WESTERN GREAT LAKES 
Minnesota's twelfth Sage Thrasher was the fourth to be 
found in heavily birded Hennepin County, at urban Lake Har- 
riet 13 (here) and 14 May 2009. Photograph by Matt Dufort. 
Martin 10 Apr (BWF). The wintering Slaty- 
backed Gull in Sheboygan, WI was last re- 
ported 29 Mar (CS). Minnesota birders re- 
ported ad. Arctic Terns in Dakota 13-14 May 
0PM, ADS) and Duluth 21-23 May (PHS, 
MLH). Rare in spring was a Pomarine Jaeger 
in Douglas, WI 16 May (PHS); Parasitic 
Jaegers were at Duluth 25 May (MLH) and 
Chippewa, Ml 29 May (AMB, PCC). 
Eurasian Collared-Doves are found practi- 
cally statewide in Minnesota, with reports 
from 34 counties, compared to only seven 
Wisconsin counties and a single Michigan re- 
port in Mason 24 Apr (CD). The only White- 
winged Dove was in Baraga, MI 10 May QK)- 
Northern Hawk Owls lingered through 21 Apr 
in Lake of the Woods, MN (TD) and through 4 
May in Luce, MI (DSt). The only Boreal Owl 
observed away from Whitefish Pt., where 73 
were banded this season, was one in Cook, 
MN. Keeping pace with each other were 
Chuck-will’s-widows each returning for their 
5th years in Berrien, MI 4 May-t- (MB, m.ob.) 
and Jackson, WI 11 May-i- QO). 
WOODPECKERS 
THROUGH WARBLERS 
Still rare in Michigan was an American 
Three-toed Woodpecker in Keweenaw 23 
May (|H). A Willow Flycatcher in Waukesha, 
WI 27 Apr (DG) was exceptionally early. 
Minnesota hosted Say’s Phoebes in Cotton- 
wood/Jackson 2 May (KRE et al.) and Anoka 
12-13 May (D&PG), while Michigan’s only 
Western Kingbird was in Alger 30-31 May 
OC, SHi, MHu, JHu). A Scissor-tailed Fly- 
catcher was in Milwaukee, WI 30 Apr (fide 
NC). Both Wisconsin and Minnesota report- 
ed good numbers of Loggerhead Shrikes, 
while Michigan had no reports. A Bell’s Vireo 
in Morrison, MN 18-23 May (FG) was n. of 
usual. The Region’s hrst Fish Crow frequent- 
ed a landfill in s. Berrien, MI 16 May-i- (MH, 
TB, m.ob.; p.a.). Carolina Wrens seem to 
have survived last winter’s record snowfalls 
in Wisconsin, while Minnesota had only one 
in Houston. Minnesota hosted the only 
Townsend’s Solitaires and had an early Swain- 
son’s Thrush in Hennepin 18 Apr (ALD). All 
three states reported lingering Varied 
Thrushes. Northern Mockingbirds put on a 
good show in both Wisconsin and Minneso- 
ta, and a Sage Thrasher was in Hennepin, MN 
13-14 Apr (TAT, m.ob.). 
A wintering Orange-crowned Warbler was 
still present on 11 Mar in Marquette, MI 
(L&PC). Quite early were a Northern Parula 
in Dane, WI 18 Apr (MNo) and a Blackburn- 
ian Warbler in Muskegon, MI 25 Apr (CF). 
Seven Yellow-throated Warbler reports from 
six counties was the most ever for Wisconsin. 
Michigan had out-of-range Yellow-throateds 
in St. Clair 22-23 Apr (DM, RE, m.ob.) and 
Keweenaw 15 May (fide SH), while one in St. 
Louis, MN 18 May (CE, PHS, DOK) made 
only the 2nd county record. Wisconsin’s Kirt- 
land’s Warbler population seems to be slowly 
growing; this spring, there were 6 females and 
8 males in Adams (fide JT). Also in Wisconsin 
were Prairie Warblers in Ozaukee 27 Apr 
(TSc) and Racine 20 May QD); Minnesota had 
Prairies in Rice 13 May (DTa) and Blue Earth 
23 May (CH). A Yellow Palm Warbler was in 
Wayne, MI 24 Apr QAC). All three states re- 
ported Worm-eating Warblers; Minnesota’s 
lone record was one in Hennepin 15 May 
(TAT, ADS). 
TANAGERS THROUGH 
WEAVER FINCHES 
Summer Tanagers showed up in impressive 
numbers for the 2nd consecutive spring: Wis- 
consin had over 30 birds; Minnesota had re- 
ports from 11 counties, including firsts in 
Carver and Waseca', and Michigan had at least 7 
birds in four counties. May brought 5 Western 
Tanagers to four Minnesota counties; Wiscon- 
sin had singles in Juneau 27 Apr (GB) and 
Waukesha 19-21 May (PD). Minnesota again 
hosted the only Spotted Towhees, birds in Lac 
Qui Parle and Lyon. Michigan had Lark Spar- 
rows in Washtenaw 26 Apr (MSJ, m.ob.), Mack- 
inac 21 May (GV), and Barry 28 May+ (BR, 
m.ob.); Minnesota reported one in St. Louis 17- 
19 May (KJB, PHS). A Henslow’s Sparrow in 
Pennington, MN 24-27 May (KRE) was an un- 
usual nw. record. Migrant Nelson’s Sparrows 
were reported from Milwaukee, WI 8 May (SL) 
and Berrien, MI (TB, MH). Minnesota’s winter- 
ing Golden-crowned Sparrow reappeared in St. 
Louis 29 Mar-2 Apr after a hiatus of more than 
three weeks; even more surprising was the ap- 
pearance of another at a feeder in Dakota 25 & 
30 Mar (JPM, ADS, TAT). Michigan had only 
four spring records of Smith’s Longspur prior to 
2009, so a flock of up to 40+ in Berrien 27 
Apr-9 May (AV, RJ; p.a.) was unprecedented. 
An additional one was in Keweenaw, Ml 12 
May QK, LD), and 7 were in Kandiyohi, MN 24 
Apr (RSF). Unusually far e. was a male Chest- 
nut-collared Longspur in Dakota, MN 18 Apr 
(MD, SW). Late were 3 Snow Buntings in Door, 
Lark Sparrow, considered a vagrant along the North Shore of Lake Superior, was nicely photographed at Park Point, Duluth, 
Minnesota 19 May 2009. Photograph by PederH. Svingen. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) 
NUMBER 3 
435 
