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Seasonal Report Archive for The Loon | |
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The 2006-Spring Season 1 March through 31 May 2006 Paul E. Budde, James W. Lind, William C. Marengo, and Peder H. Svingen |
Record-high counts of Greater White-fronted, Ross's, and Cackling geese were obtained in western Minnesota. A drake Eurasian Wigeon was found in Beltrami, but like many of this spring's rarities, it could not be refound. Drake Cinnamon Teal showed up in two locations and a drake Barrow's Goldeneye rounded out the list of unusual waterfowl. Providing a second Dakota County record, and found by the same observer who found the first one 29 April 2004 (The Loon 76:191–192), was a Red-throated Loon at Lake Byllesby 30 April. A total of 26 Snowy Egrets more than doubled last spring's tally but still fell short of the 36 individuals recorded in Spring 2004. Seven Little Blue Herons was the most in recent memory with two (possibly the same individual) along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Cattle Egrets showed well again this spring and two Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were reported. Becoming regular in western Minnesota, an easterly White-faced Ibis was still unexpected at Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area (W.M.A.) north of the Twin Cities. Most welcome was the record-high count of 1,213 Bald Eagles at Lake Pepin 12 March.
Shorebird surveys were conducted again this year in western Minnesota, but shorebird habitat was hard to find, especially after heavy rains in May; scheduled drawdowns at Big Stone and Agassiz National Wildlife Refuges produced good habitat later in the year. Piping Plover was apparently absent from the state this spring, though small numbers were later found in summer. Most unusual were two Black-necked Stilts at Carlos Avery W.M.A. 27 May, but almost as unexpected was a Whimbrel on the 31st. Another out-of-range Whimbrel was found in Lac Qui Parle County, but this species was scarce along the North Shore. In what may become a depressing mantra, Red Knot was almost non-existent, and Ruddy Turnstone and Sanderling were scarce.
Furnishing the 7th state record in three years and 9th overall was a White-winged Dove in Kanabec County. Encouraging was the presence of Burrowing Owls in three locations; two pairs in northwestern Minnesota attended burrows, but apparently failed to produce young. Careful listening to the digital recording of a calling male at the Rochester airport revealed the sultry music of Billie Holiday in the background! The always breathtaking Scissor-tailed Flycatcher appeared in two western counties. A total of 29 Loggerhead Shrikes in 12 counties almost matched last spring's showing, but remained below average compared to the early 1990s for the 10th consecutive spring. A White-eyed Vireo at Blue Mounds State Park was the 7th to be found in western Minnesota; previous records were in Chippewa (22 May 1994), Clay (28 May 1989, 24 May 2001, and 5 June 2004), Lyon (28 May 2001), and Otter Tail (20 May 2000) counties. Another excellent find was the singing Rock Wren in Rice County.
Participants in the annual Hawk Ridge Birdathon found 24 species of warblers in St. Louis County 21 May (26 species last year). No Casual or Accidental species of warbler were found anywhere in the state, but unusual locations included a Cerulean Warbler in Two Harbors and a Prothonotary Warbler in Polk County. The barely-Regular Yellow-breasted Chat was found in three southern locations. Compared to recent springs, Summer Tanager was scarce, but seven Western Tanagers were found. Spotted Towhee was reported from five southern and western locations during its expected spring migration window; more newsworthy was the successful overwintering of one near Cook in northern St. Louis County! Weather Summary: Temperatures for March were above average in the northern two-thirds of Minnesota and near average in southern regions. Extremes ranged from 66ºF on the 30th at Canby, Yellow Medicine County, to -15ºF at Hallock, Kittson County, and Embarrass, St. Louis County, in mid-March. Snowstorms 12–13 and 15–16 March dropped more than a foot of snow from the Twin Cities to Red Wing. For the month of March, precipitation totals were above average in northern and southern regions, but one-half to one inch below normal in central regions.
April mean temperatures exceeded historical averages by four to eight degrees. During a nine-day period in mid-April, temperatures were 10–20ºF above normal. Precipitation totals for April were well above normal in southern and central regions and near average to below average in the north. For many communities in far southern Minnesota, it was the wettest April on record. Heavy rains produced localized flooding in southern Minnesota 6–7 April. Ice-out occurred during the first week of April for most of southern Minnesota and by the second week of April across central Minnesota; Mille Lacs opened up on the 13th. Lakes in northern Minnesota were ice-free by the third week of April, anywhere from one to two weeks earlier than normal; the last to go was Lake of the Woods on the 20th.
May precipitation totals were below the historical average by an inch or more in many locations. Mean temperatures for May were slightly above average for most locations. Memorial Day Weekend was especially warm with temperatures reaching the 90s in many southern locations and setting records as far north as Grand Forks, where it reached 95ºF on the 28th.
Undocumented reports: Barrow's Goldeneye 4/14 St. Louis (Embarrass); Clark's Grebe 4/21 Kandiyohi (Swan L.); Buff-breasted Sandpiper 5/30 Chippewa (near Milan); Thayer's Gull 5/19 Mille Lacs (late date,potential first county record); Eurasian Collared-Dove 5/14 Nobles, 5/25 McLeod (potential first county records); Yellow-billed Cuckoo 5/4 Big Stone (exceptional date); Tufted Titmouse 5/17 Aitkin (far out of range and unseasonal at Rice Lake N.W.R.); Western Tanager 5/4–5 Becker (Detroit Lakes); Evening Grosbeak 3/9 Lac Qui Parle. Acknowledgments: We thank Dave Carman and Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory for data from the West Skyline Hawk Count in Duluth, and Anthony Hertzel, Jim Lind, and Jeanie Joppru for transcripts of 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. We thank all of our contributors and especially those who submit documentation for unusual sightings.
Furnishing the 7th state record in three years and 9th overall was a White-winged Dove in Kanabec County. Encouraging was the presence of Burrowing Owls in three locations; two pairs in northwestern Minnesota attended burrows, but apparently failed to produce young. Careful listening to the digital recording of a calling male at the Rochester airport revealed the sultry music of Billie Holiday in the background! The always breathtaking Scissor-tailed Flycatcher appeared in two western counties. A total of 29 Loggerhead Shrikes in 12 counties almost matched last spring's showing, but remained below average compared to the early 1990s for the 10th consecutive spring. A White-eyed Vireo at Blue Mounds State Park was the 7th to be found in western Minnesota; previous records were in Chippewa (22 May 1994), Clay (28 May 1989, 24 May 2001, and 5 June 2004), Lyon (28 May 2001), and Otter Tail (20 May 2000) counties. Another excellent find was the singing Rock Wren in Rice County.
Participants in the annual Hawk Ridge Birdathon found 24 species of warblers in St. Louis County 21 May (26 species last year). No Casual or Accidental species of warbler were found anywhere in the state, but unusual locations included a Cerulean Warbler in Two Harbors and a Prothonotary Warbler in Polk County. The barely-Regular Yellow-breasted Chat was found in three southern locations. Compared to recent springs, Summer Tanager was scarce, but seven Western Tanagers were found. Spotted Towhee was reported from five southern and western locations during its expected spring migration window; more newsworthy was the successful overwintering of one near Cook in northern St. Louis County! Weather Summary: Temperatures for March were above average in the northern two-thirds of Minnesota and near average in southern regions. Extremes ranged from 66ºF on the 30th at Canby, Yellow Medicine County, to -15ºF at Hallock, Kittson County, and Embarrass, St. Louis County, in mid-March. Snowstorms 12–13 and 15–16 March dropped more than a foot of snow from the Twin Cities to Red Wing. For the month of March, precipitation totals were above average in northern and southern regions, but one-half to one inch below normal in central regions.
April mean temperatures exceeded historical averages by four to eight degrees. During a nine-day period in mid-April, temperatures were 10–20ºF above normal. Precipitation totals for April were well above normal in southern and central regions and near average to below average in the north. For many communities in far southern Minnesota, it was the wettest April on record. Heavy rains produced localized flooding in southern Minnesota 6–7 April. Ice-out occurred during the first week of April for most of southern Minnesota and by the second week of April across central Minnesota; Mille Lacs opened up on the 13th. Lakes in northern Minnesota were ice-free by the third week of April, anywhere from one to two weeks earlier than normal; the last to go was Lake of the Woods on the 20th.
May precipitation totals were below the historical average by an inch or more in many locations. Mean temperatures for May were slightly above average for most locations. Memorial Day Weekend was especially warm with temperatures reaching the 90s in many southern locations and setting records as far north as Grand Forks, where it reached 95ºF on the 28th.
Undocumented reports: Barrow's Goldeneye 4/14 St. Louis (Embarrass); Clark's Grebe 4/21 Kandiyohi (Swan L.); Buff-breasted Sandpiper 5/30 Chippewa (near Milan); Thayer's Gull 5/19 Mille Lacs (late date,potential first county record); Eurasian Collared-Dove 5/14 Nobles, 5/25 McLeod (potential first county records); Yellow-billed Cuckoo 5/4 Big Stone (exceptional date); Tufted Titmouse 5/17 Aitkin (far out of range and unseasonal at Rice Lake N.W.R.); Western Tanager 5/4–5 Becker (Detroit Lakes); Evening Grosbeak 3/9 Lac Qui Parle. Acknowledgments: We thank Dave Carman and Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory for data from the West Skyline Hawk Count in Duluth, and Anthony Hertzel, Jim Lind, and Jeanie Joppru for transcripts of 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. We thank all of our contributors and especially those who submit documentation for unusual sightings.
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Species |
Information |
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| Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks | |||||
| Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) | Found in 28 south and 5 north counties in all regions except the Northeast. See winter report for early south migrants. Early north 3/19 Grant SPM, 3/30 Marshall fide JMJ. Late south 5/16 Yellow Medicine WCM, 5/27 Nobles BTS. Late north 4/18 Crow Wing MRN (median 5/27). Peak concentrations 3/10 Cottonwood (30,000) BRB, 4/2–3 Traverse (15,700) KJB. | ||||
| Ross's Goose (Anser rossii) | Seen in 18 south and 4 north counties. Seasonal total of 867+ included 3/12 Jackson (85) DFN and record high count 4/2 Traverse (529 carefully identified; 109 more found elsewhere in the county 4/3) KJB. Early south 3/3 Brown †BTS, HHD and Rice DAB, FVS, 3/4 Dakota ADS (median 3/21). Early north 3/28 Traverse BAW, 4/7 St. Louis (Virginia) †SLF. Late south 5/10 Dakota JPM, 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU, also see summer report. Late north 5/24 Otter Tail SPM, 5/27 St. Louis (Interstate Island, Duluth) †DWK. First state record of blue-morph documented 4/2 Traverse †KJB. | ||||
| Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) | Seen in 28 south and 7 north counties in all regions except the Northeast. Please see winter report for early south migrants; unusually far east was a concentration of >1,500 at Lake Byllesby 3/11 Dakota/Goodhue DWK, ADS, LS. Early north 3/18 Grant HHD, 3/24 Traverse MO (median 3/29). Late south 5/10 Dakota JPM, 5/16 Lac qui Parle BJU and Yellow Medicine WCM. Late north 4/15 Todd (2 at Browerville lagoons) BWF, 4/26 Beltrami RBJ. Record high count 4/4 Traverse (18,200 flying over Mud L.) KJB; this compared well with a two-day count of 18,645 in flooded fields 4/2–3 Traverse. Other notable counts 3/25 Lac qui Parle (9,600) BJU and Cottonwood (6,000) BRB. Leucistic individual 3/30–4/3 Dakota ph. JPM. | ||||
| Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) | Reported from 22 south and 10 north counties, but documented in only 8 counties. Please see winter report for early south migrants. Early north 3/18 Grant HHD, 3/30 St. Louis MLH. Record-high count 3/25 Cottonwood (3,000 estimated in flock of 10,000 geese) BRB. Other notable counts 4/2–3 Traverse (2,317 carefully identified and counted individually) †KJB, 3/12 Jackson (184) †DFN. All other documented reports: 3/1 Brown (3) †BTS, 3/4 Dakota (5 near Hastings) †ADS, 3/8 Scott (7) †CMB, 3/9–11 Dakota (max. 150, L. Byllesby) †JPM, †DFN, †CMB, 3/10 Meeker †DMF, 3/11 Hennepin (50) †DFN, 3/16 Washington (1) †DFN, 5/16 Lac qui Parle (1) †BJU. 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 statewide. | ||||
| Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) | All reports: 4/7 Sherburne (Sherburne N.W.R.) †ASc, 4/9 Ramsey (White Bear L.) HHD, 5/28 Big Stone (near Clinton, origin?) †PHS. | ||||
| Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) | Statewide total at least 455 swans in 31 south and 23 north counties in all regions. Please continue to report numbers, exact locations and dates of observations. | ||||
| Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) | Seen in 26 south and 21 north counties, none in Southwest. Early south 3/3 Rice FVS, 3/5 Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north 3/27 St. Louis JWL, JRN, LAW, 3/28 Red Lake SAS. Late south 5/18 Sherburne ASc (only May report south; recent median 5/5). Late north 5/17 Beltrami and Lake of the Woods JEB, RBJ, 5/28 Marshall †PHS (median 5/28). Record-high spring counts 4/12 Clay/Norman (12,500 between Halstad and Kragnes) BWF, 4/12 Clearwater (10,000 at rice paddies near Gonvick) KLa; notable counts 3/26 Dakota (3,072 at H.P.B.C) KJB, 4/2 Traverse (5,400) KJB. | ||||
| Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) | Found in 49 south and 30 north counties. Early north (but see winter report) 3/19 Otter Tail SPM, 3/27 St. Louis JRN. | ||||
| Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) | Seen in 49 south and 30 north counties. Early south 3/10 Lac qui Parle BJU, 3/11 Dakota JPM (median 3/12). Early north 4/3 Clay PBB, 4/4 Kanabec CAM, St. Louis JRN and Traverse BWF (median 3/30). | ||||
| Cinnamon Teal (Spatula cyanoptera) | Single adult males reported 4/12–13 Cass (Brockway L.) LO, †CMB, ph. DAY, ph. †PHS, 5/26 Nobles (Worthington lagoons, second county record) †BTS. | ||||
| Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) | Found in 49 south and 30 north counties. Early south 3/6 Brown BTS, Olmsted LAV, PWP and Rice DAB, TFB. Early north 3/27 Kanabec CAM, 3/29 Otter Tail DTT, SMT. Peak 4/11 Dakota (700 at L. Byllesby) JPM. | ||||
| Gadwall (Mareca strepera) | Reported from 48 south and 22 north counties. Please see winter report for numerous south reports and possible overwintering birds in the north. Early north 3/18 Grant HHD, 3/19 Otter Tail SPM. | ||||
| EURASIAN WIGEON (Mareca penelope) | Second county record 5/17 Beltrami (adult male, rice paddies near Waskish) †RBJ, †JEB. | ||||
| American Wigeon (Mareca americana) | Found in 39 south and 18 north counties. Early south (but see winter report) 3/1 Rice TFB, 3/7 Brown BTS. Early north 4/3 Clay PBB, 4/4 Traverse and Wilkin BWF, St. Louis JRN. | ||||
| Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) | Reported statewide. | ||||
| American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) | Observed in 12 south and 7 north counties. Late south (but also see summer report) 5/9 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/19 Dakota DAC. Only other west reports 3/12 Jackson (4) DFN, 5/7 Polk PHS. | ||||
| Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) | Observed in 34 south and 18 north counties. See winter report for overwintering and early south migrants. Early north 3/26 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 3/31 Kanabec CAM (median 3/19). Peak count 4/22 Roseau (750) JMJ, PHS. | ||||
| Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) | Seen in 42 south and 24 north counties. Early south 3/7 Dakota JLO, 3/8 Brown BTS. Early north 3/26 Kanabec CAM, 3/29 Pine JMP. | ||||
| Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) | Reported from 39 south and 17 north counties. Please see winter report for early south migrants. Early north 4/2 Clay PBB and St. Louis SLF, 4/4 Traverse and Wilkin BWF (median 3/27). High counts 3/23 Winona (5,400 at Pool 5a on Mississippi R.) KJB, 4/1 Jackson (1,450 at Round L.) KJB. | ||||
| Redhead (Aythya americana) | Found in 40 south and 24 north counties. Please see winter report for early south migrants. Early north 3/27 Kanabec CAM, 4/2 St. Louis JCG and Clay RHO (median 3/24). | ||||
| Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) | Found in 49 south and 32 north counties. See winter report for overwintering and early south migrants. Early north 3/15 Douglas fide JMJ, 3/18 Grant HHD. High counts 3/23 Houston (5,600 in Mississippi R. backwaters) KJB, 4/2 Traverse (2,400 at Mud L.) KJB. | ||||
| Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) | Reported from 27 south and 14 north counties. Early north (away from Duluth where five overwintered) 3/31 Kanabec CAM, 4/3 Clay PBB. Late south 5/13 Steele DAB, KRV, NFT, 5/27 Nobles BTS (median 5/14). Late north 5/13 Marshall JMJ, 5/20 Becker LEC. | ||||
| Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) | Found in 48 south and 31 north counties. Please see winter report for overwintering and early south migrants. Early north 3/4 Wilkin BWF, 3/18 Grant HHD (median 3/16). High count 3/29 Houston (2,000) PBB. | ||||
| Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) | No reports. | ||||
| Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) | All reports: 5/8 St. Louis (adult male and female on L. Superior) PHS, 5/25 Lake (adult male in Two Harbors) JWL. | ||||
| White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) | All reports: 3/4 St. Louis (2 at Duluth since mid-Feb) CMB, 4/19 Otter Tail (pair at L. Christina) GO, 5/8–12 St. Louis (max. 5 at Park Point, Duluth) PHS, JCG, 5/26 Cook (Paradise Beach) DFN. | ||||
| Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) | No reports. | ||||
| Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) | All south reports: 3/26 Dakota (3 on Minnesota R.) NAJ, 3/28 Lac qui Parle (adult male at Big Stone N.W.R.) BJU. All north reports from L. Superior: 3/9–4/21 St. Louis (max. 10) JWL, 5/12–20 Lake (6 at Two Harbors) JWL, 5/12 St. Louis (3 at Park Point, Duluth) JCG, 5/19–26 Cook (max. 17) DFN, JWL, SMc. | ||||
| Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) | Reported from 48 south and 28 north counties. Overwintered in Hennepin; early south 3/5 Steele NFT, 3/8 Brown BTS (median 3/4). Overwintered in Otter Tail; early north (away from L. Superior) 3/31 Kanabec CAM, 4/1 Itasca EEO (median 3/22). Late south 5/16 Yellow Medicine WCM, 5/18 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) | Reported from 39 south and 26 north counties. Highest reported count 3/12 Goodhue/Wabasha (500 on L. Pepin) KJB. Late south 5/12 (same as median date) Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) | Seen in 47 south and 28 north counties. Early south (away from overwintering locations) 3/1 Olmsted JWH, LAV and Rice TFB, 3/4 Chippewa BJU. Early north (away from overwintering locations in Duluth and Fergus Falls) 3/5 Wadena PJB, 3/14 St. Louis (Virginia) SLF. High count 3/15 Dakota (344 at Black Dog L.) KJB. | ||||
| Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) | Observed in 44 south and 21 north counties. Early north (away from overwintering locations) 3/9 Crow Wing MRN, 3/18 Grant HHD. Late south 5/9 Goodhue CRM, 5/17 Sherburne ADB. Record-high spring count 3/17 Goodhue (3,450 at L. Pepin) KJB. | ||||
| Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) | Reported from 38 south and 15 north counties in all regions. Early south 3/10 Lac qui Parle and Swift BJU, 3/11 Brown BTS, Dakota m.ob., Meeker DMF. Early north (away from L. Superior) 3/31 Kanabec CAM, 4/6 Otter Tail fide JMJ. Late south 5/13 Steele DAB, KRV, NFT. | ||||
| Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) | Seen in 41 south and 10 north counties, none in Northeast. Early south 3/10 Lac qui Parle BJU and Steele NFT, 3/11 (median date) Freeborn AEB. Early north (median 4/5) 4/9 Traverse DFN; peak migration 4/22–30 in six north counties. Unusual location 5/23 Cass (Remer lagoons) BAW. | ||||
| Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys | |||||
| Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) | Reported from 56 counties as far north as Pennington, Becker, Wadena, Cass, Crow Wing, Aitkin, Pine. Peak count of 50 in Dakota JPM. | ||||
| Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) | Seen in 30 counties within range, including Dakota (Miesville Ravine) JPM, Fillmore NBO, Goodhue and Houston DFN. | ||||
| Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis) | All reports: small numbers during May in four Lake of the Woods locations (BRB, MHK), plus 4/27 Itasca JEB. | ||||
| Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) | All north reports: Aitkin (max. 6 near Tamarack), Beltrami, Carlton, Clearwater, Kanabec, Lake of the Woods (3), Pennington (max. 75 on 3 leks), Pine (max. 7), Red Lake (max. 4), St. Louis. Continuing the trend noted during the winter season were observations outside of typical range in Big Stone (Big Stone N.W.R.) and Lac qui Parle (max. 28 in 6 locations) BJU. | ||||
| Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) | Released birds seen in Big Stone, Lac qui Parle (max. 19 at Plover Prairie), Swift BJU. All north reports: Becker, Clay (max. 35 at Bluestem Prairie), Norman (max. 65 near Gary), Otter Tail (2), Pennington (max. 6 near Carpenter's Corner), Polk (max. 4), Red Lake (max. 10 near Oklee), Wadena (11 at Burgen Lake Prairie W.M.A.), Wilkin (high count of 150 on 3/4) BWF. | ||||
| Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) | Observed in 17 south counties as far southeast as Olmsted and Fillmore, and 7 north counties as far northwest as Kittson, Marshall. All counts single digits except 3/12 Wilkin (11) BDS. | ||||
| Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) | Found in 62 counties as far north as Clay, Mahnomen, Hubbard, Wadena, Todd, Morrison, Mille Lacs, Kanabec, Pine. | ||||
| Grebes | |||||
| Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) | Seen in 47 south and 25 north counties. Early south 3/3 Rice DAB, FVS, TFB, 3/4 Lac qui Parle BJU (median 3/9). Early north 3/29 St. Louis SLF, 3/30 Cass MRN (median 3/27). | ||||
| Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) | Observed in 17 south and 17 north counties. Early south 3/14 Dakota DOB, 3/19 Freeborn AEB (median 3/26). Early north 4/9 Carlton JWL and St. Louis PHS, 4/11 (median date) Cass JWL. Late south 5/13 Steele DAB, KRV, 5/26 Ramsey REH. Late north 5/21 St. Louis SLF, 5/26 Cook DFN, but see summer report. Peak count 4/21 Lake and St. Louis (498 on L. Superior) JWL. | ||||
| Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) | Reported from 28 south and 19 north counties in all regions. Early south 3/26 Dakota KJB, 3/29 Dakota (same bird?) ADS, 4/1 Kandiyohi, Martin, Meeker (median 4/3). Early north 4/3 Clay PBB, 4/9 in four counties (median 4/7). Peak counts 4/9 St. Louis (196 at Park Point, Duluth) PHS, 4/21 Lake and St. Louis (166 on L. Superior) JWL. | ||||
| Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) | Found in 18 south and 5 north counties, none in Northeast. Early south 4/10 Hennepin MCA, 4/13 Meeker DMF. Early north 4/22 Kittson JMJ, 4/23 Pennington and Red Lake PHS. Highest reported count 5/22 Polk (75 at East Grand Forks lagoons) PHS. | ||||
| Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) | Observed in 24 south and 4 north counties, none in Southeast. Reported from Wright in East-central. Early south 4/8 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/9 Big Stone DFN. Early north 4/13 (2nd earliest north date) Douglas SPM, 4/16 Marshall fide JMJ (median 4/22). | ||||
| Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) | All documented reports: 4/17+ Big Stone (Thielke L.) †BJU, 5/21 Douglas (L. Osakis) †DBz et al., 5/28 Lac qui Parle (S. Rockwell L.) †PHS. | ||||
| Pigeons, Doves | |||||
| Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) | Statewide. | ||||
| Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) | Documented at new locations 3/4 Wright (St. Michael) ph. KTP, 3/9+ Brown (4 at Hanska) RMD, †BTS, 3/16–18 Olmsted (vocalizing near Rochester) ph. RuJ fide RLE, CAK, PWP, 3/25+ Sibley (Gaylord, identification confirmed by vocalizations in June) JEB, RBJ, †RJS, 4/17–20 Carver (2 at Hamburg, second county record) †DWK, RBJ, 5/4 Rock (Hills) ph. †SLF, DBF, 5/7+ Fillmore (4 at Fountain) †CCB. Also reported south from known locations in Brown/Cottonwood (Comfrey), Chippewa (Milan), Dakota (max. 7 at Farmington), 3/25+ Houston (adult on nest at Caledonia), Lac qui Parle (2 at Marietta), Swift (Appleton). Only north reports: 3/19+ Grant (Herman, also see winter report) SPM, 3/28+ Traverse (Wheaton) BAW et al., 4/1+ Otter Tail (Ottertail, possibly overwintered but no reports after 1/1) †DTT, SMT. Also see undocumented reports. African Collared-Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea), domesticated descendants of which were formerly referred to as Ringed Turtle-Dove, continues to be mis-identified as Eurasian Collared-Dove in urban areas of Minnesota; hybrids have been reported in other states. Though details are unnecessary for birds at known locations, documentation is still requested for potential first county records and all north records. | ||||
| White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) | Ninth state record 5/10–16 Kanabec (Mora) †CAM, ph. DAC. | ||||
| Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) | Reported statewide. | ||||
| Cuckoos | |||||
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) | Reported from 13 south counties beginning 5/18 Renville RMD, BJU and Stearns HHD, 5/21 Lac qui Parle BJU. All north reports: 5/28 Pine JMP, 5/31 Morrison DFN and Otter Tail DTT, SMT. | ||||
| Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) | Reported from 9 south and 11 north counties. Early south 5/15 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/20 Anoka ADB, REH. Early north 5/21 Wadena PJB, 522 Kanabec CAM. | ||||
| Nightjars | |||||
| Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) | Reported from 21 south counties beginning 5/8 Hennepin CRM and Rice TFB, 5/10 Olmsted HHD. Noted as scarce by several observers; e.g., possibly only one individual in New Ulm, Brown County JSS. Early north 5/19 Otter Tail DTT, SMT and Wadena PJB; only other north reports from Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Morrison. | ||||
| Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) | Reported from eight south counties beginning 4/22 Houston FZL, 5/4 Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north 5/5 Cook BWS, 5/9 Wadena PJB; also reported from Cass, Hubbard, Lake, Lake of the Woods, St. Louis. | ||||
| Swifts | |||||
| Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) | Observed in 38 south and 21 north counties. Early south 4/23 Dakota JPM, 4/24 Scott CRM, 4/25–28 in six counties. Early north 5/2 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 5/4 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/6–8 in five counties. | ||||
| Hummingbirds | |||||
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) | Seen in 28 south and 20 north counties. Early south 5/3 Olmsted JWH, JJS, 5/4 Fillmore NBO. Early north 5/2 Hubbard MAW, 5/7 Becker SLe, Pine JMP and Polk EEF. | ||||
| Rails, Gallinules, Coots | |||||
| Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) | Reported from 30 south and 15 north counties. Early south 4/5 Blue Earth (Gilfillin L.) RMD and Hennepin (Old Cedar Ave.) DDo, GBS, 4/6 Hennepin (same location) DOB. Record-early north 4/14 Morrison HHD; then 4/24 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) MA. High count 5/7 Otter Tail (5) JMP. | ||||
| Sora (Porzana carolina) | Reported from 37 south and 19 north counties. Early south 4/8 Hennepin DDo, 4/14 Rice TFB. Early north 4/22 Marshall JMJ, 4/23 Wadena PJB. Record-high spring count 5/9 Lac qui Parle (33 along Florida Creek) BJU. | ||||
| Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) | No reports. | ||||
| American Coot (Fulica americana) | Observed statewide. Early north (away from overwintering sites in Otter Tail and St. Louis) 3/18 Grant HHD. Highest reported count 4/13 Rice (2,000) FVS. | ||||
| Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) | All south reports: heard 4/23–27 Anoka (2 or 3 at Carlos Avery W.M.A.) WCM, SBM and 4/27 Lac qui Parle (Louisburg Road) BJU; one seen 5/16 Lac qui Parle (Augusta Twp.) †BJU. Early north 5/2 Aitkin KCR, 5/9 Polk RPR; also reported from Clay, Lake of the Woods. | ||||
| Cranes | |||||
| Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) | Reported from 30 south and 27 north counties. Early south 3/2 Goodhue JJS, 3/5 Lac qui Parle (2) BJU. Record-early north 3/9 Roseau (Roseau River W.M.A.) RPr; then 3/21 Pine JMP, 3/22 Mille Lacs ASc. Peak migration in Cass 3/26 (5 flocks) MRN. | ||||
| WHOOPING CRANE (Grus americana) | One adult wearing satellite telemetry equipment wandered away from the experimental flock at Necedah N.W.R., Wisconsin 4/7–12 Todd (Molly Creek) ph. JMo, BWF, RPU fide RPR. | ||||
| Stilts, Avocets | |||||
| BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus) | Twelfth state record 5/27 Anoka (2 at Carlos Avery W.M.A.) ph. †RPF, †SHM, DFR. | ||||
| American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) | Statewide total of 89 individuals in 13 counties. Early south 4/9–12 Big Stone (4, west of Graceville) DFN, KJB, 4/13 Big Stone (5, near Ortonville) KJB; additional south reports from Brown, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Meeker, Olmsted, Rock, Stearns, Steele, Winona. All north reports: 5/5 Kittson ABL, 5/22 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) PHS. Record-high spring count 4/14 Chippewa/Lac qui Parle (41, Minnesota River Valley) BJU. | ||||
| Plovers | |||||
| Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) | Single digit counts reported from ten south and three north counties. Early south 4/26–27 Dakota JPM, JLO, 5/7 Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north 5/27 Polk PHS and St. Louis DWK, 5/28 Marshall (7 at Agassiz N.W.R.) PHS. | ||||
| American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) | Scarce except for high counts 4/23 Lac qui Parle (94) SWe and Lincoln (80) PEJ, 5/2 Lac qui Parle (117) BJU. Early south 4/3, 4/14 Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north 4/12 Clay (3) RHO. Only other north reports: 5/5 Kittson ABL, 5/28 Cook ABL. | ||||
| Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) | Reported from 48 south and 33 north counties. Early south 3/5 Lac qui Parle BJU, 3/9 Olmsted JWH. Early north 3/11 Douglas fide JMJ, 3/18 Cook CJT. Highest reported count 3/30 Lac qui Parle (340) BJU; all other counts <50 birds. | ||||
| Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) | Observed in 21 south and 8 north counties. Early south 4/17 Dakota (1) JJS and Lac qui Parle (1) BJU, 4/20 Dakota JLO; high count 5/21 Dakota (40) SWe. Early north 5/13 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 5/17 Cook JW; high count 5/22 Marshall (31 at Agassiz N.W.R.) PHS. | ||||
| Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) | No reports. | ||||
| Sandpipers | |||||
| Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) | Reported from 12 south and 5 north counties, including St. Louis in Northeast. No reports from North-central or Southeast regions. Early south 4/14 Swift BJU, 4/20 Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north 5/7 Clay and Polk JMJ, 5/8 Red Lake SAS. Remarkable total of 49 observed by teams conducting 85 miles of walking surveys at Glacial Ridge N.W.R. 5/9 Polk fide RPR. | ||||
| Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) | Early north 5/20 Lake (one at Knife River) JCG, 5/27 Cook (50+ at Paradise Beach) DFN; also observed at Duluth (3) PHS. All south reports: 5/25 Lac qui Parle (one feeding briskly with a Willet in section 5, Garfield Twp.) BJU, 5/31 Anoka (one at Carlos Avery W.M.A.) BRL et al., †CMB. | ||||
| Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) | Statewide total of 59+ individuals, down for the second consecutive spring compared to 347 in Spring 2004. Reported from 12 south counties including record-early 4/6 Lincoln (1) BJU, then 4/15 Meeker (3) DMF. Highest reported count 5/9 Lac qui Parle (8 in Arena Twp.) BJU. All north reports: 5/21 St. Louis (3 at 40th Ave. West, Duluth) SLF, 5/28 St. Louis (2 at Agassiz N.W.R., Pool 8) SB, JMJ, PHS. | ||||
| Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) | Reported from 14 south and 15 north counties in all regions except the Southeast. Early south 4/10, 4/14 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/15 Meeker (2) DMF. Early north 4/12 Mahnomen (2) BWF and Wilkin KJB, 4/13 Douglas BDS. Only report from Northeast: 5/20 St. Louis (6) TPW. Highest reported counts at Glacial Ridge N.W.R. 5/6 (flock of 66, James Bay migrants?) PHS, 5/8 (79, including 59 territorial birds found by 20 observers during walking surveys) Polk m.ob. | ||||
| Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) | Scarce (again) along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Found in 11 south counties beginning 5/1 Dakota (L. Byllesby) †DWK, 5/7–8 Dakota m.ob. All north reports: 5/20 St. Louis m.ob., 5/22 Marshall (1) PHS, 5/27 Polk (4) PHS and St. Louis (4) DWK. Late south (but see summer report) 5/26 Hennepin HCT, 5/28 Sibley DWK. Highest reported count 5/12 Lac qui Parle (11 in Cerro Gordo Twp.) BJU. | ||||
| RED KNOT (Calidris canutus) | Only report: 5/25 St. Louis (1) JLR, PHS. | ||||
| Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) | Observed in nine south counties beginning 4/27 Sherburne PLJ, 4/29 Dakota (2) JPM, ADS, 4/30 Lac qui Parle BJU. No north reports. Late south (but see summer report) 5/30 Chippewa and Lac qui Parle BJU. Highest reported count 5/23 Lac qui Parle (19) PHS. | ||||
| CURLEW SANDPIPER (Calidris ferruginea) | Third state record 5/7 Dakota (Lake Byllesby) †MMa, LWM, SHM, TWi (The Loon 78:234–235). | ||||
| Sanderling (Calidris alba) | Reported from seven south counties beginning 5/3–5 Dakota JPM et al., 5/5 Lac qui Parle BJU. All north reports: 5/25 (65), 5/27 (42) St. Louis (Park Point, Duluth) PHS, DWK, 5/27 (3) St. Louis SLF, 5/28 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) JMJ, PHS. Please see summer report for late spring migrants. | ||||
| Dunlin (Calidris alpina) | Poor showing in western regions compared to last two springs; reported from 25 south and 5 north counties. Early south 4/12, 4/19–20 Dakota JPM, m.ob., 4/22 Brown BTS and Lac qui Parle m.ob. Early north 5/17 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) GT, 5/19 Todd BWF. Highest reported count 5/21 Dakota (230) SWe, but all other counts <100. | ||||
| Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) | Numbers way down in western regions compared to last two springs. Reported from 15 south and 6 north counties. Early south (median 4/8) 3/30 Freeborn AEB, 4/14 Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north (median 4/23) 4/2 Traverse KJB, 5/7 Norman (40, also highest reported count) JMJ. Late south (but see summer report) 5/29 Carver DWK and Dakota ADS. | ||||
| Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) | Seen in 31 south and 10 north counties. Early south 4/15 Meeker DMF, 4/16 Carver JLO. Early north 5/8 Crow Wing RBJ, 5/10 Mille Lacs ASc. Late south 5/30 Lac qui Parle BJU. Late north (but see summer report) 5/28 Marshall (8) JMJ, PHS. Highest reported count 5/22 Marshall (64 at Agassiz N.W.R.) PHS. | ||||
| White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) | Observed in 17 south and 5 north counties, primarily in western and central regions. Early south 4/28 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/7–8 in five counties. Early north 5/14 Traverse PBB, 5/17 Beltrami JEB, RBJ. Highest reported counts 5/28 Big Stone (225) and Marshall (130) PHS. | ||||
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) | No documented sightings. This species is a Casual spring migrant in Minnesota. | ||||
| Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) | Observed in 34 south and 7 north counties. Early south 3/30 Freeborn AEB, 4/1 Meeker (4) DMF. Early north 4/1 Mille Lacs ASc, 4/2 Traverse KJB. Please see summer report for late spring migrants. Highest reported count 5/7 Lac qui Parle (250) PCC; all other counts <100. | ||||
| Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) | Reported from 21 south and 6 north counties in all regions except North-central. Early south 4/9 Dakota LEC, 4/15 Meeker DMF. Early north 5/13 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 5/20 Lake (2) JWL. High count (but see summer report) 5/28 Big Stone (431) PHS. | ||||
| Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) | Reported from 21 south and 6 north counties. Scarce in western regions. Early south 4/29 Dakota JPM, ADS, 5/3 Kandiyohi RSF and Sibley DAC, RBJ. Early north 5/17 Aitkin ASc and Cook (8) JWL, 5/20 St. Louis m.ob. Late south 5/30 Lac qui Parle BJU, also see summer report. Highest reported count 5/20 Lac qui Parle (30) BJU. | ||||
| Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) | Also relatively scarce. Found in 10 south counties beginning 4/14 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/18 Dakota JLO. No north reports. Late south (vocalized) 5/9 Lac qui Parle (21) BJU. High count (vocalized) 5/5 Big Stone (31) BJU. | ||||
| American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) | Observed in 30 south and 22 north counties in all regions. Early south 3/11 Freeborn AEB, 3/27 Rice TFB. Early north 3/28 Carlton LAW and Roseau RPr, 3/31 Pine JMP. Highest reported counts 4/8 Mille Lacs (8) ASc, 4/27 Swift (17) BJU. | ||||
| Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) | Overwintered through 4/4 St. Louis (1) JRN. Reported from 30 south and 29 north counties. Probable early south migrants 3/19 Freeborn AEB, 3/25 Houston LS and Scott HHD. Early north 3/30 Otter Tail SPM, 4/2 Traverse KJB, 4/4 Kittson RRz and Pine JMP. All counts <12. | ||||
| Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) | Reported from 38 south and 25 north counties. Early south 4/19 Hennepin DDo, 4/22 Dodge JJS, plus eight additional counties by end of April. Early north 4/24 Crow Wing RBJ, 5/3 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/4–8 in 11 counties. Highest reported count 5/11 Stearns (28, Albany W.T.P.) PCC. | ||||
| Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) | Reported from 34 south and 14 north counties in all regions. Early south 4/20 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/21 Olmsted JJS. Early north (median 4/30) 4/22 Mille Lacs HHD, 5/2 Clay PBB. High count 5/2 Dakota (15) SWe. Late south 5/31 Rice JEB, also see summer report. | ||||
| Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) | Seen in 34 south and 28 north counties. Early south 3/30 Carver (3) WCM, 3/31 Dakota (3) JPM. Early north 4/2 Traverse KJB, 4/6 Douglas BDS. Only significant count 5/8 Marshall (~1,500 at Pool 8, Agassiz N.W.R.) SB. | ||||
| Willet (Tringa semipalmata) | Total of 157 individuals (106+ last spring) in 17 south and 6 north counties. Early south 4/14 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/26 Steele (2) NFT, KRV. Early north 5/2 Marshall (2 at Agassiz N.W.R.) BCa and Otter Tail BWF, 5/6 Grant JEB. Late south 5/25 Lac qui Parle BJU. Late north 5/27 St. Louis DWK. Please see summer report for additional late spring migrants. Highest reported counts 4/27 Lac qui Parle (29, Lac qui Parle Lake, near MN 40 bridge) BJU, 4/30 Rice (18, Dennison W.T.P.) DAB, 5/1 Olmsted (15, East Landfill Reservoir) JWH, PWP, JJS. | ||||
| Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) | Reported from 33 south and 21 north counties. Early south 3/25 Houston LS, 3/26 Freeborn AEB. Early north 4/2 Otter Tail SPM, 4/2–4 Traverse KJB, BWF. All counts <20 birds. | ||||
| Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) | Reported from 26 south and 16 north counties, including unusual locations 5/17 Cook (2, CR 60) JWL, 5/20–21 St. Louis (40th Ave. West, Duluth) m.ob. Statewide total down >1,000 birds from last spring, but about a third of all reports lacked location/count data. Early south 4/17 Lac qui Parle (2, Perry Twp.) BJU and Nicollet RMD, 4/24 Lac qui Parle (one at Salt Lake) PCC. Early north 5/1 Otter Tail BWF, 5/2 Clay (4) PBB. Highest reported count 5/22 Polk (108 at East Grand Forks W.T.P.) PHS. | ||||
| Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) | Total of 28+ individuals (4 reports lacked count data) in 6 south and 4 north counties. Early south 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/13 Jackson HHD, JJS. Early north 5/19 Todd BWF, RBJ, 5/20 St. Louis (Meadowlands W.T.P.) m.ob. Late south 5/30 Lac qui Parle BJU. Late north 5/29 Pine JJS. | ||||
| Gulls, Terns | |||||
| Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) | Found in 25 south and 15 north counties in all regions. Early south 3/31 Dakota (6) JPM, 4/1 Lac qui Parle (2) BJU, 4/5–9 in seven counties. Early north 4/6 Douglas BDS, 4/11–13 Otter Tail m.ob. Highest reported count 5/6 St. Louis (1,300 at Hearding Is.) MLH; largest flock away from Duluth 4/12 Big Stone (750 roosted on Big Stone L.) KJB. | ||||
| Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) | No reports. | ||||
| Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) | Reported from 18 south and 9 north counties, primarily in western regions; none in North-central or Northeast, and only Dakota in East-central, Olmsted in Southeast. Early south 3/28 Lac qui Parle (2) BJU, 4/1 Freeborn AEB and Lac qui Parle (3) BJU. Early north 4/6 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) GT, 4/22 Marshall and Roseau JMJ, PHS. Highest reported counts 5/3 Lincoln (760) SLF, DBF, 5/9 Polk (800 at Glacial Ridge N.W.R.) RPR et al. | ||||
| Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) | Reported from 74 counties statewide. Early south 3/4–5 Rice DAB, TFB, 3/8 Dakota KJB. Early north 3/9 St. Louis (30 at Interstate Is., Duluth) PHS, 3/17 Lake (3) JWL. | ||||
| CALIFORNIA GULL (Larus californicus) | First-cycle bird 5/1 Clay (landfill near Hawley) ph. †PBB. | ||||
| Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) | Reported from 26 south and 16 north counties statewide. Early south (but see winter report) 3/5 Rice TFB, 3/10–12 in six counties; peak migration 3/25 Dakota (425) and 3/28 Goodhue (455) KJB. Early north (away from Lake Superior) 3/26 Otter Tail (3) DTT, SMT, 3/27 Beltrami (3) DPJ, PJR. Highest reported count 4/7 St. Louis (2,361 on Bailey's and Silver lakes, Virginia) SLF, DBF. | ||||
| Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) | Only report: 3/12 Goodhue (first-cycle bird at Hansen's Harbor, Lake Pepin) †KJB. | ||||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) | Up to eight different individuals documented by KJB in Dakota and Goodhue counties. All reports: 3/11 Dakota (adult at H.P.B.C.) †KJB, 3/12 Goodhue (third-cycle at Lake Pepin) †KJB, 3/12–18 Goodhue (adult at Colvill Park) †KJB, 3/17–18 Goodhue (first-cycle bird at Colvill Park) †KJB, JPM, 3/23–28 Goodhue (two different third-cycle birds at Lake Pepin) †KJB, †PEB, 4/6 Dakota (first-cycle at Burnsville landfill) †KJB, 4/6–7 Dakota (adult at Burnsville landfill) †KJB. | ||||
| Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) | Only report: 3/12 Goodhue (second-cycle bird at Colvill Park) KJB. | ||||
| Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) | No reports. | ||||
| Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) | Reported from 23 south and 12 north counties. Early south 4/18–19 Dakota CMB, JLO, 4/24 Dakota JPM. Early north 4/29 St. Louis (3) PHS, 5/6 Hubbard PBB and Wadena PJB. Late south 5/30 Hennepin (3) DWK, also see summer report. Fewer congregated at Purgatory Creek in Eden Prairie; peak counts 5/8 (116, plus 45 at Arbor Lake, Maple Grove) SWe, 5/10 (158, all at Purgatory Creek) WCM. | ||||
| Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) | Reported from 31 south and 14 north counties, none in the Northeast. Early south 5/1 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/5 Olmsted JWH, PWP and Pipestone SLF, DBF. Early north 5/17–18 Aitkin ASc, KCR, 5/19 Todd BWF. No significant counts. | ||||
| Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) | Seen in 17 south and 8 north counties in all regions. Early south 4/20–21 Brown JSS, 4/24 Hennepin SWe. Early north 5/8 Lake of the Woods MHK and St. Louis PHS. Late south 5/28 Sibley DWK, 5/29 Lac qui Parle BJU. Highest reported count 5/19 St. Louis (150) PHS. | ||||
| Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) | Reported from 37 south and 13 north counties. Early south 4/11 Rice TFB, 4/12 Hennepin m.ob.; peak migration 4/22–27 (10 south counties). Early north 4/13 Grant SPM, 4/26 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 4/27 Clay PBB; peak migration 5/13–20 (8 north counties). | ||||
| Loons | |||||
| Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) | One south report: second county record 4/30 Dakota (adult in basic plumage at L. Byllesby) †JPM. Also seen 5/8–26 St. Louis (max. 8 at Park Point, Duluth) MLH, JLR, m.ob. | ||||
| Common Loon (Gavia immer) | Found in 30 south and 23 north counties in all regions. Early south 3/20 McLeod PRH, 3/25 Scott HHD and Dakota KJB (median 3/27). Early north 4/2 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 4/4 Cass MRN, Kanabec CAM, Wadena PJB. High count 4/30 St. Louis (150 at Park Point, Duluth) MLH. | ||||
| Cormorants | |||||
| Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) | Observed in 44 south and 25 north counties. Early south 3/11 Meeker DMF and Ramsey KJB, 3/16 Rice FVS. Early north 3/29 St. Louis SLF, 4/1 Otter Tail DTT, SMT. | ||||
| Pelicans | |||||
| American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) | Found in 45 south and 25 north counties. Early south 3/25 Houston FZL, LS, 3/26 in five counties. Early north 4/4 Otter Tail SPM, 4/7 Marshall (50 at Agassiz N.W.R.) MA, GLH. Highest reported count unusually far east 3/11 Dakota (731 at H.P.B.C.) KJB. Seasonal total of 195 at W.S.H.C., Duluth (DSC). Unusual locations 4/20 Lake (2) SMc, 5/17 Cook (3) DAG, JWL. | ||||
| Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Night-Herons | |||||
| American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) | Reported from 23 south and 19 north counties in all regions. Early south 4/6 Meeker DMF, 4/9 Lac qui Parle BJU (median 4/20). Early north 4/11 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) MA, 4/14 Pine MTh (median 4/18). | ||||
| Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) | All south reports: 5/5+ Dakota (max. 2) m.ob., 5/10 Houston (Mound Prairie Marsh) DBz, 5/19 Waseca DAB, JPS, 5/21 Lac qui Parle (Hamline Twp.) BJU, 5/27 Wright (2 at Clearwater L.) KTP, 5/29 Lac qui Parle (Perry Twp.) BJU. All north reports: 5/17 Beltrami RBJ, 5/28 Wadena PJB, 5/29 Becker (near Audubon) RBW, 5/31 Kittson LW. | ||||
| Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) | Found in 50 south and 28 north counties. Please see winter report for potential early south migrants and overwintering locations. Early north (overwintered Otter Tail) 3/18 Douglas HHD, 3/19 Grant SPM. | ||||
| Great Egret (Ardea alba) | Seen in 40 south and 10 north counties; none in Northeast. Early south 3/28 Kandiyohi RSF, 3/29 Dakota ADS (median 3/23). Early north 3/19 Otter Tail SPM, 4/1 (median date) Cass MRN. | ||||
| Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) | Statewide total of 26 individuals (10 last spring). Early south 4/9 (record early) Big Stone (Otrey Twp.) PCC, 4/13 Olmsted (Rochester) CCB. Also seen in Big Stone (4 at Kleges W.M.A., 5/7 DWK), Carver (2 in Laketown Twp.), Dakota (singles at 180th St., L. Byllesby, and Cliff Rd.), Kandiyohi (3 at Swan L.), Lac qui Parle (2 at Big Stone N.W.R. and one at Madison W.M.A.), Lincoln/Yellow Medicine (CR 15), McLeod (Clear L.) Meeker (Schoolhouse L.), Nicollet (Swan L.), Rice (near Cedar L.), Rock (Hills lagoons), Scott (Shakopee), Steele (near Rice L.), and Swift (L. Hassel). No north reports. | ||||
| Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) | Impressive total of seven individuals. All south reports: 4/11–14 Dakota (adult near L. Byllesby) ph. JPM, †CMB, m.ob., 4/14 Lac qui Parle (subadult in Hamlin Twp.) †BJU, 5/4 Goodhue (adult at Frontenac S.P.) CBr fide HPe, 5/23 Ramsey (Demontreville L.) DPS, 5/26 Meeker (adult at Washington L., 2nd county record) DMF. Two north reports: 5/20 Lake (adult at Two Harbors airport) ph. JWL, SLL, 5/26 Cook (adult at Schroeder, 2nd county record) ph. †DJS. | ||||
| Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) | Statewide total of 76 birds (115 last spring). Early south 4/11 Lac qui Parle BJU; 5 additional birds in Lac qui Parle. First county record 5/3 Redwood (location?) DAC, RBJ. Also reported in Anoka (1), Big Stone (20 distributed among 4 locations), Carver (8), Dakota (1), Hennepin (2), Jackson (17), Kandiyohi (1), McLeod (1), Meeker (5), Murray (1), Nicollet (1), Rice (1), Scott (1), Stearns (1), Steele (1), Swift (1), and Wright (3). All north reports: 4/14 Traverse (3) PBB, 5/5 Marshall (1) JNy. | ||||
| Green Heron (Butorides virescens) | Found in 34 south and 15 north counties. Early south 4/20 (median date) Rice TFB, 4/21 Hennepin BRL. Early north 4/25 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/1 Otter Tail DTT, SMT (median 5/3). | ||||
| Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) | Seen in 17 south and 2 north counties. Early south 3/30 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/4 Meeker DMF. Only north reports: 4/19+ Marshall GT, m.ob., 5/2 Otter Tail DTT, SMT. | ||||
| Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) | Two reports of single adults: 5/5 Anoka (Fridley) TM, 5/31+ Murray (Hiram Southwick W.M.A., 2nd county record) ph. MSS. | ||||
| Ibises | |||||
| White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) | Accepted records of single adults 4/21–22 Lac qui Parle ph. BJU, 4/22 Anoka (Carlos Avery W.M.A.) JMc, ph. †AXH, 5/1–2 Otter Tail (Copeland W.M.A.) ph. †DTT, SMT, m.ob. | ||||
| Plegadis ibis (Plegadis sp.) | One Plegadis ibis 5/4–6 Swift (Danvers W.M.A.) †CV, DDM, BJM. | ||||
| New World Vultures | |||||
| Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) | Reported from 45 south and 29 north counties. Early south 3/17 Rice DAB, TFB, 3/18 Dakota KRV (median 3/9). Early north 3/25 Pine DFN, 3/26 Mille Lacs ASc and St. Louis (W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC (median 4/1). Peak count 4/15 St. Louis (272 at W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC. Also see Table 1. | ||||
| Osprey | |||||
| Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) | Observed in 29 south and 20 north counties. Early south 3/20 Lac qui Parle BJU, 3/31 Freeborn AEB. Early north 4/1 Itasca EEO, 4/8 in five counties. Also see Table 1. | ||||
| Kites, Accipiters, Hawks, Eagles | |||||
| Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) | Late February reports in Norman (2/26) and Clay (2/27) best represent beginning of spring migration; additional early north migrants 3/9 St. Louis (3 at W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC, FJN, 3/11 Kanabec DDM. Late south 4/6 Lyon BJU, 4/8 Meeker DMF. Additional south reports from Big Stone, Isanti, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Rice, Winona; additional north reports from Cass, Clay, Polk, Wilkin. Late north 5/20 St. Louis (Duluth) JRN, 5/22 St. Louis (adult wearing telemetry equipment at W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC. | ||||
| Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) | Reported from 42 south and 29 north counties. Possible early north migrants (see winter report) 3/4 Clay PBB, 3/10 Otter Tail SPM, Polk RRz, Pine JMP. Also see Table 1. | ||||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) | Found in 32 south and 21 north counties. Early north 3/2 St. Louis (W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC, but see winter report. Late south 5/18 Yellow Medicine BJU, 5/20 Le Sueur ChH, Nicollet DAB, Sherburne DOB. Peak count 5/7 St. Louis (295 at W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC. Also see Table 1. | ||||
| Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) | Observed from 39 south and 17 north counties in all regions. Early north 3/26 St. Louis (W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC, 3/27 Kanabec CAM. Also see Table 1. | ||||
| American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus) | Seen in seven south and nine north counties; no reports from Northwest. Late south 3/30 Meeker DMF, 4/4 Lyon RJS. Also see Table 1. | ||||
| Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) | Seen in 47 south and 32 north counties. Record-high count 3/12 Goodhue/Wabasha (1,213 at L. Pepin) KJB. Seasonal total of 2,338 at W.S.H.C., Duluth (peak of 301 on 3/26) DSC. | ||||
| Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) | Reported from 21 south and 11 north counties, none in the Southwest. Early north 3/1 Mille Lacs ASc, 3/19 Grant SPM. Unusual location 5/31 Cook (immature at Grand Portage S.P.) RBJ. All other north reports: Aitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Morrison, Otter Tail, St. Louis (2 at W.S.H.C., Duluth DSC and one 5/20 in Brimson DAG), Todd. | ||||
| Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) | Observed in 24 south and 21 north counties in all regions. Early south 4/6 Lac qui Parle and Lincoln BJU, 4/10 Hennepin RBJ and Meeker DMF. Early north 4/9 Crow Wing CMC, 4/16 Otter Tail SPM and St. Louis (W.S.H.C. in Duluth) DSC. Peak migration 5/7 St. Louis (2,638 at W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC. Also see Table 1. | ||||
| Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) | Reported from 16 south and 5 north counties, mainly in southern and western regions. Early south 4/3 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/6 Lyon BJU. All north reports: 4/8 Otter Tail GO, 4/13 Douglas SPM, 4/16 Clay (2) PBB, 4/23 Wilkin (2) MCA, 4/27 St. Louis (W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC. | ||||
| Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) | Seen in 81 counties statewide. Peak migration 4/5 St. Louis (484 at W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC. Adult “Krider's” Hawk 3/26 Dakota (H.P.B.C.) KJB, dark-morph “Harlan's” Hawk 3/29 Dakota (H.P.B.C.) KJB. | ||||
| Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) | Seen in 22 south and 19 north counties. Late south 4/14 Swift BJU, 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU. Late north 5/20 Lake JWL et al., 5/22 St. Louis (W.S.H.C., Duluth) DSC. Peak count 3/18 Wilkin (75 at Rothsay W.M.A.) JPE; 57 still present next day PBB. | ||||
| FERRUGINOUS HAWK (Buteo regalis) | All reports: 4/14 Swift (immature light morph at Lac qui Parle W.M.A.) †BJU, 4/17 Big Stone (adult light morph near Twin Lakes) †BJU, 4/21 Lac qui Parle (adult light morph near Dawson) †BJU, 5/1 Lac qui Parle (adult light morph in Baxter Twp., same individual as 4/21?) †BJU. | ||||
| Screech-Owls, Owls | |||||
| Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) | All reports south: Big Stone, Houston (gray morph), Lac qui Parle, Lincoln (red morph), Murray, Olmsted, Pipestone, Rice (gray morph), Rock, Stearns, plus unusually early fledglings 4/7 Winona (one red and one gray) ph. CPo fide KAK. All reports north: 3/11 Otter Tail (gray morph near Ottertail) ph. JSz, EJE, 3/23 Otter Tail (red morph at Battle Lake) ELL, ph. DTT, SMT, 5/19 Todd (near Hewitt) BWF. | ||||
| Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) | Seen in 50 counties statewide. Highest reported count 5/19 Jackson (7) AXH, PHS. | ||||
| Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) | Late south 4/10 McLeod PRH, 4/17 Olmsted fide OWB. Late north 5/1 Crow Wing (Garrison) MBJ, 5/12–26 Clay (Felton Prairie) m.ob., 5/30–6/2 Itasca (near Dora Lake) †SC. | ||||
| Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) | Many early March reports from North-central and Northeast; wintering birds mostly gone by end of March. Few reports in April; numbers up in May with record-high number of breeding birds (see summer report). Probable non-breeding bird 5/8 Clearwater MHK. Injured bird 5/17 Beltrami RBJ. | ||||
| BURROWING OWL (Athene cunicularia) | Two adults claimed a burrow 4/27–5/6 Polk (Tilden Twp.) JEk et al., †JMJ, ph. †PHS (The Loon 78:233). A pair of copulating adults 5/6 Norman (near Lockhart) †ABL were still present 5/29. A calling male at the Rochester airport 5/9+ Olmsted †JWH, ph. CCB, †ADS was recorded by JJS and furnished a second county record, but failed to attract a mate. | ||||
| Barred Owl (Strix varia) | Observed in 21 south and 18 north counties as far southwest as Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine, Redwood. High count 5/19 Todd (12) BWF et al. | ||||
| Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) | Norman County's first Great Gray lingered through 3/12 (see winter report); additional March reports from Beltrami, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, St. Louis. Still present late May in Lake, Lake of the Woods, St. Louis. | ||||
| Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) | March reports in nine south counties, followed by early April reports from Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Swift. Total of 20 individuals found by BJU in 12 Lac qui Parle locations, including 3/21 Haydenville W.M.A. (4) and Sioux Indian W.M.A. (5). Only May report south: 5/18 Lac qui Parle (Cerro Gordo Twp.) BJU. All north reports: 3/18 Pine WCM, 5/20 Lake (4) AXH, JWL, PHS. | ||||
| Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) | Statewide total of 80 owls in 8 south and 11 north counties more than doubled last spring's showing; BJU found 19 birds in 8 Lac qui Parle locations. Eastern reports limited to Anoka and Fillmore. Early south migrants indistinguishable from wintering birds, but peak migration suggested by clustering mid-March through mid-April. Early north 3/18 Otter Tail BDS and Wilkin SPM, 3/18 Wilkin (6) JPE. Highest reported count 4/22 Pennington (22 near Carpenter's Corner) JMJ, PHS; several of these were calling and performing courtship flight. | ||||
| Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) | Reported from Cook, Lake, and 3/6 St. Louis (Duluth Twp.) UK. | ||||
| Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) | March reports south in Anoka, Ramsey, Sibley, and Yellow Medicine, then 4/8, 5/9 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/22 Waseca DDM, BJM, 5/5 Hennepin †AXH. Several late February records in Northeast (see winter report); northward surge suggested by total of 71 banded 3/8–31 Itasca DRM. North reports away from Northeast in Hubbard, Itasca, Otter Tail, Pine. Highest reported counts 4/21–22 Cook (30) WHL, 5/20 Lake (16) AXH, JWL, PHS. | ||||
| Kingfishers | |||||
| Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) | Reported from 73 counties. Early north (away from overwintering sites) 3/19 Grant SPM, 3/27 St. Louis (St. Louis River at Fond du Lac) JWL. | ||||
| Woodpeckers | |||||
| Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) | Observed in 33 south and 10 north counties in all regions except Northeast. Overwintered south; early north (same as median) 4/25 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) GT. | ||||
| Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) | Observed in 68 counties as far north as Pennington and Red Lake in the Northwest, Beltrami and Cass in the North-central, and St. Louis and Cook (near Grand Marais) in the Northeast. | ||||
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) | Seen in 40 south and 27 north counties. Early south (away from Fillmore where one overwintered) 3/16 Lac qui Parle (Boyd) FAE, 3/25 Houston LS and Lac qui Parle BJU; peak migration 4/4–9 (18 counties). Early north 3/30 Otter Tail SPM, 4/6 St. Louis (2) JRN, 4/7 Otter Tail ARo and Pine JWL; peak migration 4/22–29 (12 counties). Peak count 4/24 St. Louis (12) TPW. | ||||
| American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis) | All reports from Koochiching (CR 13) in March. | ||||
| Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) | Reported from Aitkin, Hubbard (Itasca S.P.), Koochiching, St. Louis. | ||||
| Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) | Statewide. | ||||
| Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus) | Statewide. | ||||
| Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) | Observed in 48 south and 33 north counties. Early north 3/25, 4/2 Wadena PJB, 4/3 Pine JMP; peak migration 4/7–11 in 16 counties. Highest reported count 4/16 Cook (50+ along 20 miles of road) CJT. | ||||
| Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) | Reported from 60 counties as far southwest as Yellow Medicine, Redwood, Brown, plus 5/17 Jackson PHS. | ||||
| Caracaras, Falcons | |||||
| American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) | Observed in 83 counties statewide. Early north (but note mid-February reports from Morrison and Wilkin) 3/1 Mille Lacs ASc, 3/3 Otter Tail SPM. Highest reported count 4/8 Renville (14) WCM. | ||||
| Merlin (Falco columbarius) | Seen in 17 south and 16 north counties in all regions. Early north (away from the North Shore) 3/12 Mille Lacs HHD, 3/15 St. Louis (Virginia) SLF, 3/18 Clay PBB and Polk MC; also see Table 1. Late south (away from the Twin Cities) 5/17 Meeker DMF, 5/21 Lac qui Parle BJU. March reports of “Richardson's” Merlin in Dakota and Lac qui Parle. Highest reported count 3/21 Lac qui Parle (4) BJU. | ||||
| GYRFALCON (Falco rusticolus) | Adult gray morph overwintering in Dakota last reported 3/25 (Nininger Twp.) †ADS. Adult gray morph overwintering in Twin Ports last reported on Minnesota side 3/2 (Duluth) DLE. | ||||
| Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) | Reported from 25 south counties beginning 3/1 Benton HHD, 3/2 Dakota (probably overwintered) ADS, 3/4 Nicollet RMD and Winona DBz. All north reports away from Duluth and the North Shore: 3/24 St. Louis (Virginia) SLF, 4/27 Polk (Glacial Ridge N.W.R.) TWi, 5/5, 5/17–22 Marshall (Agassiz N.W.R.) m.ob. Late south (away from known nesting locations) 5/18 Renville BJU, 5/23 Faribault BWF. Also see Table 1. | ||||
| Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) | Documented 3/19 Wilkin (Rothsay W.M.A.) †PBB, 5/15 Lac qui Parle (near Rosen) †BJU. | ||||
| Flycatchers | |||||
| Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) | Early south 4/28 Big Stone BJU, 5/2 Meeker DMF, 5/3 Dakota and Rice (median 5/2). Early north 5/7 Douglas CAM, 5/14 Cass BAW, 5/16 Aitkin and Otter Tail. No reports from the Northwest until 5/25. | ||||
| Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) | Only reports away from West-central were from Dakota and Dodge in the south, and Clay and Norman in the north. Early south 5/6 Stevens JEB, 5/7 Swift BJU, 5/9 Dodge (Claremont Twp.) †CRM et al. and Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north 5/7 Traverse (2) LBF, 5/13 Otter Tail DTT, SMT. | ||||
| Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) | Found in 24 north and 40 south counties. Arrived three or four days later than recent medians south and north. Early south 4/30 Steele LS, 5/4 Scott RBW, 5/5 Meeker DMF. Early north 5/8 Beltrami KLa and Crow Wing JEB, RBJ, 5/14 Cass BAW and Traverse PBB. | ||||
| SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus forficatus) | Two second county records: 4/23 Lac qui Parle (Garfield Twp.) †HJF et al., ph. BJU, 5/1–2 Clay (near Downer) †MM, †RHO, BWF. | ||||
| Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) | Found in 7 north and 23 south counties, but only 5 counties in western regions. Arrived later than usual. Early south 5/12 Meeker DMF, 5/14 Sherburne PLJ (median 5/8). Early north 5/19 Todd BWF, RBJ, 5/20 St. Louis WCM (median 5/14). Please see summer report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) | Early south 5/8 Stevens LBF, 5/9 Ramsey DOB, 5/12 Lac qui Parle and Meeker. Early north 5/8 Beltrami KLa, 5/14 Red Lake JMJ. | ||||
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) | Early south 5/15 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/18 Renville BJU, 5/21 Meeker DMF. Also reported with details from Olmsted and Waseca. Late south 5/22 Dakota JPM. Only north report with details: 5/22 Red Lake (Huot) PHS. Note: During spring and fall migration, undocumented records of silent Empidonax flycatchers are not published. Please be sure to include a description or indicate that birds were vocalizing in the “Details” section of the online seasonal report. | ||||
| Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) | The only reports with details were from Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve: 5/25 Dakota JPM, 5/27 Scott DAC, PEB. | ||||
| Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) | Early south 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/18 Renville BJU, 5/21 Hennepin HCT. Additional south reports with details from Carver, Dakota, Olmsted, Scott. Early north 5/25 Clay PHS, 5/26 Lake DFN. Additional north reports with details from Becker, Cook, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Wilkin. | ||||
| Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) | Early south 5/15 Big Stone BJU, 5/20 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/21 Meeker DMF. Reported from five north counties, but none with details on how the birds were identified. | ||||
| Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) | Reported from 69 counties; identification details provided for 17 south and 7 north counties. Early south 5/2 Meeker DMF, 5/3 Dakota LBF, 5/4 Fillmore (10) NBO. Early north 5/17 Lake of the Woods MHK, 5/18 Kanabec LBF, 5/24 Clearwater and Hubbard DFN. | ||||
| Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) | Reported from 77 of 87 counties. Early south 3/25 Sibley JEB, 3/27 Dakota JPM, then nine additional counties by the end of March. Early north 3/30 Otter Tail SPM, 3/31 Kanabec CAM and Mille Lacs ASc. | ||||
| Vireos | |||||
| WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus) | Second record for the Southwest region 5/29 Rock (Blue Mounds S.P.) †RLL, DML. | ||||
| Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii) | All observations: 5/22 Goodhue JLO, 5/29 Dakota (3 at Cliff Fen Park) DWK, 5/31 Hennepin (Elm Creek P.R.) JPS. | ||||
| Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) | Early south 5/3 Anoka REH and Goodhue LBF, 5/4 Dakota and Ramsey. Early north 5/8 Crow Wing JEB, RBJ, 5/13 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/14 Carlton and Cass. | ||||
| Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) | Early south 4/28 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/1 Redwood LBF and Rice TFB. Early north 5/5 Pine DFN, 5/8 Carlton JWL and Crow Wing JEB, RBJ, St. Louis DFN. Late south 5/31 Rice JEB. First arrival dates south and north were identical with recent medians. | ||||
| Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) | Observed in 10 south and 5 north counties, with multiple day reports only from Goodhue, Lac qui Parle, St. Louis. Early south 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU and Meeker DMF (median 5/7). Early north 5/22 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/23 Kanabec JMP (median 5/14). Late south 5/23 Lac qui Parle BJU and Martin BWF (one week earlier than recent median). | ||||
| Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) | Reported from every region, though only St. Louis in the Northeast. Early south 4/30 Hennepin DWK and Olmsted LAV, then 5/3 in three additional counties. Early north 5/7 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 5/8 Cass and Crow Wing. | ||||
| Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) | Found in 28 north and 33 south counties, with the Southwest region least represented. Early south 5/2 Rice TFB, 5/6 Meeker DMF, 5/8 Nicollet (3) PMo. Early north 5/10 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/13 Pine JMP, 5/15 Otter Tail DTT, SMT. | ||||
| Shrikes | |||||
| Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) | South reports from Big Stone, Dakota (3 locations), Freeborn, Lac qui Parle (8 locations), Le Sueur, Lincoln, Meeker (3 locations), Rice Steele, Wabasha, Waseca. Early south 3/26 Lac qui Parle BJU and Wabasha JWH. All north reports: 3/27 Douglas BDS, 4/17+ Clay (Felton Prairie, near E. end of CR 108) PBB, m.ob., and 5/14 Clay (Felton Prairie, 0.5 miles N. of the gravel pit) DPJ. An undocumented early March report from Dakota was not included due to possible confusion with Northern Shrike. | ||||
| Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) | Found in all regions, including 18 south and 12 north counties (compare with 7 south and 16 north counties in spring 2005). Late south 4/1 Carver WCM, 4/3 Hennepin HCT, 4/4 Steele KRV. Late north 4/8 Wadena PJB, 4/9 Carlton JWL and St. Louis SLF. | ||||
| Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows | |||||
| Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) | Reported within usual range throughout most of the North-Central, and Lake and St. Louis in the Northeast; also seen 3/1 Otter Tail DTT, SMT. | ||||
| Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) | Found in 79 of 87 counties. High counts 4/6 Sherburne (33) RBJ, 5/2 Pine (28) JMP. | ||||
| Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) | Three south reports! Observed 3/30 Lac qui Parle (Ten Mile Lake Twp.) †BJU, 4/1 or 4/2 Hennepin (seen by DNR employee near SR 55 and CR 116) fide AXH, 5/5 Big Stone (Odessa Twp.) BJU. The report from Hennepin was the first since 1974. Also found in 15 north counties as far east as St. Louis m.ob., 3/21 Pine JMP. | ||||
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) | Reported statewide. | ||||
| Common Raven (Corvus corax) | Found in almost all counties in the northern third of the state, plus Kanabec and Pine. All south reports: 3/25 Meeker DMF, 4/13–5/20 Sherburne ASc, DOB, PLJ (all in same location?). | ||||
| Chickadees, Titmice | |||||
| Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) | Reported from 81 counties throughout the state. | ||||
| Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) | Nine reports from a total of six counties: Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, and Aitkin. | ||||
| Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) | Southeast sightings in Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Winona. | ||||
| Larks | |||||
| Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) | Found in all regions by early March, except for Northeast where first found in mid-May. High count on 3/4 Clay (200) PBB. | ||||
| Martins, Swallows | |||||
| Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) | Early south 4/17 Meeker DMF, 4/19 Rice TFB. Early north 4/25 St. Louis SLF, 4/26 Mille Lacs ASc. First western reports south and north were 4/26 Lac qui Parle BJU and 5/2 Polk (high count of 100) SAS. | ||||
| Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) | Reported from 82 counties. Early south 3/11 Dakota JPM (nine days prior to median arrival), then 3/26 Winona LS, 3/29 Hennepin OLJ. Early north 3/29 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 4/1 Beltrami DPJ, 4/4 Cass and Pine (median 4/3). | ||||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) | Present for one week south and three weeks north before first reports from western regions. Early south 4/7 Winona JMJ, 4/10 Rice TFB, 4/11 Dakota JPM. Early north 4/24 Crow Wing JEB, RBJ, 4/25 St, Louis SLF. First western reports 4/15 Lac qui Parle, 5/13 Otter Tail. | ||||
| Purple Martin (Progne subis) | Only two Southwest and one Northeast reports. Early south 4/10 Rice TFB, 4/11 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/12 Meeker DMF (median 4/5). Early north 4/10 Aitkin KCR, 4/15 Mille Lacs ASc, 4/19 Otter Tail DTT, SMT (median 4/12). No significant counts. | ||||
| Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) | Early south 4/8 Hennepin DWK, 4/11 Meeker DMF (median 4/12). Early north 4/14 Wadena PJB, 4/20 St. Louis SLF (median 4/20). | ||||
| Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) | Record-early south 3/31 Dakota †BRL, then 4/17 Wabasha JJS (median 4/18). Early north 4/29 Polk JMJ, 5/1 Otter Tail DTT, SMT (median 4/25). High count 5/19 Fillmore (200) NBO. | ||||
| Kinglets | |||||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) | Observed in 26 north and 42 south counties. Early south 3/31 Dakota ADS and Meeker DMF, 4/1 Winona DFN (median 3/26). Early north 4/6 Douglas BDS and Polk DLT, 4/7 Pine JMP, JWL (median 4/7). Late south 5/31 Lac qui Parle FAE. | ||||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) | Probably overwintering 3/4 Lac qui Parle (3) BJU; presumed early south migrants 3/25 Sibley JEB, 3/27 Rice TFB, then five more counties by the end of the month (median 3/28). Early north 4/3 Pine JMP, 4/4 Mille Lacs ASc, 4/5 Otter Tail and St. Louis (median 3/25). Late south 5/20 Sherburne ASc, 5/22 Ramsey LMS (median 5/6). | ||||
| Waxwings | |||||
| Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) | All south reports: 3/8 Big Stone (2 at Big Stone Lake S.P.) BJU, 3/9–17 Lac qui Parle (Nassau) BJU, 3/26 Isanti FKB. North reports from Kittson, Polk, Norman, Otter Tail, Kanabec, St. Louis, and Lake. High count 3/27 St. Louis (1,300 at Duluth) fide JWL. Late north 4/6 St. Louis (500) JRN, 4/18 Lake fide JWL. | ||||
| Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) | Reported south and north throughout the period, though none in Northeast until 3/22. Highest reported counts 3/4 Norman (110) BWF, 4/26 Mille Lacs (90) ASc. | ||||
| Nuthatches | |||||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) | Found in all regions, though only one report each from Southwest and South-Central. Last reported south 5/19 Fillmore NBO, 5/20 Stearns HDD, RPR, 5/22 Ramsey LMS. | ||||
| White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) | Observed in a majority of counties in each region. | ||||
| Creepers | |||||
| Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) | Potential early north migrants not separable from wintering birds; e.g., 3/1 Hubbard MAW, 3/3 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 3/4 Douglas fide JMJ probably overwintered. South reports in early May from Olmsted, Nicollet and Ramsey, then 5/13 Goodhue JWH. | ||||
| Gnatcatchers | |||||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) | Found in 64% of south counties but only 4 north counties. Early south 4/19 Fillmore NBO, 4/20 Rice TFB, 4/21 Dakota and Hennepin (median 4/22). An individual found 4/13 Douglas SPM was record-early for the entire state. All other north reports: 5/15 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 5/18 Cass MRN, 5/19 Mille Lacs ASc (median 5/7). | ||||
| Wrens | |||||
| ROCK WREN (Salpinctes obsoletus) | One was found on private property 5/7–8 in east-central Rice †GDB, LMy, †TFB. | ||||
| Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) | In contrast to only 2 reports last spring, a total of 11 birds was found in 8 south counties. Continuing from the winter season were single birds through 3/14 Freeborn (Albert Lea) and through 3/28 Blue Earth (Mankato). Five others were first found in March: two more in Freeborn (different individuals at separate locations in Albert Lea), Houston (Reno), and two in Hennepin (Old Cedar Ave bridge and Wood Lake N.C.). In early April, an individual was found in Dakota (Hastings); birders refound it through 5/6 (but see summer report). Also reported 4/2–12 Winona DBz, m.ob., 4/17 Olmsted (southwest of Rochester) PWP, 4/22+ Brown (Flandrau S.P.) †JSS. | ||||
| House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) | Observed in 70 counties. Arrived south on schedule: 4/17 Winona JJS, 4/19 Rice TFB (median 4/18) and in 18 south counties by end of the month. Early north 5/2 Kanabec CAM, 5/7 Mille Lacs ASc and Polk BDF (median 4/29). | ||||
| Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) | None were reported from the western regions last spring; found in nine western counties this year. Early south 3/24 Rice TFB, 3/29 Olmsted JWH, 4/1 Lac qui Parle, Steele, and Watonwan. Early north 4/3 St. Louis SLF, 4/6 St. Louis JRN, 4/7 Marshall and Pine. All south reports in May: 5/1 Hennepin MCA, 5/6 Rice DAB, 5/13 Redwood PBB. High count 4/24 in St. Louis (10) TPW. | ||||
| Sedge Wren (Cistothorus stellaris) | Found in 20 north and 40 south counties. Early south 4/23 Anoka DWK, 4/27 Olmsted JJS, then Meeker, Rice and Scott by the end of April. Early north 5/6 Carlton LAW and Wadena PJB, 5/7 Aitkin, Mille Lacs, Otter Tail and St. Louis. Record-high count 5/17 Jackson (40) AXH, PHS. | ||||
| Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) | Reported from every region except the Northeast. Early south 4/22 Lac qui Parle BJU and Rice TFB (median 4/26). Early north 5/6 Wadena PJB, 5/7 Mille Lacs ASc, Otter Tail JMP and Red Lake JMJ. (median 5/4). Record-high count 5/17 Jackson (75) AXH, PHS. | ||||
| Thrashers, Mockingbirds | |||||
| Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) | Found in 24 north and 42 south counties. Early south 4/21 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/30 Scott RBW, 5/1 Goodhue LEC. Early north 4/8 (ties the state record early date and precedes the median north arrival by a full month; possibly overwintered but not detected as such) Otter Tail RJo, 5/6 Hubbard PBB, 5/8 in three additional counties. | ||||
| Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) | Reported from 21 north and 43 south counties. Early south 4/9 Carver CRM, 4/11 Rice TFB, 4/13 Houston FZL (median 4/14). Early north 4/11 Mille Lacs ASc, 4/20 Otter Tail SPM, 4/21 St. Louis LAW (median 4/25). | ||||
| Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) | Statewide total of 21 reports from March (1), April (4), and May (16). South reports from Lac qui Parle (5 locations between 3/4 and 5/23, BJU), Swift, Kandiyohi, Wabasha, and Ramsey. Twelve north reports beginning 4/18 Douglas BDS; also found in Clay, Aitkin (2 locations), Carlton, St. Louis (3 locations), Lake, and Cook (2 locations). | ||||
| Starlings | |||||
| European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) | Statewide. | ||||
| Thrushes | |||||
| Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) | Reported from 91% of north and 89% of south counties. South reports throughout the season, including 11 counties within first 10 days of March (also see winter report). Early north 3/11 Mille Lacs ASc, 3/12 Pine JMP, 3/18 Grant HDD. The last regions in which this species appeared were Northeast (3/29 Lake) and Northwest (4/1 Polk and Kittson). | ||||
| MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (Sialia currucoides) | Only found in Lac qui Parle by BJU: a male on 4/3 in Mehurin Twp.; a female on 4/11 about one mile north of Madison; another female on 4/27 along CR 66 in Hantho Twp. | ||||
| Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) | Two reports: approximately 3/9 Cook (northeast of Tofte) CSB fide JWL and 3/21 Lac qui Parle (Sioux Indian W.M.A.) BJU. | ||||
| Veery (Catharus fuscescens) | Multiple reports from all regions. Early south 4/28 Olmsted LAV, 5/6 Rice DAB (median 5/1). Early north 5/10 St. Louis JWL, 5/11 Carlton and Cook (median 5/8). Undocumented reports 4/7 Hennepin and 4/26 Mille Lacs were more likely Hermit Thurshes (see The Loon 67:44–45). | ||||
| Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) | While reported from half of all south counties, only found in five north counties (none in Northeast). Early south 5/4 Olmsted JWH and Rice TFB, 5/5 Sherburne PLJ (median 5/2). Early north 5/7 Cass MRN, 5/8 Pennington JMJ (median 5/8). Late south 5/23 Lac qui Parle BJU and Olmsted JWH (median 5/27). Late north 5/25 Clay PBB, PHS (median 5/28). | ||||
| Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) | Found across all regions in 47% of north and 72% of south counties. Early south 4/27 Olmsted PWP, 4/29 Hennepin JLO, 5/1 Lac qui Parle, Murray, Redwood. Early north 4/24 Carlton LAW, 5/5 Beltrami DPJ, 5/7 Douglas CAM (median 5/2). High counts 5/10 Hennepin (37) DWK, 5/12 Lac qui Parle (61) BJU, 5/13 Redwood (30) PBB, 5/19 Lac qui Parle (41) WCM. Late south 5/27 Lac qui Parle BJU and Ramsey JJS. | ||||
| Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) | Observed in all regions. See winter report for mid-February records in Hennepin and Rice; 3/18 Hennepin DWK and 3/20 Rice TFB may have overwintered. Next reported 3/27 Carver WCM (median 3/29). Early north 4/6 Pine JMP, 4/8 Hubbard (15) PBB, Mille Lacs ASc and Otter Tail MO. Notable high count 4/8 Meeker (50 found in a single woodland park in Dassel Twp.) DMF. Late south 5/20 Le Sueur and Nicollet ChH, 5/22 Scott DOB (median 5/14). | ||||
| Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) | As in Spring 2005, absent from Northwest region. Arrivals south and north were within one day of recent medians. Early south 5/1 Rice DAB, 5/6 Meeker DMF and Nicollet DFN. Early north 5/9 Itasca RBJ, Mille Lacs ASc and Pine JMP. High count 5/17 Jackson (6 at Kilen Woods S.P.) AXH, PHS. | ||||
| American Robin (Turdus migratorius) | Reported from all but four counties. Overwintered in many locations, but influx suggested by reports from 8 north counties by 3/15, and 20 north counties by the end of March. Highest reported count only 200 (3/17 Rice DAB). Partial albinos in St. Louis (Duluth, ph. KK) and Otter Tail. Young birds already present 5/17 Hennepin DDo and 5/27 Pennington JMJ. | ||||
| Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) | Four reports: overwintered through 3/1 Stearns (Sartell) HHD and through 3/26 Kanabec (Mora) CAM; also found 3/4 Lac qui Parle (Bellingham) BJU, 3/11–17 Itasca EEO, JLO. | ||||
| Old World Sparrows | |||||
| House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) | Seen statewide. | ||||
| Pipits | |||||
| American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) | Observed in every region, but only five north counties. Seen in 15 south counties beginning 3/10 Le Sueur ChH (record early), 3/19 Chippewa BJU, 3/30 Lac qui Parle BJU (median 4/16). Early north 5/2 Pine JMP, 5/9 Itasca RBJ. High counts 4/23 Lac qui Parle (50) BJU, 4/30 Dakota (40+) JPM. Late south 5/14 Lac qui Parle KTP, 5/15 Olmsted JWH, PWP, then none until 5/27 Scott PEB. Late north 5/17 Cook JWL, 5/20 Lake JWL, 5/21 Clay LEC (median 5/23). | ||||
| Finches | |||||
| Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) | Reported from nine north counties in North-central and Northeast regions. Highest reported count 3/1 Koochiching (50–60 at feeder along Canadian border) TCr. | ||||
| Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) | No south reports. Late north 3/20 Beltrami KLa, 17 days prior to median departure (4/6). Also reported from Aitkin, Hubbard, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Pine. | ||||
| House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) | Reported statewide. | ||||
| Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) | Reported from 24 south and 22 north counties. Total of 1095 banded between 4/3 and 5/15 Itasca DRM. Late south 5/15 Fillmore NBO, 5/18 Stearns HHD, 5/21 Hennepin TKP. | ||||
| Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) | Only south report: 3/4 Lac qui Parle BJU. Reported from 12 north counties. Late north 4/1 Beltrami DPJ, Itasca EEO and Kittson LW, 4/11 Itasca JEB (median 5/4). Season high count 4/8 St. Louis (70) SLF. Of interest was a band recovery in western Massachusetts this March of a Common Redpoll banded by DRM near Bigfork, Itasca County, March 2004! | ||||
| Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni) | All reports: late February through 3/6 Lake (Isabella) RAE, and through 3/8 St. Louis (near Cook) ph. DAC, RBJ, m.ob. | ||||
| Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) | Nine reports from five north counties. All south reports: 3/19 Redwood (Redwood Falls) BJU, 3/25 Lac qui Parle (Prospect W.M.A.) BJU. Season high count 3/30 Cass (40) PJR. | ||||
| White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) | Only two reports: 3/23 Koochiching CMB, JLO, 4/24 Crow Wing JEB, RBJ. | ||||
| Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) | Reported from 16 north and 11 south counties in all regions except West-central. Late south 5/3 Dakota ADS, JPM, 5/7 Rice DAB. | ||||
| American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) | Reported statewide. | ||||
| Longspurs and Snow Buntings | |||||
| Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) | Found in 24 south and 8 north counties. Late south 4/28 Lac qui Parle BJU and Sibley RBJ, 5/1 Lac qui Parle BJU. Late north 5/7 Polk JMJ, 5/17 Cook JWL. Highest reported count 4/27 Polk (500+ at Glacial Ridge N.W.R.) TWi. | ||||
| Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus) | Reported from Felton Prairie starting 4/27+ Clay PBB, m.ob. Also seen 4/17 Lac qui Parle (near Big Stone N.W.R.) †BJU. | ||||
| Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus) | South reports (none with details) 4/17 Big Stone (4) BJU; 4/17 (7), 4/22 (90), 4/28 (106), 5/4 (1) Lac qui Parle BJU, m.ob. Only north report: 5/9 Polk (well-described flock of 60 birds at Glacial Ridge N.W.R.) †RPR et al. | ||||
| Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) | Reported from 10 south and 16 north counties. Late south 4/1 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/6 Lincoln (40) BJU. Late north 4/25 Kittson (1) RRz, 5/7 Clearwater SAS. Season high count 3/16 Lac qui Parle (470) BJU. | ||||
| Towhees, Sparrows | |||||
| Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) | Reported from 24 south and 12 north counties. Early south 4/23 Wabasha JJS, JWH, 4/26 Meeker DMF. Early north 4/27 Clay PBB, 5/6 Polk PHS. Amazing record-high count at Felton Prairie 5/29 Clay (50) PBB. Recent median arrivals: south 4/28, north 5/8. | ||||
| Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) | Observed in 18 south counties beginning 4/14 Swift BJU, 4/20 Nicollet RMD, 4/21 Lac qui Parle BJU. Three reports north: 5/5 Clay (Bicentennial Prairie) PBB, 5/9 Polk DLT, 5/19 Cook (Grand Marais campground) JWL. Recent median arrivals: south 4/23, north 5/4. | ||||
| Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) | Reported from all but seven south and three north counties. Excluding several undocumented reports well before the recent median arrival date (3/26), early south 3/29 Rice FVS, 4/2 Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north (median 4/13) 4/9–10 Otter Tail DTT et al., 4/11 Itasca JEB. High count 5/10 Cook (50) CJT. | ||||
| Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) | Reported from 38 south and 27 north counties. Early south 4/14 Lac qui Parle BJU, then many reports starting 4/22 (recent median 4/21). Early north 4/22 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 4/27 Mille Lacs ASc, 4/30 Clay PBB (median 4/27). Seasonal high count 5/3 Yellow Medicine (18) SLF. | ||||
| Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) | Reported from 42 south counties beginning 4/4 Hennepin JLO, 4/6–8 in 10 counties (recent median 3/30). Early north 4/15 Mille Lacs HHD, 4/16 Otter Tail DTT, SMT; also reported from Pine, St. Louis (5/10, MTh), Todd. | ||||
| Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) | Observed in all regions (32 counties south, 18 counties north). Early south 3/10 Swift BJU, then reports poured in starting 3/11. Early north 3/20 Mille Lacs ASc, 3/28 Otter Tail AJD, then many reports starting 3/30. Late south 5/1 Nicollet PMo, 5/7 Lac qui Parle BJU. Last reported 5/14 Cass BAW, 5/20 Pine MCA. | ||||
| American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) | Reported from 43 south and 21 north counties north in all regions. Late south 4/22 Hennepin MCA, 5/2 Washington LMS. Late north 4/24 Cass and Crow Wing RBJ, JEB. | ||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) | Reported from 46 south and 27 north counties in all regions. Season high count 4/1 Stearns (200) SWe. Late south 5/8 & 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU. Male “Oregon Junco” reported 3/28 Otter Tail DTT, SMT. | ||||
| White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) | Reported from 33 south and 16 north counties. Early south 4/21, 4/22 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/22 Dakota PEB. Early north 4/30 Clay PBB, 5/1 Kanabec CAM. Bulk of south reports began 4/28 and stopped after 5/22 Ramsey LMS (same as median). North reports steady throughout May and ceased as of 5/23 Kanabec JMP (median 5/25). | ||||
| Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) | Reported from 33 south and 15 north counties. Normally overwinters south in small numbers, but none known to do so (see winter report). Early south 4/22 Meeker DMF, 4/28 Lac qui Parle BJU and Nicollet CRM (median 4/3). Overwintered Otter Tail DTT, SMT; probable early north migrants 4/25 Douglas BDS, 5/2 Clay PBB, 5/4 Aitkin KCR. Late south 5/20 Swift and 5/21 Lac qui Parle BJU. Late north 5/21 Marshall BRB and Wadena PJB. High counts 5/14 Martin (25) LBF, 5/17 Jackson (25) AXH, PHS. | ||||
| White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) | Reported in 43 south and 26 north counties in all regions. Overwintered in Olmsted LAV; also see winter report. South reports poured in starting mid-April and ceased after 5/21. Early north 4/6 St. Louis JRN, 4/9 Crow Wing CMC (median 4/11). Bulk of north reports began 4/21. Season high count 5/8 Clay (100) PBB. | ||||
| Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) | Reported in all regions (43 south and 24 north counties). Early south 3/24, 3/25, 3/30 Lac qui Parle BJU, then many reports beginning 4/1 (median 3/30). Early north 4/9 Wilkin SPM and Traverse DFN, 4/14 Crow Wing DAC, RBJ and Wadena PJB (median 4/12). | ||||
| LeConte's Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii) | Reported from 13 south and 16 north counties. Early south 4/14 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/21 Dakota JPM, 4/22 Hennepin DWK, JLO. Record-early north 4/12 Traverse KJB, then 4/22 Marshall JMJ, 4/27 Clay PBB. | ||||
| Nelson's Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni) | Seen and heard 4/22 Lac qui Parle (earliest date on record; east side of CR 59, Lac qui Parle W.M.A.) BJU; only other south report 5/9 Lac qui Parle (Freeland Twp.) BJU. All north reports: 5/29–31 Clay (6) PBB et al., 5/30 Cass (5 along CR 8 at Boy River, plus one along CR 4) BAW. | ||||
| Henslow's Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii) | Reported from 14 south counties beginning 4/19 Washington (Lost Valley Prairie S.N.A.) RBJ; 4/22 Blue Earth (Minneopa S.P.) DDM, BJM, Hennepin (Elm Creek P.R.) KTP and Lac qui Parle (Plover Prairie) BJU; 4/23 Scott (Murphy-Hanrehan P.R.) RBW and Wabasha (Weaver Dunes/McCarthy Lake W.M.A.) JJS, JWH (recent median 5/18). Second county record (see The Loon 46:27) 5/3 Sibley RBJ, DAC. Also reported from Brown (Bashaw W.M.A.), Freeborn (Myrer-Big Island S.P.), Goodhue (Frontenac S.P.), Hennepin (Crow-Hassan P.R.), Olmsted (East Landfill Reservoir), Rice (location?), Sherburne (Sherburne N.W.R. Auto Tour), Swift (2 locations). All north reports: 5/14–16 Clay (Felton Prairie) CMN, PBB, 5/17 Aitkin (location?) ASc, 5/28+ Otter Tail (Glendalough S.P.) fide JMJ. Highest reported count 5/20 Lac qui Parle (7, Plover Prairie and vicinity) BJU. | ||||
| Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) | Reported from 46 south and 30 north counties. Record-early 3/18 Nicollet RMD; then no reports until 4/1 Freeborn AEB and Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/4 Meeker DMF. Early north 4/9 Pine JMP, 4/11 Kanabec JMP and Mille Lacs ASc, 4/15 Otter Tail MCA. Recent median arrivals: south 4/1, north 4/18. | ||||
| Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) | Found in all but five counties south and three north. Probably overwintered south (see winter report); potential migrants 3/8 Lac qui Parle BJU, 3/11–12 in 12 south counties. Early north 3/27 Otter Tail ARo and Wadena PJB, 3/28 Mille Lacs ASc and St. Louis SES. Highest reported count 3/31 Rice (40) DAB. | ||||
| Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) | Reported from 33 south and 13 north counties. Early south 3/31–4/1 Hennepin JLO, DDo, 4/6 Lyon BJU; peak migration 5/1–7 in 19 south counties, including 5/1 Lac qui Parle (18) BJU. Early north 4/30 Clay PBB, 5/2 Pine JMP; peak migration 5/14–20 in seven north counties. Late south 5/20 Nicollet DAB and Washington LMS, 5/21 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) | Reported in 44 south and 26 north counties. Early south 3/26 Wabasha JWH, 3/28 Lac qui Parle BJU (median 3/24). Early north 4/14 Kanabec MTh and Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 4/15 Aitkin MTh and Mille Lacs ASc, HHD (median 4/16). Peak migration 4/22–24 south (14 counties), 5/6–8 north (11 counties). | ||||
| Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) | South reports: 4/21 Chippewa (male) †BJU, 5/10–12 Martin (male at Fairmont) †JNB, 5/14 Cottonwood (Mountain Lake C.P.) HHD, JJS. North reports: overwintered through 3/8 St. Louis (female or immature male at Cook) ph. †DAC, m.ob., 5/9–11 Otter Tail (male at Fergus Falls) †SPM, 5/9–11 Polk (male near Climax) ph. DLT. | ||||
| Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) | Reported from 31 south and 9 north counties. Early south 4/11 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/12 Sherburne ASc, 4/17 Winona JJS (median 4/16). Early north 4/28 Becker JMJ, 5/7 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/8 Crow Wing RBJ and St. Louis DFN (median 5/4). | ||||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | |||||
| Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) | All reports: 5/22 Freeborn (Carex W.M.A.) †ARW, 5/23 Olmsted (Indian Heights Park, Rochester) LAV, 5/27 Lac qui Parle (2 at Big Stone N.W.R.) †BJU. | ||||
| Blackbirds, Orioles | |||||
| Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) | Reported from 37 south and 18 north counties in all regions except East-central. Early south 3/28 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/5–9 in five counties (recent median 3/30). Early north 4/9 Traverse DFN and Wilkin SPM, 4/14 Wadena PJB (median 4/11). | ||||
| Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) | Reported from 38 south and 22 north counties. Early south 4/23 Lac qui Parle BJU, 4/30 Meeker DMF, 5/1 Steele NFT, KRV. Early north 5/5 Pennington SAS, 5/7 Clay JMJ, PHS. Highest reported count 5/24 Brown (20) RPR. | ||||
| Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) | Reported from 38 south and 16 north counties in all regions. Early south 3/10 Dodge KRV, 3/11 in four more counties. Early north 3/9 Mille Lacs ASc, 3/17, 3/20 Pine JMP. High count 4/24 Sherburne (27) ASc. | ||||
| Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | Found in 34 south and 21 north counties in all regions except Northeast and East-central. Early south 3/8 Big Stone BJU, 3/9 Cottonwood BRB, then many observations starting 3/10. Early north 3/10 Pennington SAS, 3/12 Red Lake JMJ, Wadena PJB and Wilkin BDS. All counts single digits. | ||||
| Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) | Reported from 22 south but only 2 north counties. Early south 5/6 Fillmore (pair at feeder in Lanesboro) WSw, 5/7 Nicollet RMD, 5/10 Goodhue and Olmsted JWH. All north reports: 5/13+ Clay m.ob., 5/22 Polk (East Grand Forks) PHS. | ||||
| Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) | Reported from 43 south and 22 north counties in all regions. Early south 4/29 Hennepin JLO, 5/2 Hennepin ABL, 5/2 Olmsted JJS, then many reports 5/3. Early north 5/6 Wadena PJB, 5/7 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, then many reports 5/8. | ||||
| Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) | Observed in 83 counties. Please see winter report for numerous south records and possible overwintering north (e.g., 2/20 Polk fide JMJ). Presumed early north migrants 3/8 St. Louis (mixed flock of Common Grackles and Red-wingeds) DOK, 3/10 Mille Lacs, Otter Tail, and Wadena. Season high count 3/5 Brown (7200) MLB. | ||||
| Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) | Found in 48 south and 29 north counties. Early south (but see February reports in Dakota, Rice) 3/8 Big Stone and Lac qui Parle BJU, 3/9–10 Le Sueur ChH, CMB, peak migration 4/4–9 in 21 counties. Early north 4/4 St. Louis SLF, 4/5 Mille Lacs ASc, peak migration 4/21–25 in 10 counties. | ||||
| Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) | Observed in 28 south and 11 north counties in all regions except Northeast and East-central. Presumed early south migrants (but see winter report) 3/4 & 3/10 Lac qui Parle BJU, 3/10 Swift BJU, 3/11 Meeker DMF (recent median 3/6). Early north 3/23 Wilkin PBB, ChM, 3/28 Red Lake SAS (median 3/18). Late south 4/22 Hennepin MCA, 4/28 Scott RBW, 5/1 Lac qui Parle BJU (median 4/30). Late north 4/22 Aitkin ASc, 4/22 Clearwater DPJ, PJR, 5/8 Marshall SBr (median 5/2). Season high count 3/30 Lac qui Parle (800) BJU. | ||||
| Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) | Reported from 28 south and 24 north counties. Early south 3/12 Dakota PEB, 3/18 Rice DAB; peak migration 4/6–15 in ten counties. Early north 4/8 Polk EEF, 4/14 Morrison HHD; peak migration 4/22–27 in eight counties. | ||||
| Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) | Found in 82 counties in all regions throughout the season. Early south migrants indistinguishable from overwintering birds. Early north 3/17 St. Louis JWL, 3/18 Grant HHD, 3/26 Otter Tail (25) DTT, SMT. Season high count 4/1 Nicollet (4,000 leaving roost near St. Peter) KJB. | ||||
| Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) | First county record 4/15–18 Wright (adult male uttering “a variety of rattles and whistles... reminiscent of water slapping on a shoreline and the static of an old ham radio” at Pelican Lake) ph. KTP, †CMB, m.ob. Also documented 4/17 Lac qui Parle (2 adult males vocalizing “clacks, croaks, and mainly of harsh rising whistles” near Rosen) †BJU; 5/1–2 Lac qui Parle (2 adult males with very pale irides, one giving “harsh croaks interspersed with rising whistles” in Walter Twp.) †BJU; 5/3 Brown (adult male vocalizing “clucks and whistles” at Sleepy Eye) †BTS; 5/6+ Brown (female nest-building while 2 males displayed at Rosenau-Lambrecht W.M.A.) †BTS; 5/15–23 Olmsted (male at Eastside W.M.A.) RLE, JWH, ph. PWP. Reported without details from traditional location in Jackson (state highway 86 and CR 4) m.ob. | ||||
| Quiscalus grackle (Quiscalus sp.) | Three reports of large Quiscalus sp. compared with much smaller Common Grackles: 4/23 Lac qui Parle (Perry Twp.) †PCC, 4/27 Lac qui Parle (Hantho Twp.) †BJU, 5/14–15 Martin (adult male near Pierce Lake) †LBF. All were likely Great-tailed, but due to lack of vocalizations their identities could not be confirmed. | ||||
| Warblers | |||||
| Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) | Early south 4/30 Fillmore NBO, Rice DAB, TFB and Steele LS, matched the recent median arrival. Early north 5/3 Carlton LAW, 5/6 Itasca EEO, 5/7 Aitkin and Pine (median 5/4). High count 5/20 St. Louis (25) TPW. | ||||
| Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) | Early south 4/9 Winona JJS, JWH, 4/15 Rice TFB, 4/21 Houston FZL, and 4/23 Rice DAB (same location?) all preceded the recent median arrival (4/24). Additional south reports from Fillmore, Olmsted, Waseca, Blue Earth, Hennepin. | ||||
| Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) | Found in all regions. Early south 4/22 Rice JEB, 4/27 Swift BJU, 4/28 Scott RBW (median 4/26). Early north 5/1 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/3 St. Louis LAW, 5/6 Douglas CAM (median 5/4). Late south 5/23 Lac qui Parle and Scott, 5/26 Anoka BWF (median 5/28). | ||||
| Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) | Found in every region, though only single reports from the Southwest and Northwest. Early south (also see undocumented reports) 5/5 Sherburne ASc, 5/6 Meeker DMF, 5/7 Dakota and Swift. Early north 5/3 Carlton LAW, 5/7 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/8 Beltrami KLa. Late south 5/21 Brown BTS and Dakota ADS, 5/23 Lac qui Parle BJU (median 5/28). A “Lawrence's Warbler” 5/26 Scott (Murphy-Hanrehan P.R.) BAF was on the same territory as last year. | ||||
| Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) | First south reports matched recent median. Early south 5/2 Fillmore NBO, 5/3 Dakota, Goodhue, Olmsted, and Rice. Three north reports: 5/20 Pine MCA, 5/21 Clay LEC, 5/31 Morrison DFN. High count 5/15 Sherburne (9 along Blue Hill Trail, Sherburne N.W.R.) ASc. | ||||
| Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) | Reported from 25 north and 41 south counties. Early south 4/25 Rice DAB, 4/28 Meeker DMF, 4/30 Blue Earth, Goodhue and Waseca. Early north 5/3 Carlton LAW, 5/5 Pine DFN, JMP, 5/6 Wadena PJB. High count 5/29 St. Louis (10) TPW. | ||||
| Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) | Early south 5/5 Fillmore ADB (median 5/4), followed by reports beginning 5/13 from Goodhue, Dakota, Ramsey, Hennepin, Le Sueur. Only north report: second county record 5/16 Polk (Maple Lake area) ph. BDF. | ||||
| Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) | Reported from 20 north and 39 south counties in all regions. Early south 5/1 Meeker DMF and Scott RBW, 5/2 Olmsted JWH, LAV, PWP. Early north 5/8 Clay PBB, Crow Wing JEB and Hubbard MAW. See summer report for late south migrants. | ||||
| Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) | South arrivals timely: 4/20 Rice (3) DAB, 4/21 Meeker DMF (median 4/21). Early north 4/29 St. Louis SLF, 5/3 Mille Lacs ASc (median 4/25). Late south 5/20 Nicollet, Stearns and Swift, 5/21 Lac qui Parle BJU. Late north 5/21 Beltrami PJR, Clay LEC and Red Lake JMJ (median 5/27). | ||||
| Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) | Found in every region, including 31 south and 22 north counties. Early south 4/26 Rice TFB, 4/28 Nicollet CRM. Early north 4/26 Koochiching JEB and 4/27 Itasca JEB; both preceded recent median (5/3). Late south 5/23 Fillmore, Lac qui Parle and Martin, 5/26 Anoka BWF (median 5/31). | ||||
| Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis) | Reported from seven south and six north counties. Early south 5/9–10 Hennepin CMB, 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north 5/9 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/17 Beltrami JEB. Late south 5/27 Lac qui Parle BJU. | ||||
| Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) | Reported from 14 south and 11 north counties. Early south 5/5 Houston FZL, 5/7 Swift BJU, 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU. Early north 5/20 Pine MCA and St. Louis DWa, 5/21 Beltrami KAR and Cass BAW. Record-high count 5/29 St. Louis (15) TPW. | ||||
| KENTUCKY WARBLER (Geothlypis formosa) | Seventh consecutive year at Williams N.C. near Mankato 5/24+ Blue Earth †CMB, m.ob. | ||||
| Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) | Reported from 43 south and 25 north counties in all regions. Early south 5/1 Olmsted JWH, 5/2 Olmsted JJS, 5/3 Rice TFB. Early north 5/7 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/10 Pine JMP, 5/12 Lake JWL. | ||||
| Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) | Many reports from Murphy-Hanrehan P.R., Dakota/Scott beginning 5/8 SMo. All reports away from the Twin Cities: 5/19 Sherburne (Woodland Trails Park, Elk River) PLJ, 5/20 Nicollet (Seven Mile Creek C.P.) ChH. | ||||
| American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) | Found in every region. Early south 5/2 Fillmore NBO, 5/3 Olmsted LAV, 5/4 Ramsey and Rice. Early north 5/8 Otter Tail AJD, 5/9 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/10 Cook (6) BWS. Both early arrivals were within a day of recent medians. | ||||
| Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) | While no reports from the Southwest might be expected, only one record from the East-Central was surprising. In all, only found in 21 counties. Early south 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/13 Goodhue JLO, 5/14 Dakota JPM and Meeker DMF. Early north 5/10 Beltrami fide KLa, 5/13 St. Louis SLF, 5/14 Cass BAW. Late south 5/23 Martin BWF, 5/25 Lac qui Parle BJU (median 5/22). | ||||
| Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) | Early south 5/4 Fillmore NBO, with subsequent reports from Houston, Rice, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Sibley, Scott, and Wright; in addition, a male discovered 5/15 Yellow Medicine (Upper Sioux Agency S.P.) WCM was refound 5/25+ (ph. DAC, RBJ). Only north report: one female at Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors, 5/4 Lake ph. †JWL, SLL (also a first record for the Northeast region). | ||||
| Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) | Early south 5/1 Olmsted JJS, JWH (same as recent median), then multiple reports from Olmsted (same location?) all preceding 5/5 Rice TFB, 5/6 Goodhue SWe. Early north 5/3 St. Louis LAW, 5/6 Itasca EEO, 5/8 Crow Wing and Lake. Late south 5/30 Houston DFN (median 5/24). Reported from Lac qui Parle, Swift and Clay in western regions. | ||||
| Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) | Reported from every region. Early south 5/8 Fillmore JWH and Rice TFB, 5/9 Olmsted, Ramsey, Steele. Early north 5/4 Lake JWL, 5/6 Cook (5) SMc, 5/10 St. Louis JEB (median 5/9). Late south 5/26 Fillmore NBO, 5/27 Dakota SWe (median 5/31). | ||||
| Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) | Reported from 5 north and 14 south counties. Early south 5/12 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/13 Dakota JPM, 5/14 Goodhue and Meeker. Early north 5/20 Marshall fide JMJ, 5/21 Beltrami PJR and Clay LEC. Late south 5/22 Scott and Stearns, 5/23 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/24 Murray NED. | ||||
| Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) | Found in every region, though only Murray in Southwest and Lac qui Parle in West-central. Early south 5/1 Olmsted JWH, 5/4 Fillmore NBO, 5/10 Meeker DMF (median 5/4). Early north 5/4 Lake JWL, 5/8 Carlton JWL, 5/9 Itasca JEB. Late south 5/25 Murray NED, 5/27 Olmsted OWB. | ||||
| Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) | Reported as the most widespread warbler in 29 north and 43 south counties. Early south 4/29 Hennepin JLO, 4/30 Steele LS, (median 4/27). Early north 4/24 Hubbard MAW, 5/6 Grant JEB (median 5/5). High count 5/4 Fillmore (20) NBO. | ||||
| Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) | Found in 22 north and 32 south counties, representing all regions. Early south 5/6 Olmsted JWH, Rice DAB and Sherburne ASc, then 5/7 in three more counties. Early north 5/7 Otter Tail JMP, 5/8 Aitkin KCR, 5/10 Cook and St. Louis. High count 5/29 St. Louis (25) TPW. Late south 5/29 Dakota SWe, 5/30 Chisago AKe. | ||||
| Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) | Found in 11 north and 28 south counties. Early south 5/5 Olmsted JWH and Rice TFB, 5/7 Fillmore NBO (median 5/3). Early north 5/8 Hubbard MAW, 5/10 Kanabec CAM, 5/13 Otter Tail DTT, SMT (median 5/9). Late south 5/25 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/27 Olmsted OWB. | ||||
| Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) | The only south reports were from Lac qui Parle, where BJU found a female on 4/30 (second earliest) in Walter Twp. and two males on 5/12 at Lac qui Parle S.P. Reported north from Lake and Cook, beginning 5/26 Lake (2) DFN and 5/28 Cook (12 on Moose Mountain) MWS. | ||||
| Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) | Found in every region. Early south 4/18 Dakota JPM, 4/19 Fillmore (8) NBO (median 4/22). Early north 4/9 Pine JMP, 4/19 Otter Tail DTT, SMT, 4/24 Crow Wing RBJ (median 4/25). Late south 5/22 Goodhue and Hennepin, 5/24 Murray NED (median 5/23). | ||||
| Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) | Exceptionally early 3/15 Hennepin (at feeder in Maple Plain) fide WCM was more likely overwintering. Still very early but more likely to be migrants were 4/12 (ties record early south) Anoka RBJ and 4/14 Swift BJU. Additional south reports from Washington, Anoka, and Ramsey also preceded recent median of 4/25. Early north 4/14 (second earliest) Aitkin KJB, 4/16 Hubbard MAW, 4/18 Pine JMP. Additional north reports from Carlton, Cass, Cook, Itasca, and St. Louis all preceded the median of 4/26. Also notable were westerly reports from Lac qui Parle. | ||||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) | Reported from 26 north and 45 south counties. At least six overwintered at L. Byllesby in Dakota (ADS). Probable early south migrants 4/3 Ramsey MPi, 4/4 Hennepin JLO and Lac qui Parle (2) BWF. Early north 4/7 Otter Tail DTT, SMT and Pine JWL, 4/8 Mille Lacs ASc. High count 4/29 Rice (350) DAB. Late south (away from known breeding locations) 5/22 Goodhue LBF, 5/23 Olmsted LAV. | ||||
| Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) | Arrived south and north within two days of recent medians. Early south 5/1 Olmsted JJS, JWH, 5/4 Rice TFB and Sherburne ASc. Early north 5/4 Lake JWL, 5/8 Carlton, Cass and Crow Wing. Late south (away from known breeding locations) 5/27 Nobles BTS and Olmsted OWB (median 5/30). | ||||
| Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) | Reported from 23 south and 9 north counties. Early south 5/9 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/18 Chippewa and Renville BJU. Early north 5/20 Pine MCA, 5/21 Itasca JWL, 5/26 Cook JFN. Late south (away from known breeding locations) 5/23 Olmsted JWH, PWP; also see summer report. | ||||
| Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) | Found in 23 south and 10 north counties. Early south 5/3 Olmsted JWH, PWP, 5/7 Meeker DWF and Nicollet RMD. Early north 5/12 Lake JWL, 5/20 Marshall, Pine, St. Louis. Late south 5/26 Fillmore NBO and Olmsted LAV. | ||||
| Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks | |||||
| Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) | Adult male 5/17+ Dakota (Lebanon Hills Park) †CMB, †ADS et al. No details 5/6 Goodhue m.ob. | ||||
| Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) | Observed in 30 south and 20 north counties in all regions. Early south 5/3 Anoka REH, 5/8 Carver HHD, 5/9 Fillmore, Rice, Scott. Early north 5/9 St. Louis JWL, 5/15 Aitkin KCR. Highest reported count 5/15 Sherburne (10 along Mahnomen Trail, Sherburne N.W.R.) ASc. | ||||
| Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) | Adult males 4/30 Blue Earth (William's N.C.) †CRM et al., †CMB, 5/6 Douglas (near Carlos) LuW, ph. AEB, 5/10–11 Cook (Grand Marais) ph. RTF, 5/10–16 St. Louis (Embarrass) JuS, ph. BET, 5/11–15 Itasca (SE of Grand Rapids) BDe, ph. †EEO, †PHS, m.ob., 5/15 (Yellow Bank Twp.) and 5/22 (Walter Twp.) Lac qui Parle †BJU. Also see undocumented reports. | ||||
| Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | Reported throughout the state in all regions. High count 3/12 Steele (12 at feeder) NFT. Northern extent as follows: Polk, Clearwater, Itasca, St. Louis (Ely), Lake (Beaver Bay). | ||||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) | Seen in 45 south and 25 north counties in all regions. Early south 4/28 Fillmore NBO and Scott RBW matched median arrival date; many south reports starting 4/29. Early north 4/26 Clay MEB fide JMJ, 5/4 Aitkin KCR (median 5/3). Season high count 5/12 Lac qui Parle (15) BJU. | ||||
| Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) | Only reports: 5/24 Murray (Moulton Twp.) NED, 5/25 Yellow Medicine (Florida Twp.) BJU. | ||||
| Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) | Observed in 33 south and 16 north counties in all regions. Early south 4/29 & 5/2 Fillmore NBO, 5/2 Olmsted PWP; few other reports until peak migration beginning 5/10. Early north 5/13 Mille Lacs ASc, 5/17 Kanabec CAM. | ||||
| Dickcissel (Spiza americana) | Reported from 15 south and 4 north counties. Excluding several undocumented reports up to three weeks earlier than recent median arrival (5/10), early south 5/23 Lac qui Parle BJU, 5/24 Brown RPR. Bulk of reports started 5/25. All north reports: 5/29 Clay RBW, 5/29 Pine JJS, 5/31 Clay CMN, PBB and Otter Tail SPM. Also, an amazing location of a flyover heard by four knowledgeable observers near Isabella (5/29 Lake JWL)! | ||||