MICHIGAN BIRDS and Natural History November-December 2010 Volume 17 Number 5 A publication of Michigan Audubon MICHIGAN BIRDS and Natural History November - December 2010 Volume 17 Number 5 Michigan Birds and Natural History is a publication of Michigan Audubon and is published five times a year. Its mission is to provide a forum for the publication of research on the natural history of Michigan with an emphasis on birds. It is also the home of the Michigan Bird Survey, Michigan Butterfly Survey, Michigan Christmas Bird Counts, North American Migration Count, and the proceedings of the Michigan Bird Records Committee. Subscriptions are $25.00 per year in the United States and $30.00 elsewhere. They cover the current calendar year. Subscriptions can be obtained by sending a check along with your name and address to: Michigan Audubon/MBNH 6011 W. St. Joseph Hwy., Suite 403 Lansing, Michigan 48917 MBNH Committee Managing Editor ............................................................................Jon Wuepper Layout Editor .................................................................................... Don Tinson II Survey Editor .............................................................................. Adam M. Byrne Photo Editor ............................................................................... Allen T. Chartier Copy Editor ............................................................................................ Bill Rapai Photo Quiz Editor .............................................................................. Matt Hysell Peer Review ....................................................................................... Mike Bishop Additional Copy Editing ............................... Glenn Palmgren, John L. Trapp Seasonal Survey Compilers ............................ Jon Wuepper, Jack Reinoehl, Louis Dombroski, Allen T. Chartier NAMC Compiler ................................................. Jeff Buecking, Mike Petrucha Christmas Bird Count Compiler ................................................ John L. Trapp Banding Summaries ........................................................................ Mike Bishop Michigan Bird Records Committee ..................................... Caleb G. Putnam Cover: This Kirtland’s Warbler, found near Whitefish Point during June (here 18 June) 2010, is one of an increasing number of these birds being found in the Upper Peninsula. Photo by J.D. Phillips. Printing: RiverRun Press, Kalamazoo, Michigan November - December 2010, Volume 17 Number 5 Message from the Managing Editor: This fifth, supplemental issue closes Vol. 17, and the editorial committee and I look forward to Volume 18, Number 1, which will be published in early 2011. We will work hard in the new year to maintain a regular publication schedule, presenting a new issue every three months, plus a year-end supplement. Each regular issue (1-4) will contain regular features (Michigan Bird Survey, results of the annual Kirtland’s Warbler census and the annual Michigan Christmas Bird Count result, photo quiz, etc) in addition to short notes and papers on the natural history of Michigan with an emphasis on birds. This supplement contains Michigan’s data from the North American Migration Count, the actions of the Michigan Bird Records Committee, and Michigan Bird Banding Summary. Michigan Birds and Natural History. This supplement is the only place you can find this valuable data. Please notice that this supplement is “perfect bound” in that it is similar to a paperback. The cost of publishing this issue was paid for by generous pledges and donations received in support of the “Newsworthy Gnatcatchers,” the team representing MBNH during the 22nd Annual Southwest Michigan Team Birdathon. I continue to be pleased with the positive support given to Michigan Birds and Natural History from the Michigan ornithological community. I would also like to thank all of the members of the MBNH editorial committee and Michigan Audubon for their support during the last year. Each member of the committee donates his time and expertise toward producing Michigan’s ornithological journal. I look forward to working with all of you in 2011! Respectfully, Jonathan T. Wuepper [email protected] 229 MICHIGAN BIRDS and Natural History If you’ve been desperately trying to get your hands on a copy of A Birder’s Guide to Michigan, there is good news. A second printing of the book has just been completed and the Michigan Audubon Nature Bookstore has it in stock. You can order it online at <http://www.michiganaudubon. org/support/shop/bookstore/index. html>. Michigan Audubon’s Bookstore is located in our state office at 6011 W. St. Joseph Hwy., Suite 403, Lansing, Michigan. If you have any questions about our inventory, how to place an order, or how to find us, please call 517-886-9144. 230 November - December 2010, Volume 17 Number 5 Actions of the Michigan Bird Records Committee for 2009 Caleb G. Putnam 146 Timmer Dr. NE Sparta, MI 49345 This is the 20th report of the Michigan Bird Records Committee, covering the Committee’s actions in 2009. The members of the Committee in 2009 were Rick Brigham (Allegan Co.), Adam M. Byrne (Clinton Co.), Lathe Claflin (Jackson Co.), James C. Dawe (Oscoda Co.), Louie Dombroski (Bay Co.), Brad Murphy (Oakland Co.), and Caleb G. Putnam (Kent Co.), with alternate members Philip C. Chu (St. Cloud, MN) and Skye Haas (Marquette Co.). Putnam was Chairman and Byrne was Secretary. Per bylaw E.5 the votes of past Committee member Scott Terry were solicited and used during 2009. During 2009, the Committee made 273 decisions on 175 records, with 151 (55.3%) of the decisions being to accept. Ninety-four (53.7%) of the records resulted in the acceptance of at least one individual. The discrepancy between the number of decisions and the number of records resulted from two circumstances. First, 22 records involved multiple individual birds, each individual requiring a separate decision. Second, four records were re-reviewed as a different species group following initial rejection; for example, a Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) which was initially rejected was then re-reviewed as an Arctic/Pacific Loon Gavia( arctica/pacifica). Two species, Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) and Couch’s Kingbird (Tyrannus couchii), were added to the Michigan state checklist during 2009, each with accidental status. This brings the total state list to 435 species, from 434 in 2008. Because Michigan already had an accepted record of Tropical/Couch’s Kingbird prior to 2009, there was a net gain of only one species for the year. Status changes for 2009 were few, and included only Barn Owl (Tyto alba) and Green Violetear (Colibri thalassinus), which were both upgraded from accidental to casual status. Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), which became a regular species in 2008 (Putnam 2009), is in the second year of its three year grace period before removal from the review list (per bylaw D.1), and will thus remain on the list through at least 2011. 231 MICHIGAN BIRDS and Natural History Several nomenclatural and taxonomic changes were made during 2009 to bring the state checklist into concordance with the fiftieth supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Checklist of North American Birds (Chesser et al. 2009). Namely, Boreal Chickadee’s (Poecile hudsonica) specific epithet was changed to hudsonicus; the genus Piranga (which includes Scarlet (P. olivacea), Summer (P. rubra), and Western Tanagers (P. ludoviciana)) was moved from the family Thraupidae to the Cardinalidae, and placed at the beginning of that family; Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni) was renamed Nelson’s Sparrow, retaining its scientific name; Common and Hoary Redpolls (Carduelis flammea and C. hornemanni, respectively) were moved to the genus Acanthis; and Pine Siskin and American Goldfinch (C. pinus and C. tristis, respectively) were moved to the genus Spinus. (Note: several additional taxonomic changes which did not occur until 2010 are nonetheless reflected in this article because the Committee has subsequently accepted them.) Requests for Reconsideration During 2009, the Committee received three requests for reconsideration: a Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) in Delta Co. on 20 October 2006 (initially rejected), a Ross’s Goose (Chen rossii) in Delta Co. on 17 April 2009 (initially accepted), and a Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) in Allegan Co. on 29 November 2002 (initially accepted). All three were approved by majority vote. The Red Phalarope was voted upon in 2009, and is detailed below (see under “Records Not Accepted”), while the Mountain Bluebird and Ross’s Goose were re-voted upon in 2010 (Putnam, in prep.). Bylaws Changes At the fall meeting, the Committee voted unanimously to change bylaw B.1 to: (new verbiage bolded) The Michigan Bird Records Committee (MBRC) shall be an autonomous body that serves in an advisory capacity to Michigan Audubon’s Research Program. The MBRC shall consist of seven regular members, and two additional members who will be considered first and second alternates. Alternates will vote on each submitted record, but their votes will be tallied only in the absence of a vote or votes by regular voting members. At meetings, alternates will vote on all matters before the committee and all members have the same status on procedural votes. 232 Actions of the Michigan Birds Record Committee for 2009 November - December 2010, Volume 17 Number 5 This change adjusted the relationship between the