juvenile 8/13 Big Stone PHS. All counts single digits. Late north 9/3 Roseau CRM. Late south 10/9 Big Stone (juvenile identified by tertial pattern) PCC, PHS. | ||||
| Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) | Reported from 4 north and 11 south counties, none in Northeast. Early north 8/28 Wilkin (4) BJU. Early south (but see summer report) 8/6 Big Stone (one identified by call) PHS. Vocalized 10/2 Hennepin (10) DWK, 10/8 Dakota (1) DWK. First juveniles 10/2 Big Stone and Yellow Medicine PHS. Highest reported counts 10/2 (91), 10/21 (84) Big Stone PHS. Late north 10/13 Clay BJU. Late south 11/6 (4) Yellow Medicine PCC, 11/14 (6 at South Landfill Reservoir, record-late date, no details) Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| Limnodromus dowitcher (Limnodromus sp.) | A total of 114 dowitchers in October were prudently left unidentified during shorebird surveys in western Minnesota; most were probably Long-billeds, but see above. | ||||
| American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) | Observed in 11 north and 7 south counties, none in the Southwest. Departed within three days of recent medians north (10/27) and south (11/2). Late north 10/30 Pine JMP. Late south 11/5 Anoka JLH. | ||||
| Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) | Seen in 17 north and 25 south counties. High count 8/28 Wilkin (86) BJU. Overwintered north (Duluth) and south. | ||||
| Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) | Reported from 17 north and 26 south counties. High count 8/13 Lac qui Parle (20) PCC, BR. Late north 10/1 St. Louis SLF, 10/14–15 Lake JWL, AXH, PHS. Late south 9/23 Olmsted JWH, 10/1 Benton HHD. | ||||
| Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) | Reported from 10 north and 16 south counties in all regions. Record-high fall count 8/1 Stearns (46 at St. John's Arboretum) PCC. First juvenile 8/6 Big Stone PHS. Late north 9/7 Pine REH, 9/26 Mille Lacs ASc. Late south 9/17 Waseca JPS, 9/22 Dakota ADS and Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) | Observed in 14 north and 25 south counties. Please see summer report for high counts and first juveniles. Late north (median 10/24) 10/15 Lake AXH, PHS. Late south (median 11/1) 10/30 Big Stone, Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine PCC, 11/6 Big Stone PCC. | ||||
| Willet (Tringa semipalmata) | All reports: 8/11–13 Lac qui Parle (Salt L.) BJU et al., 8/20 Lac qui Parle (Manfred Twp.) PHS, 8/26 St. Louis (3) RSB, 9/9 Yellow Medicine WCM, PHS. | ||||
| Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) | Reported from 12 north and 20 south counties. First juvenile 8/13 Lac qui Parle PCC. Late north 10/18 Clay RBJ, 10/30 Pennington JMJ. Late south 11/1 Olmsted JWH, 11/6 Big Stone, Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine PCC. | ||||
| Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) | Statewide total of 292, fewer than Fall 2002 (620+) and Fall 2003 (600+), but similar to Fall 2004 (275+). All reports from western regions except Carver, Meeker, Olmsted. Please see summer report for high count in Lac qui Parle; additional concentration 8/23 Polk (98 at East Grand Forks W.T.P.) EEF. Late north 9/2 Polk EEF, 9/3 Roseau CRM. Late south 9/17 Lac qui Parle KRE, 9/21 Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) | Number of individuals down for third consecutive fall, though number of counties (7 north, 8 south) similar to recent years. Statewide total of 75+ individuals (five reports lacked count and/or location data) compared to 263+ in Fall 2003 and 163+ in Fall 2004. Early north 8/10 Morrison BWF; unusual location 8/18 St. Louis (3 on L. Superior at Duluth) JRN, †PHS. Please see summer report for early south migrant in Big Stone; also arrived 8/4 Lac qui Parle (2) BAW. Highest reported counts 9/4 Lac qui Parle (28 at Salt L.) PCC, 9/16 Polk (26 at East Grand Forks W.T.P.) EEF. Late north 9/17 Cass (7) BJU, 9/22 Lake of the Woods JEB. Late south (median 9/23) 9/17 Lac qui Parle (3 at Goodman Larson's slough) KRE et al. | ||||
| RED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus fulicarius) | Fourteenth state record 10/1 St. Louis (juvenile identified from digital images taken by JG, SBM during boat trip on L. Superior) MTA, MLH, †ADS, †DTT, †SMT, m.ob. | ||||
| Jaegers | |||||
| Parasitic Jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus) | Juvenile hit by car 9/7 Chisago (Lindstrom) ph. TV (The Loon 78:116–117). All other reports from St. Louis: 9/9 (two juveniles) MTA, 9/19 (adult light morph) JPM, CMB, 9/25 (adult light morph with tail streamers being chased by smaller jaeger) m.ob. | ||||
| Stercorarius jaeger (Stercorarius sp.) | Reported at Duluth 9/9 (adult) †MTA, MLH, 9/10 (juvenile) PHS, 9/18 (age?) PHS, 9/19 (juvenile light morph) JPM, CMB, 9/24–25 (juvenile dark morph) m.ob., 9/28–29 (adult or subadult) PHS, 10/4 (1) DDM, BJM. Possible juvenile at Lock and Dam #2 in Hastings 9/27 Dakota TEB. | ||||
| Gulls, Terns | |||||
| Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini) | Most reports ever in one season. Record-high count for Minnesota and the Great Lakes Basin 9/16 St. Louis (60–70 at Park Point, Duluth, including at least 5 adults, The Loon 78:118–119) †MTA, JWB, †PHS; at least two lingered through 9/18 DOK, MLH. Juveniles also reported off Park Point 9/4 (1) †PHS, BWF, 10/1 (2) †MTA, †MLH, †DTT, †SMT, ph. JG, ph. SBM. First county record 10/22 Cook (juvenile at Grand Marais, latest north date) †CCB. All south reports: 9/17 Lac qui Parle (juvenile at Salt L.) †KRE et al., 9/26–28 Dakota (Hastings) BRL, ph. †LAK, †TEB, ph. TPB, †ADS. | ||||
| Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) | Reported from 26 north and 14 south counties in all regions, but only Olmsted in Southeast. See summer report for late July observations north; unusual report 8/5 Lake JWL. Early south 8/7 Lac qui Parle BJU. High count 10/26 Mille Lacs L. (1,111) PHS. Late north 11/24 Aitkin KWR and Crow Wing KJB. Late south 11/13 Dakota CRM, 11/17 Stearns HHD. | ||||
| BLACK-HEADED GULL (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) | Though last documented in Minnesota 10/17 Jackson ph. †DWK, the adult first found at Spirit Lake in July (please see summer report) was reported regularly on the Iowa side of the border throughout the fall season until 11/13. | ||||
| Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) | Single adults documented 9/2–4 St. Louis (Duluth) †PHS, 9/13 Beltrami (L. Bemidji) †BJU. | ||||
| Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) | Observed in 14 north and 29 south counties, none in Northeast and only Houston in Southeast. High count 10/8 Carver (1,100 on L. Waconia) WCM. Late north (median 10/23) 10/17 Otter Tail JEB, RBJ. Late south 11/27+ Dakota KJB and Hennepin BAF (also see winter report). | ||||
| Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) | Reported from 71 counties statewide. High count 11/18 Hennepin (6,000+ carefully estimated on L. Harriett) BAF. | ||||
| CALIFORNIA GULL (Larus californicus) | Second-cycle bird at Superior Entry 11/5–12 St. Louis †MTA, ph. †MLH, ph. †PHS. | ||||
| Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) | Reported from 17 north and 13 south counties. High count 11/27 Dakota (2,200 at Black Dog L.) KJB. | ||||
| Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) | Single first-cycle birds reported 11/7–8 Lake (Beaver Bay) DBF, †SLF, DWK, SBM, 11/23 Cook (Grand Marais) ph. †KJB. | ||||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) | All north reports: different fourth-cycle birds on Minnesota side of Superior Entry, St. Louis County 9/18–24 (earliest north date) DBz, CHo, ph. †PHS, 10/28 ph. †PHS. All south reports: second-cycle 9/19 Dakota †ADS, possibly the same as 10/22 Dakota †JPM; two adults 9/28 Hennepin (L. Calhoun) PEB, at least one of which lingered into winter season in Dakota/Hennepin †CMB, †ADS, m.ob. | ||||
| Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) | Reported 10/12 Beltrami (adult at L. Bemidji) †BJU; all other north reports from Lake Superior beginning 11/5 St. Louis (first-cycle) MTA. All south reports: 11/26 Goodhue (first-cycle at L. Pepin) KJB, 11/27+ Dakota (adult at Black Dog L.) KJB, m.ob. | ||||
| Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) | No reports. | ||||
| Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) | Found in 6 north and 11 south counties in all regions except Southwest. High count 9/4 Dakota (22) ADS. Late north (median 10/4) 9/7 St. Louis RBJ. Late south (median 10/2) 10/1 Dakota RPR. | ||||
| Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) | Reported from 9 north and 17 south counties in all regions. No significant counts. Late north 9/3 Marshall and Roseau m.ob., 9/16 St. Louis MTA. Late south 9/11 Lac qui Parle BAW, 9/17 Sibley RBJ. | ||||
| Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) | North reports from Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Mille Lacs, and St. Louis; last seen 10/16 Duluth (first-winter) PHS. Only south report: 8/4 Lincoln and Yellow Medicine BJU. | ||||
| ARCTIC TERN (Sterna paradisaea) | Adult in alternate plumage at Superior Entry 9/18 St. Louis †MLH. Another (possibly the same) was at the Superior Entry and Lafayette Square on Park Point 9/24–25 St. Louis †MLH, TRS et al., with additional documentation by †MTA, †KRE, †PHS. Fall migrants have now appeared at the Superior Entry in four of the last six years, all within a ten-day window between the 18th and 27th of September. | ||||
| Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) | Reported from only 8 north and 12 south counties. Late north (median 10/11) 10/1 St. Louis MTA. Late south dates not representative as none reported after August. | ||||
| Loons | |||||
| Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) | Only documented report: 10/16 St. Louis (Brighton Beach, Duluth) †SLF. | ||||
| Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) | Singles reported on L. Superior 9/21 St. Louis ChM, 10/2 Cook SMc, 10/12 St. Louis (Stoney Point) JCG, 10/21 Cook (Paradise Beach) MLH, 10/29–11/5 Lake (Burlington Bay) AXH, †PHS, †KRE, m.ob., 10/30–11/6 St. Louis (Park Point) MLH, DWK. Inland reports 10/5 Beltrami (L. Bemidji, adult) ph. †BJU, 10/22 Meeker (L. Ripley, age?) †DMF. | ||||
| Common Loon (Gavia immer) | Reported from 22 north and 11 south counties, none in Southwest. High count on Mille Lacs L. 10/26 (1,133) PHS. Late north 11/23 Cook KJB, 11/25+ Lake JWL. Late south 11/18 Carver RBJ, Stearns RPR, 11/19 Rice DAB, FVS, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Frigatebirds | |||||
| Fregata frigatebird (Fregata sp.) | Minnesota's third frigatebird was seen 9/19–21 St. Louis (Big Lake, off Echo Trail) †JIL, CL, FK (The Loon 78:115–116). Though probably a Magnificent Frigatebird, the documentation did not conclusively eliminate other species. The state's first two frigatebird records occurred in September/October 1988 after the remnants of Hurricane Gilbert tracked into the Great Lakes region (The Loon 61:55–56). | ||||
| Cormorants | |||||
| Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) | Seen in 24 north and 35 south counties in all regions. High count 9/13 Blue Earth (102) ChH. Late north 11/12 Mille Lacs WCM, 11/26 St. Louis PHS (ties median). Late south 11/12 Ramsey REH, 11/13 Dakota CRM, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Pelicans | |||||
| American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) | Observed in 15 north and 29 south counties statewide. Northeast reports: 8/17–9/11 St. Louis (seasonal total of 78 at H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB, 9/10–19 St. Louis (4 at Duluth) MTA. High count 9/17 Carver (225) RBJ. Late north 10/1 Koochiching BJU, 11/12 Mille Lacs WCM (median 10/24). Late south 11/23 Swift BJU, 11/27 Dakota BAF, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons | |||||
| American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) | Reported from eight north and three south counties. Late north 9/23 St. Louis MTA, 10/18 Clay JEB (median 10/9). Late south 9/14 Ramsey EEO (median 10/17). | ||||
| Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) | All reports: 8/7–13 Lac qui Parle (4 birds in three locations) BJU, 8/22 Wilkin JEB, RBJ, 9/1 Hubbard (L. Hattie Twp.) BJU. | ||||
| Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) | Found in 30 north and 38 south counties. Late north (but see winter report) 11/13 Clay BWF, 11/19 Hubbard MAW. | ||||
| Great Egret (Ardea alba) | Several reports north of normal range in the North-central and Northwest regions between August and early October. Found in 20 north counties as far north as Kittson and Roseau in the Northwest, and Aitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing in North-central. Three Northeast reports: 8/29–9/27 Lake (max. 2 at Two Harbors) JWL, KRE, 9/8 St. Louis (H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB, 9/19–24 St. Louis (Duluth) MTA, DAB. Reported from 35 south counties. High count 9/17 Le Sueur (147) WCM. Late south 11/5 Houston FZL, 11/5 Hennepin DWK. | ||||
| Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) | All reports: 8/28 Wilkin (flyby at Breckenridge W.T.P.) BJU, 10/10 Houston (Wildcat Creek) ph. FZL. | ||||
| Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) | All reports: 8/7 Lac qui Parle (adult at Big Stone N.W.R.) BJU, 8/11 Sherburne N.W.R. (presumably same adult as 7/28, see summer report) fide ASc. Also see undocumented reports. | ||||
| Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) | All reports: 8/7 Big Stone (6 at Big Stone N.W.R.) BJU, 8/8 Dakota (L. Byllesby) JPM, 8/21 Winona CAS, 8/23 Freeborn AEB, 8/23 Lincoln (41 near Hendricks) BJU, 8/28 Clay (10 at Rushfieldt L.) BJU, 10/16 Traverse (near Tintah) BJU, 10/29–30 Cook (Grand Marais) BWS, m.ob., 10/30 Stearns (Albany W.T.P.) JPE, 11/4 Stearns (2 south of Sauk Center) RSF, 11/4–8 St. Louis (Korkki Rd.) fide JCG, 11/5–8 Lake (Knife River) fide LME, m.ob., 11/7–8 Lake (2 at Beaver Bay W.T.P.) DBF, SLF, DWK, 11/10–12 (ties record-late north date) St. Louis (Homestead Rd.) fide JCG, m.ob. | ||||
| Green Heron (Butorides virescens) | Found in 15 north and 22 south counties. Late north 9/21 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 10/2 Mille Lacs HHD. Late south 10/6 Hennepin DWK, 10/15 Ramsey REH. | ||||
| Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) | Seen in seven north counties, including 9/17 Cass BJU, 9/18–19 St. Louis DOB, 10/13 (late north) Mahnomen BJU. Found in nine south counties, none after September except 10/14 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) | Only the second fall record since 1993! Two juveniles found 7/31 (see summer report) last reported 8/22 Lac qui Parle (Madison Twp.) †PCC, ph. SBM, ph. PHS, †BAW, m.ob. | ||||
| Ibises | |||||
| Plegadis ibis (Plegadis sp.) | Unidentified Plegadis ibis (all singles) 8/23 Lincoln (Royal Twp.) †BJU; 9/23–28 Dakota (juvenile at 180th Street marsh) †CMB, ph. TPB, ph. MRH, ph. LAK, ph. JPM, ph. SBM; 10/9–15 Big Stone (juvenile at Munnwyler L.) ph. †PHS, †PCC. | ||||
| New World Vultures | |||||
| Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) | Seen in 28 north and 29 south counties. Late north 10/29 Lake AXH, 11/10 St. Louis (H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB. High count 10/6 St. Louis (264 at H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB. Late south 10/14 Lac qui Parle BJU and Steele NFT, 10/15 Fillmore NBO and Ramsey REH. | ||||
| Osprey | |||||
| Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) | Reported from 19 north and 17 south counties, none in Southwest. High count 9/18 St. Louis (72 at H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB. Late north 10/2 Becker DFN, 10/22 St. Louis (H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB (median 10/31). Late south 10/24 Dakota DWK, 10/27 Scott RBW (median 10/23). | ||||
| Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles | |||||
| Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) | Record-high season (185) at H.R.B.O., including record-high count of 38 on 11/17 FJN, RSB, DSC. Early north (away from Hawk Ridge, where first seen 9/26) 10/13 Hubbard BJU; also observed in Cass and Lake. No south reports. | ||||
| Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) | Reported from 33 north and 29 south counties. Late north 11/14 Mille Lacs CRM, 11/19 St. Louis (H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) | Observed in 24 north and 24 south counties. Early south 8/4 (record-early south) Sherburne ASc, 8/22 Fillmore NBO. High count 9/18 St. Louis (1,285 at H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB. Please see winter report for late north migrants and overwintering birds. | ||||
| Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) | Seen in 22 north and 30 south counties. Late north 11/4 Kanabec JMP, 11/10 St. Louis (H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB, 11/24 Wadena PJB, but also see winter report. | ||||
| American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus) | All north reports: Aitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis, Wadena. Only south reports: 9/9, 10/14, 11/22 Lac qui Parle PME, BJU, 9/21 Houston ph. FZL, 10/22 Cottonwood WCM, 11/13 Blue Earth ChH, 11/22 Dakota JPM. | ||||
| Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) | Seen in 29 north and 33 south counties in all regions. See Table 1 for high count. | ||||
| Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) | All north reports: 8/2–9/26 Mille Lacs ASc, 8/6, 9/1 Hubbard ABi, BJU, 8/22 Otter Tail DTT, JEB, RBJ, 8/28 Clay BJU, 9/4 Clearwater BJU, 10/1 Becker DFN, 10/8 Mahnomen BJU, 10/15 St. Louis H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB, 10/15 Cook AXH, †PHS. Observed in nine south counties as far west as Lac qui Parle. | ||||
| Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) | Found in 23 north and 16 south counties. Peak counts 9/14 St. Louis (12,561 at H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB (see Table 1), 9/20 Houston (1,258) FZL. Late north 10/6 Lake JWL, 10/20 St. Louis (H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB. Late south 10/14 Big Stone BJU. | ||||
| Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) | Reported from nine north and eight south counties. Four at H.R.B.O. in Duluth between 9/6 and 9/18 (FJN, RSB). Late north 10/8 Mahnomen and Norman BJU, 10/16 Clay PBB. Late south 10/1 Rock (dark morph near Luverne) KRE, 10/7 Sherburne ASc, 10/14 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) | Seen in 76 counties statewide. High count 10/15 St. Louis (1,054 at H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB. | ||||
| Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) | Reported from 22 north and 11 south counties. Early north 9/15 Marshall fide JMJ, 9/30 St. Louis (H.R.B.O., Duluth) FJN, RSB (median 9/20). Early south 10/14 Lac qui Parle BJU (median 10/27). | ||||
| FERRUGINOUS HAWK (Buteo regalis) | Two documented reports: 9/17 Yellow Medicine (imm. near Canby) †KRE, 10/8 Mahnomen (adult in Lake Grove Twp.) †BJU. | ||||
| Screech-Owls, Owls | |||||
| Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) | All north reports: 9/4 Clearwater (Itasca Twp.) and Hubbard (Guthrie Twp.) BJU, 9/17 Cass (L. Winnibigoshish) BJU, 10/17 Hubbard PBB. South reports from Carver, Dodge, Lac qui Parle, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Rock, Watonwan. | ||||
| Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) | Reported from 12 north and 21 south counties in all regions. | ||||
| Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) | Major invasion beginning 10/8 Becker (Spring Creek Twp.) BJU, 10/13 Clay (Flowing Twp.) BJU. Early south 10/30 Wright (injured, probably hit by vehicle) fide AXH, ~11/2 Dakota fide LRA. An emaciated bird was taken into care 10/28 St. Louis (Saginaw) fide DW, but starvation was not otherwise reported. | ||||
| Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) | Major invasion echoing last year's record-high numbers (The Loon 77:132–140). Early north 10/10 Roseau JD, 10/21 St. Louis FJN. Unlike last winter, none strayed outside of the coniferous forest zone. | ||||
| Barred Owl (Strix varia) | Observed in 13 north and 15 south counties including 8/23 Lincoln (West Twin L.) BJU. | ||||
| Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) | Above-average yet unexpectedly low numbers following last year's record-high irruption (The Loon 77:194–208). August reports from Aitkin, Pine, Roseau and St. Louis, then scattered reports into winter. Most unusual was one well-described near Trail (where Great Grays were found last spring, but not during the summer) 9/2 Polk MG fide JMJ. | ||||
| Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) | North reports from Clay, Hubbard and St. Louis, including 39 banded at H.R.B.O. All south reports were in November: Blue Earth, Dakota, Lac qui Parle, Meeker, Rice. | ||||
| Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) | Statewide total of 52 birds in 18 counties (43 birds in 12 counties last fall). Reported from all regions except the Central, but the vast majority were in western regions (especially the Northwest). Highest reported counts 8/18 Roseau (17) BJS, 10/29 Wilkin (9 at Rothsay W.M.A.) JPE. | ||||
| Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) | Total of five banded in October along the North Shore of L. Superior in St. Louis FJN. Also reported 11/26 St. Louis (Hoyt Lakes) fide MLH. | ||||
| Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) | Observed in five north counties including 11/27 Wilkin (Nashua) BJU. An amazing total of 629 was banded near Bigfork 9/8–11/8 Itasca DRM. Below-average total of 403 banded at H.R.B.O. (369 last fall) DLE et al. South reports from Blue Earth, Hennepin, Ramsey (10/27, AXH), Rice. | ||||
| Kingfishers | |||||
| Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) | Reported from 56 counties in all regions except Southwest. Please see winter report for overwintering birds north and south. | ||||
| Woodpeckers | |||||
| Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) | Reported from 8 north and 19 south counties. Three reports from St. Louis: 9/18 (juvenile at Stoney Point) MTA, 9/19 (adult at Park Point) m.ob., 10/3 (Stoney Point) JCG, the latter also late north. Total of 15 at Cedar Creek Natural History Area 10/16 Anoka JLH. Additional south reports of multiple birds in Brown (4), Lac qui Parle (10 in four locations), Sherburne (3). | ||||
| Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) | Observed in 53 counties as far north as Pennington and Red Lake in the Northwest, Clearwater, Beltrami, and Cass in the North-central, and Cook (10/27, SMc) in the Northeast. | ||||
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) | Reported from 24 north and 20 south counties. Late north 10/15–16 Cook MTA, 10/30 Cook JWL. Late south 11/28 Houston FZL, 11/30+ Fillmore NBO, see winter report. | ||||
| American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis) | All reports: 9/21 Koochiching (county road 13) JEB, 10/1 Beltrami (county road 111 off state highway 72) BJU. | ||||
| Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) | Unusual location 10/8 Mahnomen (La Garde Twp.) BJU. Also reported from Itasca, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods in North-central region, and Cook, Lake, St. Louis in the Northeast. | ||||
| Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) | Statewide. | ||||
| Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus) | Statewide. | ||||
| Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) | Observed in 31 north and 38 south counties. Peak migration 9/12–14 Aitkin and Crow Wing MRN, 9/20–24 Cass MRN. High count 9/16 Polk (76 between East Grand Forks and Maple L.) EEF. | ||||
| Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) | Reported from 53 counties in all regions except the Southwest. | ||||
| Caracaras, Falcons | |||||
| American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) | Reported from 30 north and 38 south counties. Numbers stable at H.R.B.O. (see Table 1; 2011 last fall). | ||||
| Merlin (Falco columbarius) | Reported from 21 north and 12 south counties in all regions except the Southwest and Southeast. Numbers up at H.R.B.O. (219 last fall), but overall trend downward. Early south (away from known breeding locations in Twin Cities) 8/11 Lac qui Parle BJU, 8/20 Sherburne PLJ. One was observed foraging on mudflats along the edge of a pothole and wading in water 10/9 Lac qui Parle PHS. | ||||
| Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) | Reported from 11 north and 15 south counties in all regions. Probable early south migrant 8/13 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) | Documented 9/17 Cass (near Cass Lake) †BJU, 10/8 Becker (Spring Creek Twp.) †BJU. Also observed (no details) from banding station at H.R.B.O. | ||||
| Flycatchers | |||||
| Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) | After August, absent from the Northeast and Central regions. Late north 9/5 Wadena PJB, 9/7 Hubbard LBF, 9/17 Grant DTT, SMT (median 9/19). Late south 9/14 Houston FZL, 9/16 Rice DAB, 9/17 Waseca JPS. | ||||
| Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) | Reported from four north and seven south counties. After August, only north reports were 9/4 Roseau KRE, CRM, 10/30 (third-latest date north) Cook (Colvill) JWL, KRE. Late south 8/31 Chisago KWR, 9/11 Lac qui Parle BAW. | ||||
| Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) | Found in the majority of counties in each region. Late north 9/5 Crow Wing and Wadena, 9/11 Pennington JMJ, 9/17 Lake JWL (same as median). Late south 9/17 Swift DWK and Waseca TEB, 9/21 Dakota DWK (median 9/23). | ||||
| Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) | Early south 8/4 Lac qui Parle BJU, 9/13 Hennepin PEB. All September reports north in Pine: 9/7 REH, 9/14 JMP (median 9/6). Late south 9/9 Fillmore and Rice, 9/10 Brown JSS, 9/17 Waseca JPS (median 9/21). | ||||
| Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) | High count 9/2 Rice (12) DAB. Late north 9/17 Cass BJU, 9/18 Douglas HHD, 10/6 (latest north date) Lake †JWL. Late south 9/23 Benton and Rice, 9/24 Carver BAF, 10/1 Hennepin DWK (median 10/4). | ||||
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) | North reports of vocalizing or otherwise documented birds: 8/10 Kanabec JMP, 8/29 Cass †BJU. Vocalized south 8/1 Lac qui Parle BJU, 8/24–28 Fillmore NBO, 8/29 Steele JWH. Note: During spring and fall migration, undocumented records of silent Empidonax flycatchers are not published in this report. Please be sure to denote calling or singing birds. | ||||
| Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) | Three south reports, but none documented. | ||||
| Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) | Vocalizing birds north in Cass, St. Louis, Lake and (late north) 9/4 Beltrami BJU. Vocalized south 8/7, 8/11 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) | Only 8/11 Lac qui Parle BJU was vocalizing. | ||||
| Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) | Late north 9/8 Lake JWL, 9/14 St. Louis SLF, 9/19 Polk EEF. Late south 9/2 Rice DAB, 9/7-10 Fillmore NBO, 9/14 Dodge JWH. | ||||
| Empidonax flycatcher (Empidonax sp.) | Unidentified flycatchers 9/25 Lake JWL, 10/1 Hennepin DWK. | ||||
| Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) | Found in nearly every county except those in the Northwest and Southwest regions. Late north 10/8 Morrison HHD and St. Louis EEO, 10/10 Crow Wing RBJ. Late south 10/9–11 in seven different counties, then only 10/14 Waseca JPS (median 11/1). | ||||
| Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) | One was briefly seen 10/25 Aitkin (Rice Lake N.W.R.) †MMc. Latest date ever for this Casual species. | ||||
| Vireos | |||||
| Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii) | Only report: 8/21 Winona CAS (same as median). | ||||
| Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) | Found in 12 north and 20 south counties. Late north 9/17 Clay BWF, 9/18 Carlton LAW, 9/25 Pennington JMJ (median 9/17). Late south 9/20 Fillmore NBO and Nicollet RMD (median 9/27). | ||||
| Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) | Reported from all regions. Early south 8/7 Fillmore NBO and Lac qui Parle (2) BJU (median 8/20). Late north 10/1 Becker DFN and Beltrami BJU, 10/4 Cook CJT (median 10/12). Late south 10/10 Rice TFB, 10/13 Fillmore NBO, 10/14 Houston FZL. | ||||
| Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) | Reported from every region, though only from five counties in the western third of the state. Early south 8/21 Anoka DWK, 8/22 Olmsted JWH (median 8/20). Late north 9/27 Kanabec JMP was near the recent median (9/26), followed only by a state record-late individual at Naniboujou Lodge 11/6 Cook ph. †KRE, †CMB. Late south 9/20 Nicollet RMD, 10/2–4 Hennepin DOB. | ||||
| Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) | Also found in all regions. Late north 9/13 Beltrami BJU, 9/17 Clay BWF (median 9/9). Late south 9/16 Dakota JPM, 9/17 Le Sueur ChH, 9/19 Hennepin DWK. | ||||
| Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) | Found in 27 north and 33 south counties. High count 8/17 Pine (30) MCA. Late north 9/30 St. Louis LAW, 10/1 Becker DFN (median 9/27). Late south 10/1 Steele DAB, JWH, 10/2 Hennepin BAF (median 10/7). | ||||
| Shrikes | |||||
| Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) | North reports of birds in Traverse (2) and Wilkin (3) in late August, then 9/1 Beltrami BJU. South reports from Dakota (2), Fillmore (1), Kandiyohi (1), Lac qui Parle (singles at 3 locations), and Rice (5), then late south 9/4 Lac qui Parle (different location in Arena Twp.) PCC. | ||||
| Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) | Reported from 20 north and 12 south counties in all regions except the South-central. Early north 10/13 Beltrami, Koochiching and Lake of the Woods JEB, RBJ, 10/13 Pine JMP. Early south 10/17 Sherburne PLJ, 10/20 Dakota DWK, 10/21 Meeker DMF. All other south reports were in November. | ||||
| Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows | |||||
| Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) | Reported within usual range. | ||||
| Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) | Reported statewide. | ||||
| Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) | Reported from six of ten Northwest and five of ten North-central counties. Also observed in traditional St. Louis locations. High count 9/4 Clearwater (28) BJU. | ||||
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) | Noted throughout the season in all regions. | ||||
| Common Raven (Corvus corax) | Found in all but three counties in the northern third of the state, plus Mille Lacs, Kanabec, Pine. South reports 9/17 Sherburne ASc, 11/2 Anoka (2) JLH. | ||||
| Chickadees, Titmice | |||||
| Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) | Statewide. | ||||
| Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) | Reported from Cook and St. Louis in the Northeast, and Aitkin, Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, and Koochiching in North-central. | ||||
| Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) | Seen in Fillmore throughout the season (NBO). Injured bird 10/9 Anoka (Fridley) fide AXH. Two other reports: 9/15 Houston FZL, 10/23 Dakota (Nininger Twp.) fide AXH. | ||||
| Larks | |||||
| Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) | Late north (but see winter report) 11/2 Itasca JEB, 11/6 St. Louis ALE. Seen throughout the season south. No noteworthy high counts. | ||||
| Martins, Swallows | |||||
| Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) | Found in 9 north and 22 south counties. No significant counts. Late north 8/25 Cass RBJ, 9/4 Clearwater BJU. Late south 9/17 Le Sueur ChH, Nicollet RMD and Olmsted DAB. | ||||
| Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) | Found in all regions. High counts: 8/20 Kanabec (>500) REH, 9/11 Rice (1000) FVS. Late north 9/27 Clay RBJ and Mille Lacs ASc, 10/8 Morrison HHD, 10/26 Aitkin KWR. Late south 10/9 Renville JWH, RMD, 10/14 Waseca JPS (median 10/19). | ||||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) | Reported from 5 north and 17 south counties. High count 8/13 Rice (20) DAB. Late north 8/24 Clearwater JEB, 9/4 Clearwater BJU (median 9/14). Few south reports after August: 9/17 Le Sueur ChH and Olmsted DAB, 10/7 Houston FZL (median 10/4). | ||||
| Purple Martin (Progne subis) | All north reports after 8/5: 8/17 Pine MCA, 8/28 Wilkin BJU, 9/21 Polk EEF (median 9/9). Late south 9/9 Hennepin (2) ADS and Lac qui Parle PHS, 9/10 Olmsted PWP, 9/17 Le Sueur ChH. High count 8/5 Mille Lacs (50) ASc. | ||||
| Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) | Reported from the majority of counties in all regions. High count 8/17 Pine (100) MCA. Late north 10/8 Mahnomen BJU, 10/14 Pine JMP (median 10/8). Late south 10/9 Renville and Sibley JWH, RMD, 10/30 Dakota CRM (median 10/17). | ||||
| Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) | High count 8/20 St. Louis (816 at H.R.B.O.) FJN, RSB. Late north 9/3 Morrison DFN, 9/4 Clearwater BJU, 9/6 Lake JWL. Late south 9/24 Dakota ADS, 10/1 Olmsted PWP. | ||||
| Kinglets | |||||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) | Found in 26 north and 28 south counties, though none in the Southwest. High count 9/29 Sherburne (20 at Sherburne N.W.R.) ASc. Early south 8/21 Meeker DMF, 9/5 Anoka DWK. Late north 10/18 Clay RBJ, 10/22 St. Louis JWL (median 11/1). Late south 11/6 Blue Earth JWH, 11/7 Scott RBW, almost two weeks prior to recent median (11/22). | ||||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) | Found in 29 north and 31 south counties, in all regions. Record-high counts 10/4 Lyon (200+ at Camden S.P.) RJS, 10/8 Norman (78) BJU, 10/16 Meeker (100 at Litchfield N.C.) DMF. No north reports after 11/18 Pine JMP, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Waxwings | |||||
| Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) | Early north 10/3 St. Louis ALE, 10/8 Norman (8) BJU (median 10/5). All south reports: 11/23 Lac qui Parle, Redwood, Renville and Yellow Medicine BJU. | ||||
| Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) | Found statewide. | ||||
| Nuthatches | |||||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) | Reported from 26 north and 20 south counties throughout the season. | ||||
| White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) | Statewide. | ||||
| Creepers | |||||
| Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) | Found in 23 north and 24 south counties. Early south (away from known summer locations) 8/27 McLeod PRH, 9/17 Washington DCZ. | ||||
| Gnatcatchers | |||||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) | Late north 8/28 Wilkin and Clay, 8/29 Beltrami, Cass and Hubbard BJU (median 9/19). Also found north in Pine and Otter Tail. Late south 9/16 Rice DAB, 9/17 Dakota JPM, then one straggler 10/19 Ramsey †JPS (median 9/23). | ||||
| Wrens | |||||
| ROCK WREN (Salpinctes obsoletus) | One at Felton Prairie since May was last seen 8/23 Clay JEB, RBJ. Another was seen and heard among the rocks at the Taconite Harbor boat launch 10/17–21 Cook †SLF, †DBF; also documented †JWL and heard by KRE. | ||||
| Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) | No fewer than five first county records: 8/22–10/6 Beltrami PJR (8/28, †JMJ)(The Loon 78:119), 8/29 Carver (Chanhassen) RBJ, 10/11 Clay (Moorhead) †RHO, 11/7 Waseca (Courthouse Park) †JPS, mid-October through at least 1/1 at undisclosed location in Pine (fide AXH, RBJ). Unusual location 8/15 St. Louis (hatch-year bird banded at H.R.B.O.) DAG. Six additional south reports: 8/10 Olmsted (Rochester) OWB, 8/13 Hennepin (Cedar Lake) ChM, SLC; 8/20–10/16 Hennepin (south end of Wood Lake) m.ob., including 8/21 †CMB, 9/14 ph. SBM; 9/14–19 Houston (near Reno) FZL, 9/17 Olmsted (different location) DAB, JWH, PWP, 10/11+ Ramsey (St. Paul) LK. | ||||
| House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) | Late north 10/1 Koochiching BJU and St. Louis SLF, 10/15 Cook AXH (median 10/4). Late south 10/8 Washington RBJ, 10/14 Dakota DWK (median 10/18). | ||||
| Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) | No reports from West-central region and only one in Southwest (Jackson). High count 10/6 Fillmore (6) NBO. Late north 10/18 St. Louis LAW, 10/28 Cook JWH, 10/30 Pine (3) JMP. Late south 10/16 Olmsted JWH, 10/17 Fillmore NBO and Jackson DWK. | ||||
| Sedge Wren (Cistothorus stellaris) | Reported from every region. Peak number 8/17 Pine (25) MCA. Late north 9/25 Kittson LW, 9/27 Clay RBJ and Kanabec JMP. Late south 10/14 Dakota DWK and Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) | Also found in every region. Late north 9/18 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 9/21 St. Louis JWL, SLF, then only 10/22 St. Louis KRE (median 10/11). Late south 10/7 Olmsted JWH, 10/8 Le Sueur RBW, 10/9 Sibley JWH, RMD (median 10/28). | ||||
| Thrashers, Mockingbirds | |||||
| Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) | High counts 8/7 Carlton (8) JMP, 9/8 Rice (6) DAB. Late north 10/1 Becker DFN, 10/3 St. Louis ALE, 10/12 St. Louis JEB, 11/25 Carlton LAW (median 10/22). Late south 10/7 Dakota, Fillmore and Houston, 10/15 Steele NFT (median 11/3). Also see winter report. | ||||
| Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) | Late north sightings through 9/20, then only 10/8 Lake JWL, 10/23 Cook PHS, 11/6 Lake MTA. Late south 10/1 Hennepin DWK, 10/5 Brown JSS, 10/18 Lac qui Parle FAE. | ||||
| Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) | All reports: 8/1 Hennepin (Golden Valley) fide AXH, 9/23 Olmsted CCB, 10/14 Lac qui Parle (Walter Twp.) BJU, 10/15 St. Louis (Scenic 61 near Homestead Road) AXH, PHS, 10/28 Douglas (Osakis W.T.P.) JPE. | ||||
| Starlings | |||||
| European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) | Reported from 75 of 87 counties and throughout the season. | ||||
| Thrushes | |||||
| Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) | All November reports north: 11/1 Mille Lacs ASc and Pine JMP, 11/4 Kanabec JMP. Frequent south reports through 11/7, then 11/18 Houston FZL, 11/25 Blue Earth (4) ChH, 11/28 Scott (2) DWK; also see winter report. | ||||
| MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (Sialia currucoides) | Four individuals: 10/2 Wadena (female in Red Eye Twp.) PHS, 10/25-27 Cook (female near Grand Marais) RBJ, JGW, 10/26 Ramsey (male in Shoreview) AXH, 11/6 St. Louis (female at Tower municipal airport) SES, BET. | ||||
| Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) | North reports: 10/13 Beltrami (2 on Bemidji State University campus) BJU, 10/15 Cook (Brule River) AXH, 10/15 St. Louis (H.R.B.O., Duluth) BAF, 10/25 St. Louis (Scenic 61 just E of McQuade Road) MTA, 10/27 St. Louis (Duluth) FJN, RSB. South reports: 9/29 Dakota (Marshan Twp.) fide AXH, 10/11 Hennepin (Minnetonka) DMa, 11/10 Nobles (Leota Twp.) †NED, 11/11+ Sherburne (Ann Lake, second bird found 12/23) ASc, 11/25 Scott AXH. | ||||
| Veery (Catharus fuscescens) | Reports concentrated in the northeastern quarter of the state. Late north 9/26 Cook CJT, 10/3 St. Louis ALE (median 9/14). Late south 9/2 Houston FZL, 10/2 Wright DCZ (median 9/17). | ||||
| Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) | Found in ten north and three south counties. Early north 8/28 Clay BJU, 8/29 Beltrami and Cass BJU, 9/1 Hubbard BJU, 9/2 Polk EEF (median 9/3). Late north 9/22 St. Louis PHS, 9/29 Carlton LAW. All south reports: 9/4 Meeker DMF, 9/14 Lincoln RJS, 9/23 Sherburne PLJ. Also see undocumented reports. | ||||
| Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) | Good numbers moved through Schroeder in Cook 9/5–25 (CJT). Early south 8/16 Goodhue DOB, 8/23 Lac qui Parle BJU, 9/2 Ramsey and Rice. Late north dates beyond median (10/15) include three from Cook, culminating in 10/31 Cook JPM. Late south dates much earlier: 10/7 Dakota RBW, 10/10 Houston FZL. | ||||
| Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) | Found in every region but the Southwest. Early south 9/6 Brown BTS, 9/7 Fillmore NBO. One with aberrant plumage (all white primary P10) in Ramsey AXH. Plenty of late north reports through 10/18, then 10/26 Cook RBJ, 10/29 Lake JWL. Late south 11/14 Hennepin DWK, 11/17 Steele NFT, but also see winter report. | ||||
| Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) | North reports from Mille Lacs, Traverse and Cass in August, then only 9/1 Hubbard BJU, 9/12 St. Louis (banded at H.R.B.O.) fide JWL. South reports from five counties during August, then 9/11 Fillmore NBO, 10/4 Winona FZL, 10/9 Steele NFT. | ||||
| American Robin (Turdus migratorius) | Reported from all but two north and eight south counties. North reports in November mostly Northeast, but also Crow Wing, Kanabec, Pine. | ||||
| Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) | All reports: 10/14 Lac qui Parle (Caerulean W.M.A.) BJU, 11/2–8 St. Louis (Crane Lake) fide DMK, mid-November through 12/1 Beltrami (2 locations) fide KLa, 11/23+ Wadena (Menahga) JEC, 11/24+ Redwood (female in Redwood Falls) ph. †PBB, and late November+ in Anoka (Cedar) BC and Crow Wing (Jenkins Twp., second bird in late December) fide JSB. | ||||
| Old World Sparrows | |||||
| House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) | Statewide. | ||||
| Pipits | |||||
| American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) | Found in every region but the Southwest, including 23 north and 14 south counties. Early north 8/27 St. Louis PHS, 9/4 Cook PHS. Early south 9/7 Dakota JPM, 9/17 Le Sueur ChH. Only high count 10/12 Dakota (400 at Jirik Sod Farms) JPM. Late north 11/7 Cook SLF, 11/12 St. Louis PHS (median 10/31). Late south 11/5 Blue Earth ChH, 11/6 Renville (12) PRH, 11/11 Brown BTS. | ||||
| Finches | |||||
| Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) | Observed in 11 north counties. Three August reports: 8/1 Aitkin KWR, 8/17 Pine MCA, 8/27 St. Louis SES. High count 11/30 St. Louis (60) ALE. | ||||
| Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) | Seen in ten north counties as far south as Pine. Early north and seasonal high count 10/1 Beltrami (57) BJU; also arrived 10/1 Koochiching BJU. | ||||
| House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) | Reported statewide. | ||||
| Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) | Reported from 24 north and 17 south counties in all regions. Away from Sherburne (see summer report) south reports increased in early September. | ||||
| Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) | Reported from six north counties. Early north 10/30 Cass and Itasca BJU. Only reports south: 10/31 Sherburne ASc, 11/22 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni) | No reports. | ||||
| Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) | Only eight reports from five northern counties. Early north 9/18 Cook EEO. High count 11/4 St. Louis (25) RBJ. Only south reports: 10/14 Big Stone and 11/23 Chippewa BJU. | ||||
| White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) | Only seven reports from six northern counties. Early north 10/6 Beltrami BJU. Only western reports: 11/26 Clay DPW, 11/27 Wilkin BJU. | ||||
| Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) | Reported from 19 north and nine south counties. Early south (but see summer report) 8/13 Lac qui Parle BJU, 10/21 Rice TFB. All other south reports in November. | ||||
| American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) | Seen statewide. Interesting nesting report 9/4 Crow Wing RPR: “found 27 feet up in a white pine, may be a record height according to BNA account.” | ||||
| Longspurs and Snow Buntings | |||||
| Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) | Found in 15 north counties from early September through late November. Early north 9/9 Lake JWL, 9/18 St. Louis PHS. Reported in 16 south counties including early south 9/23 Brown BTS, 9/23 Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus) | All reports: 9/17 Clay (8 at Felton Prairie) BWF, 10/16 St. Louis (Stoney Point) †JCG. | ||||
| Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus) | Singles documented 9/30 St. Louis (Park Point, Duluth) †PHS, 10/20 St. Louis (Park Point) †MTA, 10/21 Big Stone (Browns Valley W.T.P.) †PHS. High count 10/29 Wilkin (50+ at Rothsay W.M.A.) †JPE. Reported without details from Beltrami (3), Cottonwood, Norman (31). | ||||
| Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) | Reported from 18 north and 19 south counties. Early north 10/8 Becker BJU and Lake MCA. Early south 10/17 Brown DAB, JWH, 10/23 Dakota JPM. | ||||
| Towhees, Sparrows | |||||
| Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) | Reported from five north and seven south counties. All observations from August, except late north 9/5 Wadena PJB and record-late south 10/24 Sherburne N.W.R. ASc. | ||||
| Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) | All north reports: 8/23 Clay JEB, 8/24 Polk JEB, 8/30 Cook CJT. First county record 8/4, 8/23 Lincoln BJU. Only subsequent report: 10/14 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| LARK BUNTING (Calamospiza melanocorys) | One in female-type plumage 8/30 Cook (Schroeder) †CJT. | ||||
| Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) | Reported from all regions. Tied record-high fall count 8/23 Olmsted (50 at Oakwood Cemetery) JWH. Late north 10/16 Grant BJU, 10/30 Cook JWL. Late south 10/16 Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) | Reported from 22 north and 17 south counties. Second-highest fall count 8/10 Kanabec (21) JMP. Late north 10/14 Pine JMP, 10/16 Cook MTA. Late south 10/14 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) | Reported from seven north counties, including unusual location 9/1 Beltrami BJU. Late north 10/9 Carlton JMP. Many reports August through mid-October in southern regions. Second-highest fall count 10/1 Steele (6 at Rice Lake S.P.) JWH. | ||||
| Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) | Seen in 24 north and 25 south counties in all regions. Early north 9/11 St. Louis ALE. Early south 9/17 Scott RBJ. Second-highest fall count 10/21 Olmsted (25 in southeast Rochester) JWH. Late north 11/1 Pine JMP, 11/15 St. Louis NAJ. Late south (but see winter report) 11/11 Sherburne ASc, 11/20 Fillmore NBO. | ||||
| American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) | Reported from all regions. Third-earliest north date 9/11 St. Louis ALE. Third-earliest south date 9/17 Scott RBJ. | ||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) | Reported from all regions. First arrivals south 9/4 Olmsted PWP, 9/17 Scott RBJ. | ||||
| White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) | Reported from 20 north and 15 south counties. Extraordinary north report 8/7 Carlton JMP is 13 days earlier than previous record; compare with median of 9/11. Early south 9/17 Scott RBJ, 9/23 Benton HHD. North reports through end of October, then 11/15 Cook CJT. No south reports after mid-October. | ||||
| Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) | Reported from 20 north and 17 south counties. Early north 9/11 St. Louis ALE, 9/22 Lake JWL. Early south 9/25 Meeker DMF, 9/29 Scott JEB. Please see winter report for late north migrants in Otter Tail and Polk. Bulk of reports followed typical pattern of early September through early November. | ||||
| White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) | Observed in all regions. Early south 9/3 Rice TFB, 9/9 Rice DAB and Yellow Medicine WCM. Record-high fall count 9/29 Sherburne (340) ASc; notable total of 150 at Park Point 9/22 St. Louis PHS. Late north (but see winter report) 11/28 Otter Tail DTT, SMT. | ||||
| Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) | Reported in all regions of the state (25 north and 29 south counties) through mid-October. Late north 10/17 Otter Tail JEB, RBJ. Late south 10/20 Dakota ADS, 11/6 Blue Earth RMD, JWH. | ||||
| LeConte's Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii) | Reported from seven north counties. High counts 10/8 Brown (21 in CRP field adjacent to Bashaw W.M.A.) BTS, 10/9 Meeker (15 at family farm NE of Darwin) DMF. Late north 9/29 Lake JWL and Otter Tail RBJ. Reported from 14 south counties during the typical migration period of mid-September through mid-October. Late south 10/22 Cottonwood WCM. | ||||
| Nelson's Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni) | Seen in six north counties including 8/29 Hubbard (Mud Lake, Farden Twp.) BJU, 10/1 Lake ASc. Early south 9/17+ Olmsted (South Landfill Reservoir) DAB, JWH, PWP. Late north 10/8 Mahnomen (Waubun W.M.A.) BJU. Late south 10/8 Brown (near Bashaw W.M.A.) †BTS, 10/9 Meeker (near Darwin) DMF. Additional south reports 10/1 Sherburne (Sherburne N.W.R.) LBF, 10/2 Nicollet (Swan L.) DAB, RMD, JWH. | ||||
| Henslow's Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii) | Observed in nine counties, capping a tremendous year for this species. All north reports: 8/28 Traverse BJU, 9/14 Beltrami (window kill at Bemidji) BJU. All south reports: 8/4 Lincoln (section 5, Hansonville Twp.) BJU, 8/6–13 Brown (Bashaw Twp.) BTS, JEB, 8/7 Lac qui Parle (3 at Plover Prairie S.N.A.) BJU, 8/8 Fillmore (3 at Hvoslef W.M.A.) JEB, m.ob., 8/10–13 Cottonwood (max. 7 at Jeffers Petroglyphs and Red Rock Prairie S.N.A.) RMD, JEB, RBJ, 8/16–9/3 Fillmore (Preston) JWH, 8/20–24 Olmsted (East Landfill Reservoir) JWH. | ||||
| Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) | Reported from all regions. High count 9/23 Olmsted (50 at South Landfill Reservoir) JWH. Late north 10/31 Lake JWL and Cook SLF, 11/2 Itasca JEB. Late south 10/29 Blue Earth RMD, 10/30 Renville DWK, 11/1 Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) | Reported in all regions throughout the season. Peak migration 10/8–14 Olmsted (25 at South Landfill Reservoir) JWH. Please see winter report for late migrants and overwintering birds. | ||||
| Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) | Seen in 19 north and 19 south counties. Early south 9/3 Dakota ADS. Late north 10/16 Lake JWL, 10/17 Otter Tail JEB, RBJ. Late south (but see winter report) 10/21 Olmsted JWH. | ||||
| Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) | Reported from 22 north and 28 south counties in all regions. No reports after the first week of November. Late north 10/30 Cook DAB, JWH. Late south 10/25 Rice DAB, 11/7 Scott RBW. | ||||
| Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) | Two reports: 9/17 Cass (forest road 2135) †BJU, 10/1 Rock (Blue Mounds S.P.) KRE. | ||||
| Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) | Reported from 6 north and 15 south counties. Late north 10/13 Clearwater BJU. Late south 10/16 Olmsted JWH, 10/29 Cottonwood BRB. | ||||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | |||||
| Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) | No reports. | ||||
| Blackbirds, Orioles | |||||
| Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) | Only 11 north reports from 8 counties. Late north 10/8 Norman BJU. Reported from 12 south counties through mid-September. Late south 11/18 Steele NFT. | ||||
| Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) | Reported from 12 north counties through mid-September. High count 8/22 Otter Tail (131) RBJ. Late north 9/17 Cass BJU. Reported in 19 south counties through mid-October. Last reported 10/14 Olmsted JWH, 10/27 (record-late south) Watonwan BRB. | ||||
| Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) | Reported from five north counties (central and eastern regions) through mid-October, then late north 10/30 Pine JMP. High count 9/27 Kanabec (27) JMP. Reported from 10 south counties (central and east regions) through mid-October; still singing 10/9 Sherburne DWK. Late south (no details) 11/1 Olmsted JWH, 11/8 Houston FZL. | ||||
| Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | Found in 12 north counties including 10/15–16 Lake (Two Harbors, identified by call) AXH, †PHS, †JWL. Late north 10/18 Norman JEB, RBJ, 10/19 Wilkin JEB. Reported from 18 south counties in western and central regions until mid-October. High count 9/17 Swift (20) DWK. Late south 10/23 Cottonwood WCM. | ||||
| Sturnella meadowlark (Sturnella sp.) | Unidentified meadowlark 11/11 Sherburne ASc. | ||||
| Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) | No north reports. Reported from seven south counties. Late south (median 8/26) 8/23 Lac qui Parle and Lincoln BJU. | ||||
| Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) | Seen in 14 north and 18 south counties. North reports through mid-September, then 10/14 Pine JMP. All south reports in August, except 9/2 Rice DAB and Steele NFT, 9/4 Dakota ADS. | ||||
| Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) | Reported in all regions. No significant high counts. | ||||
| Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) | Reported from all regions. Late north 10/15 St. Louis MTA, 10/16 Grant BJU, 10/30 Itasca BJU. Late south (but see winter report) 11/15 Freeborn AEB, 11/19 Rice DAB. | ||||
| Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) | Seen in 18 north and 14 south counties. Early north 9/13 Lake JWL, 9/24 Cass MRN. Early south 9/25 Dakota JPM, 9/27 Dakota TEB and Ramsey EEO. Late north 11/6 Cook KRE, 11/21 Norman BJU; also see winter report. | ||||
| Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) | Reported in 12 north and 11 south counties. High count 9/28 Clay (250 in one pasture) RBJ. Late north 11/1 Mille Lacs ASc and Pine JMP. Late south 11/15 Freeborn AEB, 11/19 Rice FVS, DAB. | ||||
| Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) | Reported in all regions throughout the season. Seasonal high count of 1,000 on 11/11 Rice DAB. As always, see winter report for late migrants and overwintering birds. | ||||
| Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) | Only report 10/17 Jackson (3 at cattle lot along state highway 86) DWK. | ||||
| Warblers | |||||
| Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) | Late north 9/20 Cook, Mille Lacs and St. Louis, 9/25 Carlton LAW (same as median). Late south 9/17 Olmsted, Scott and Sherburne, then only 10/5 Hennepin DWK (median 10/11). | ||||
| Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) | No reports. | ||||
| Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) | Reported from 15 north and 13 south counties. Early south 8/11 Sherburne ASc, 8/13 Hennepin ChM and Rice (3) DAB, FVS. Late north 9/19 Polk EEF, 9/20 Cook CJT, 10/3 St. Louis SLF, LAW (median 9/27). Late south 9/15 Olmsted JWH, 9/27 Hennepin ChM (median 10/3). | ||||
| Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) | Early south 8/6 Sherburne ASc, 8/11 Lac qui Parle BJU, then none until 8/21 Anoka, Hennepin and Rice. Late north 9/9 Cass BAW, 9/14 Mille Lacs ASc and Pine (9) JMP (median 9/8). Late south 9/24 Fillmore NBO, 10/2 Hennepin DOB (median 9/21). Single “Brewster's” Warblers 8/10 St. Louis JWB, 9/4 Crow Wing JPM. | ||||
| Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) | No north reports. Found in 12 counties south, including 8/23 Lac qui Parle BJU. All September reports south: 9/2 Houston FZL and Rice (2) DAB, through 9/11 in Fillmore NBO | ||||
| Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) | Four north reports later than median (9/28): 9/30 Pine JMP, 10/1 Koochiching BJU, 10/20 St. Louis SLF, 10/30 (third-latest north date) Pine JMP. Late south 9/23 Rice DAB, 9/24 Fillmore NBO, 10/3 Dakota RBW (median 10/4). | ||||
| Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) | All reports: third county record 8/13 Lac qui Parle †BJU, 8/18 Goodhue RPR, 8/21 Winona CAS, 8/27 Washington LBF. | ||||
| Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) | Widespread except in Southwest, where only found in Lincoln. High counts 8/29 St. Louis (100) ALE, 8/31 St. Louis (47) SLF. Please see summer report for early south migrants. Late north 10/8 Mahnomen and Norman BJU, 10/16 Cook CJT (median 10/17). Late south 10/10 Sherburne ASc, 10/11 Hennepin DWK, 10/15 Ramsey REH. | ||||
| Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) | Found in 20 north and 19 south counties in all regions. Early north 9/3 Roseau KRE and St. Louis PHS, 9/4 Clearwater BJU. Early south 9/3 Hennepin BAF, 9/6 Hennepin ChM. Late north 10/26 St. Louis NAJ, 10/30 Cook DAB and Pine JMP, 11/7 Cook †DWK (median 10/20). Late south 10/16 Hennepin (2) BAF and Nobles JEB, 10/19 Ramsey JPS (median 10/23). | ||||
| Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) | Found in 21 north and 29 south counties. Peak migration 8/15–21 Cook (total of 66) CJT. Late north 10/16 Cook MTA and Lake JWL, 10/30 Pine JMP. Late south 10/14 Waseca JPM, 10/15 Fillmore NBO and Ramsey REH. | ||||
| Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis) | Reported from eight north and six south counties. Departed within two days of recent medians. Early south 8/23 Lac qui Parle and Lincoln BJU. Late north 9/18 Lake JWL. Late south 9/18 Anoka DWK. | ||||
| Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) | Reported from 12 north and 13 south counties. Record-high fall count matched 8/22 Cook (5) CJT. Early south 8/11 Hennepin ChM. Late north 9/12 Beltrami BJU. Late south 9/20 Nicollet RMD. | ||||
| KENTUCKY WARBLER (Geothlypis formosa) | No documented fall reports since 20 August 1988 (The Loon 61:75). | ||||
| Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) | Reported in all regions of the state. Second-highest fall count 8/17 Pine (50) MCA. Late north 10/14 Pine JMP, 10/15 Lake MTA. Late south 10/7 Dakota RBW. | ||||
| Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) | All reports: from summer through 8/23 at Sherburne N.W.R. PLJ, through 8/27 (singing male) and 9/17 (female) Scott (Murphy-Hanrehan P.R.) BAF, 9/12 Hennepin (Wood L.) †CMB. | ||||
| American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) | Well-represented in all regions except the Southwest, where only reported 8/23 Lincoln (BJU). Late north 10/3 Beltrami BJU, 10/6 St. Louis JWL (same as recent median). Late south 10/1 Goodhue BAF, 10/5 Hennepin DWK, 10/15 Ramsey REH. | ||||
| Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) | Three reports from the western third of the state, including early south 8/11 Lac qui Parle BJU and a first county record 9/13 Wilkin RBJ. No other south reports until 8/27 Freeborn AEB, 8/29 Sherburne PLJ. Late north 10/29 Cook KRE, SMc, 10/30 Cook (2) JWL (median 10/20). Late south 9/14 Dodge JWH, 9/27 Isanti ASc (median 9/25). | ||||
| Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) | Only report: 8/13 Lac qui Parle (male in Cerro Gordo Twp.) †BJU. | ||||
| Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) | Only two reports from the western third of the state. Early south 8/13 Lac qui Parle BJU, 8/23 Lincoln BJU, 8/31 Dakota JPM. Late north (median 9/21) 9/26 Cook CJT, 10/12 St. Louis JWL, 11/8 (latest north date) Cook †SLF, DBF. Late south 9/14 Dodge JWH, 9/18 Anoka (2) DWK (median 9/28). | ||||
| Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) | High count 8/31 Fillmore (23) NBO. Early south 8/13 Lac qui Parle BJU, 8/17 Fillmore NBO (median 8/14). Late north 9/30 St. Louis LAW, 10/3 St. Louis SLF (median 10/1). Only October reports south: 10/3 Dakota RBW, 10/4 Hennepin DOB (median 10/5). | ||||
| Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) | Reported form 15 north and 15 south counties. High counts 9/4 Dakota (10) ADS, 9/5 Becker (20 at Dunton Locks C.P.) MO. Early south (median 8/16) 8/21 Anoka DWK and Hennepin ChM, 8/23 Lincoln BJU. Late north 9/20 Itasca JEB, 9/26 Mille Lacs ASc. Late south 9/17 Dakota JPM and Olmsted DAB, JWH, 9/19 Sherburne ASc. | ||||
| Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) | Found in 16 north and 17 south counties. Early south 8/11 Hennepin ChM, 8/13 Lac qui Parle BJU and Rice TFB. Late north 9/20 Itasca JEB, 9/25 St. Louis JWL, 10/22 (ties latest north date) Lake KRE (median 9/19). Late south 9/18 Anoka (4) DWK, 9/24 Dakota BAF (median 9/26). | ||||
| Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) | Only four south reports after 9/2, though still reported from eight north counties after this date. Late north 9/19 St. Louis SLF, 9/20 Pennington JMJ (median 9/19). Late south 9/17 Carver REH, 9/19 Hennepin DWK (median 9/29). | ||||
| Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) | High counts 8/3 Lake (20) CJT and 9/2 Rice (13) DAB. Early south (away from Sherburne) 8/11 Lac qui Parle BJU. Late north 9/22 St. Louis LAW, 9/26 Mille Lacs ASc (median 9/27). Late south 9/21 Olmsted LAV, 9/24 Fillmore NBO, 10/5 Hennepin DWK (median 10/1). | ||||
| Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) | Early north 8/15 Carlton JMP, 8/28 Cook DFN (median 8/25). Early south 8/23 Lincoln BJU, 8/24 Hennepin ChM (median 8/18). Two October reports north: 10/6 Lake (2) JWL, 10/15 St. Louis MTA. Late south 9/20 Houston FZL and 9/26 Dakota JPM both preceded median late date (10/1). | ||||
| Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) | Found in five north and five south counties. North reports away from the Northeast 9/1 Mille Lacs ASc, 9/4 Beltrami (male, Long Lake W.M.A.) BJU, 9/25 Itasca †EEO. Early south 8/23 Lincoln (female at Hole-in-the-Mountain C.P.) BJU. Late north 9/28 St. Louis (Duluth) LBe. South reports from Hennepin, Olmsted and Waseca in the first half of September, then late south 9/17 Nicollet ChH. | ||||
| Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) | High count a paltry dozen in Kanabec (9/27, JMP). Early south 8/30 Sherburne PLJ, 9/1 Olmsted PWP (median 8/25). Late north 10/16 Lake JWL, 10/17 Lake SLF. Late south 10/9 Dakota and Hennepin, then 10/14 Anoka JLH and Olmsted JWH. All departures 4 or 5 days earlier than recent medians. | ||||
| Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) | All reports from North-central, Northeast, Central and East-central regions. Record-high count tied 8/17 Pine (20) MCA. Late north 9/25 Cass MRN, 9/30 St. Louis LAW, then 10/30–31 Cook (Grand Marais) BJM, DDM, JPM, m.ob. South reports from Sherburne (8/4, PLJ), Anoka (up to 5 birds 8/21–9/18), and (late south) 9/21 Ramsey REH. | ||||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) | Reported from 28 north and 29 south counties, but only Nobles in the Southwest. Early south (median 8/21) 8/21 Winona CAS, 8/23 Watonwan DLB, 8/31 Steele NFT. High count 10/6 Fillmore (60) NBO. Late north 10/31 Cook SLF, 11/1 Beltrami BJU. Late south 10/30 Lac qui Parle FAE, 11/6 Blue Earth JWH, 11/22 Dakota (8) JPM. Also see winter report. | ||||
| BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER (Setophaga nigrescens) | Sixth for the state and third fall record 10/14 St. Louis (Virginia) †SLF. | ||||
| Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) | Early south (away from known summer locations) 8/15 Lac qui Parle BJU, 8/21 Meeker DMF. Late north 9/29 Lake JWL, 10/9 St. Louis SLF (median 9/29). Late south 9/26 Ramsey SWe, 9/27 Hennepin ChM, then none until record-late 11/5 Hennepin (female at Lake Harriet) †FJH. | ||||
| Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) | Found in 12 north and 18 south counties. Early south 8/13 Hennepin PEB, 8/18 Meeker DMF. Late north 9/18 Pine JMP. Late south 9/17 Le Sueur WCM. | ||||
| Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) | Reported from 17 north and 25 south counties. Early south 8/20 Benton and Stearns HHD, 8/20 Dakota JPM. Late north 9/14 Mille Lacs ASc, 9/18 Douglas HHD. Late south 10/1 Hennepin DWK. | ||||
| Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks | |||||
| Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) | Resuming the pattern of late October strays along the North Shore of L. Superior was a female at Croftville 10/30 Cook BJM, DDM, KRE, JWL, JPM et al. | ||||
| Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) | Late north 9/13 Lake JWL, 9/18 Douglas HHD. Reported from 12 additional north counties including Wilkin. Late south 9/13 Fillmore NBO, 9/17 Nicollet ChH. Observed in four more south counties including Lincoln. | ||||
| Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | Reported throughout the state as far north as 9/4 Lake of the Woods (Zippel Bay S.P.) KRE et al. | ||||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) | Seen in 19 north and 24 south counties from all regions. North reports through mid-September, then later than median (9/29) reports 10/14 Pine JMP, 10/16 Hubbard PBB, 11/6 St. Louis ALE. Reported consistently in south until early October. Late south (median 10/14) 10/1 Fillmore NBO and Sherburne LBF, 10/5 Hennepin DWK. | ||||
| Pheucticus grosbeak (Pheucticus sp.) | Unidentified female-plumaged grosbeak 10/30 Cook KRE. | ||||
| Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) | All reports: 8/12 Brown †BRB, 8/13 Chippewa (Wegdahl) BJU, 8/18 Rock (Blue Mounds S.P.) ChM. | ||||
| Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) | Only seven reports north. Record-late north 11/6 St. Louis ALE. Reported in 28 south counties; many reports August through mid-September. Late south 9/25 Hennepin BAF, 10/1 Olmsted PWP. | ||||
| Dickcissel (Spiza americana) | Only north report: 8/28 Clay BJU. Reported from six south counties including (late south) 8/23 Lincoln BJU. | ||||