This winter's weather had few extremes one way or the other and can best be described as nondescript. What I recall as a relatively mild and snowle$ S winter was not borne out in the statistics. December was much colder than normal, especially towards the end of the month. Regional temperatures ranged from 1.7° below average in the North Central to a frigid 4.6° below normal in the Southwest. The month's high was 55° at Pipestone and Redwood Falls on the 8th and 9th, while the low dipped to -41 o in Thorhult (northwest Beltrami Co.) on the 31st. Snowfall was a bit above normal in most regions, with only the North Central and Northeast slightly below average. North Mankato received the most snow with 21.3", while Grand Marais was the driest spot with only .33" of precipitation.

Cold temperatures persisted into the first half of January, and the month averaged colder than normal.

Only the Southeast was slightly above normal, while the Northwest was 4.2° below normal. The month's high was 54 ° at New Ulm on the 16th, and the low again was at Thorhult with -45 ° on the 11th. Snowfall was below average everywhere except the Northwest which was only a fraction drier than usual. No less than three locations reported.00" of precipitation, and the highest snowfall for January was a modest 16.6" at Gunflint Lake in Cook Co.

February saw temperatures quite close to normal, except for a substantial warming at the end of the month.

The Southwest was 1.4 o above normal, the Northeast was 1.8° below normal, but everywhere else had virtually normal temperatures. On the 27th and 28th the mercury reached a high of 54o at Windom, Worthington and Luverne, while good old Thorhult again was the cold spot (whatever happened to International Falls?) with -37 ° on the 4th. Snowfall was also close to average with half the regions reporting slightly higher precipitation and half slightly lower. Isle in Mille Lacs Co. received the most snowfall with 23.5".

While the weather may not have been too exciting, the birds were.

Nothing all that spectacular was found, but 50 contributors reported no less than 138 species, perhaps the highest count for any winter. Part of this variety of species is due to the increase in the number of Christmas Counts which is the best way to get observers out in winter. Thirty-one counts were taken this winter as compared to 27 last year and only 20 counts four years ago. But even though no exotic strays were turned up, 138 species is a very respectable total, and there were quite a few highlights.

An injured Common Loon lingered until late February in Cass Co., and 2 Red-necked Grebes were seen off Lutsen on the MOU North Shore trip. Also injured was an American Bittern that was in Goodhue Co. through most of December. The Brant at Rochester was still present until 12-8, and Barrow's Goldeneyes were reported at St. Paul and St. Cloud..A white-phase Gyrfalcon turned up m Washington Co., and Merlins were seen twice in December. The elusive Spruce Grouse was only reported once, but the Wild Turkeys at Whitewater Wildlife Area continue to be seen in good numbers. North Shore dumps are being cleaned up and closed, fishing boats have almost disappeared on L.

Superior, and wintering gulls seem to be declining. Only 2 Glaucous Gull reports were received from the North Shore, but a newly-split Thayer's Gull was identified at Duluth by Guy McCaskie from California. Hawk-Owls invaded northeastern counties in their best numbers in many winters, there were 4 Great Gray Owl reports, the very rare Boreal Owl was seen only once, and Northern Saw-whet Owls showed up at two locations. A "red-shafted" Common Flicker in perfect plumage wintered in Redwood Co., and a Northern American Three-toed Woodpecker was found in Aitkin Co. A single Clark's Nutcracker in Redwood Co. turned up a year after last winter's invasion, a Carolina Wren was found on the Afton Christmas Count, a Northern Mockingbird lingered into January in St. Paul, an unprecedented Swainson's Thrush was also in St. Paul until 12-29, and the Varied Thrush continues to establish itself on the regular list by showing up at 7 different spots. Perhaps the best birds of the winter were a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Beltrami Co. and a Loggerhead Shrike in Duluth in January, both probably the first authentic winter records for these species. Yellowrumped Warblers lingered into midDecember in St. Paul and Grand Marais as did a Yellow-headed Blackbird at Ortonville. Evening and Pine Grosbeaks were not nearly as common as in most winters, but redpolls were around in good numbers and Hoary Redpolls were identified (or misidentified?) in unprecedented numbers.

White-winged Crossbills also staged an impressive invasion and in most areas were even more common than Reds.

Finally, 2 White-crowned Sparrows lingered well into December at two locations, and a Fox Sparrow stayed for the Afton Christmas Count on January 1.