Inevitably, any discussion of the bird life in Minnesota during the winter 1995–96 season will center around the weather. Although December temperatures were above average in southern Minnesota, especially in the southwest where it was 3.5°F above normal for the month. January temperatures were cold statewide, with all cities reporting 1.6 – 7.8°F below normal, and the statewide average was 4.3°F below normal. A major storm on 17–19 January brought up to 18 inches of snow in northern Minnesota, an inch and a half of freezing rain in southern Minnesota, and blizzard conditions in western Minnesota. This storm and an additional snow storm on 28 January resulted in day after day of below zero temperatures throughout the state, culminating on 2 February when the state's new all-time record low of
-60°F was set at Tower. Snowfall was above average throughout the state, especially in northern Minnesota where record season totals through April 1996 were measured, including over 111 inches at International Falls, over 132 inches at Duluth, and 170 inches at Caribou Trail, the latter a new state seasonal snowfall record.

The deep snow, ice storms, and frequent freezing and thawing created nearly impossible conditions for foraging Great Gray and Boreal Owls in northern Minnesota. As a result, both species were reported in record numbers; unfortunately, an unusual number of these birds were found dead or else were injured trying to break through the thick crust. A total of 171 dead Boreal Owls was reported to Steve Wilson, far surpassing the total of over 100 found dead during the 1988–89 invasion (The Loon 61:132). Although the total number of Great Gray Owls have not yet been compiled, it will clearly exceed the record of 218 individuals reported during the 1991–92 invasion (The Loon 64:189–195). An unprecedented number of Great Gray Owls was reported in southern Minnesota, especially in the Twin Cities area, where observers could easily locate any number of different individuals. A complete summary of the Great Gray and Boreal Owl invasions will be published in a future issue of The Loon.

As usual during invasions of northern owls, a number of predators were reported in above average or even record numbers this season. The number of Barred Owls reported was the most since the 1983–84 invasion of Great Gray Owls, and many Barred Owls could be found hunting during daylight hours; hopefully the reports of Great Gray Owls in southern Minnesota include a minimum of identification errors. Although not reported in record numbers, both Snowy and Northern Hawk Owls were reported in numbers well above average. These two species are not as dependent on small mammals as Great Gray and Boreal Owls, and can more easily shift to other prey items. Northern Saw-whet Owls were reported in record numbers this season, but only two individuals were reported dead; although this species is also dependent on small mammals, its more southerly wintering distribution no doubt prevented more from starving. Northern Shrikes were also reported in record numbers this season, as they were during the 1991–92 Great Gray Owl invasion. Other northern raptors, such as Gyrfalcon, Rough-legged Hawk, and Northern Goshawk were not reported in above average numbers, but the comparative lack of northern reports of Rough-legged Hawks suggests this species moved south in numbers as well.

Northern owls were not the only birds negatively impacted by the unusual weather. An ice storm in southern Minnesota on 18–19 January apparently decimated some local bird populations. Over an inch of solid ice coated the entire landscape in the Twin Cities and southward, and subsequent subzero temperatures locked this icy grip on many areas for as long as two weeks. As an example, Fred Eckhardt of Boyd, Lac qui Parle County reported more birds killed than he has seen in 55 years, including woodpeckers, Blue Jays, White-breasted Nut-hatches, Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, and House Sparrows. Other similar reports were received, but the full extent of such a die-off will probably remain unknown.

In addition, many species which often overwinter in Minnesota in small numbers were almost entirely absent by February, and presumably very few individuals of these species overwintered. Most notable among these species were Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Short-eared Owl, Long-eared Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush, Swamp Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird, and Common Grackle. Most of these species are at the northern limit of their wintering range in Minnesota. Hopefully, most individuals of these species that were reported in December and early January were able to vacate the state rather than succumb to the severe cold later in the season. Many other additional species were recorded only in December or January, but most of these are species which do not normally overwinter in Minnesota.

Better news was the discovery of eight species of gull at Black Dog Lake, Dakota County on 1 December, including a first state record Glaucous-winged Gull which had been present since the fall season. Also, a first-winter Black-legged Kittiwake which was only the second local record, a second-winter Iceland Gull, and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull were recorded. Eight species of gulls have not been seen at one location at one time in Minnesota since 1988, when a similar concentration of gulls occurred at Black Dog Lake (The Loon 61:3–4). For the first winter in five years, a Great Black-backed Gull was not reported from Duluth.

Despite the severe cold earlier in the month, a warming trend in late February brought an early movement of waterfowl into southern Minnesota. Most reports were clustered around 24–25 February when temperatures soared into the 50s. Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, and Ruddy Duck were all reported as migrants within the earliest dates on file for each species. The Pied-billed Grebe and Killdeer also reported during this time period were earlier than normal.

Also of interest is the large number of species that was reported in a record number of counties this season. Some of these species, such as Hairy Woodpecker, Common Raven, and Red-breasted Nuthatch could have been induced by weather or food shortages to winter in numbers farther south than normal (where there are more observers). It is difficult to explain, however, why such diverse species as Mallard, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Golden Eagle, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Brown Creeper, and White-throated Sparrow were all reported in a record number of counties, since Minnesota lies at the northern limit of these species' wintering ranges. More than likely, the record number of seasonal reports and Christmas Bird Counts were at least partly responsible for this increased coverage.

This report summarizes information from over 100 seasonal contributors and 50 Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs), which are notable increases from the previous few years. A healthy 148 species were recorded this season, including 128 species and 274,857 individuals counted on the CBCs. Although all CBC data is incorporated into this report, only the most noteworthy information is included, and when CBC sightings overlap with other reports, they are not mentioned. For the first time in four years, a tabular summary of the CBCs taken this season is included, a practice which began in 1983 when the CBCs were first closely incorporated into these seasonal reports. For a complete listing of all CBC data, readers are referred to the National Audubon Society's Aububon Field Notes, where this information is published.

Acknowledgments: I would like to thank Peder Svingen, editor of the Seasonal Reports, Dennis Martin, co-editor of the Christmas Bird Counts, and Kim Eckert and Anthony Hertzel, operators of the statewide hotlines, who all helped with the preparation of this report. I would also like to thank Steve Wilson, who provided invaluable data on the number of Boreal Owls turned in dead throughout the state.