MOURC Proceedings Archive - Old World Flycatchers Accepted
Duplicates
This is the 1981 to present Records Committee Proceedings archive for
The Loon, journal of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
The last 2 years are available to MOU members.
Families
Whistling-Ducks, Geese, Swans, Ducks
New World Quail
Partridge, Pheasants, Grouse, Turkeys
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Screech-Owls, Owls
Woodpeckers
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Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, Crows
Martins, Swallows
Kinglets
Silky-flycatchers
Nuthatches
Wrens
Thrashers, Mockingbirds
Dippers
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Old World Flycatchers
Old World Sparrows
Pipits
Finches
Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Towhees, Sparrows
Yellow-breasted Chat
Blackbirds, Orioles
Warblers
Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks

Proceedings
Species: Old World Flycatchers
Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear (A) (Oenanthe oenanthe)Start Date 0000-00-00
RefFirstLastLocationCounty23CommentStatus
56:171982-05-15near Whitman DamWinona(vote 7-0; The Loon 55:151-153). Recirculated
65:331982-05-15near John A. Latsch S.P.Winona(vote 2-8; all ten members vote on potential first state records; this record had previously been voted on, found acceptable and published ● see The Loon 55:151-153). This record was originally accepted on the basis of the painting of the bird, which was published in The Loon, and the unique tail pattern, and because no one could think of what else it might have been. However, doubts were raised about the accuracy of the painting, which apparently was made from memory long after the sighting (the field sketch included with the documentation is far less convincing); it was also unclear how the tail pattern could have been seen since the bird was apparently perched with wings folded over the tail the entire time. The record was also reconsidered because the wooded habitat in which the bird was seen is atypical for a wheatear, because the song heard does not seem to fit this species, and especially because the "serene" behavior of the bird is inconsistent with the active, tailbobbing behavior which is distinctive in Northern Wheatear. Not Accepted
154:411982-09-27RosevilleRamsey(vote 7-0, Loon 55:27-28) Accepted
avian
information
1982-09-27Ramsey9/27 Ramsey (first state record) (first county record)
9/27 Roseville T. Soulen. See The Loon (55:27-28)
55:27-281983indexNorthern Wheatear in Ramsey County
55:151-1531983indexA Northern Wheatear Sighted in Winona County
61:101988-09-10Maple Grove Hennepin(vote 0-7) . Although the description of the rump and tail would seem to indicate a wheatear, the observer did not use binoculars during the observation, and none of the rest of the plumage was described; it was felt such an unusual species should have more complete documentation. Not Accepted
65:1461992-12-26StillwaterWashington(vote 0-7). There were several things in the documentation which were inconsistent with this species, including the bird's "slow" movements and its appearance at a bird feeder. It was thought the bird might have been a female Red-breasted Nuthatch, which would fit the description given. Not Accepted
67:189-1911995indexMinnesota's Second Northern Wheatear
268:581995-09-271995-10-02DuluthSt. Louis(The Loon 67:189–191). Accepted
avian
information
1995-09-271995-10-02St. Louis9/27-10/2 St. Louis (second state record) (first county record)
Reported 9/27–10/2 at 40th Ave. W. in Duluth, St. Louis Co., JH, mob (The Loon 67:189–191). Note: The only other record for this species was also on 9/27 in Ramsey County in 1982.
72:1642000-02-072000-02-10AngoraSt. Louis(record #200014, vote 0–7). No optics were used by the inexperienced observers to identify this bird, which was more likely a shrike, since a mid-winter wheatear would be clearly unlikely and unprecedented here. Though the bird was seen in flight, there is no mention in the documentation of the wheatear's distinctive tail pattern. It was also seen perching in trees frequently, which is atypical for a wheatear, and there is no mention of tail wagging behavior, which is frequent and characteristic wheatear behavior. Not Accepted
378:402005-05-30Grand MaraisCook(record #2005-041, vote 7–0). A female was photographed (The Loon 77:239) on the rocks near the Coast Guard Station; third state record. The Loon 77:258Accepted
avian
information
2005-05-30Cook5/30 Cook (third state record) (first county record)
Establishing the first spring and third state record was a female photographed by Gail and Sid Stivland near the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Grand Marais, 5/30 Cook (The Loon 77:258).
483:32010-09-04near AnokaAnoka, (record # 2010-033, vote 7–0). This fourth state and first county record was seen and documented by a single observer. Photographed. Due to privacy considerations, the exact location will remain undisclosed. There are now three fall records and one spring record of this accidental species. Previous records are from 1982 in Ramsey, 1995 in St. Louis, and 2005 in Cook (only spring record). Accepted
avian
information
2010-09-04Anoka9/4 Anoka (fourth state record) (first county record)
Fourth state record 9/4 Anoka ph. †JCo. First county record, and third fall record, found foraging in a harvested wheat field.
592:32019-09-22Locke Avenue Northwest just north of County Road 37 (45.2026,-94.1306)Wright(record #2019-047, vote 7–0). Photographed. Fifth state and fourth fall record. Accepted
avian
information
2019-09-22Wright9/22 Wright (fifth state record) (first county record)
Fifth state record 9/22 Wright ph. † MJB, † EzH, IsH, first county record and fourth fall record (The Loon 92:84–85).
 
 Four records: one spring and three fall. Recorded in one (2010) of the last ten years.

Notes:

The information in the above table comes from several different sources. The count in column 1 indicates which of the sources is considered the primary source.
'Accepted' MOURC entries from The MOURC Proceedings
'Not Accepted' or 'Rejected' MOURC entry from The MOURC Proceedings
Accepted MOU records assembled by David Cahlander
Sighting records for ()
Avian information from the occurrence maps, in dark red, assembled by Robert Janssen. Seasonal report for the species/season published in The Loon or The Flicker has been added.
Information from The Loon index assembled by Anthony Hertzel and David Cahlander