Minnesota enjoyed fine weather from September 1 to December 1, the period covered by this report. There was one exception, however. A severe windstorm of tornado proportions occurred October 10. For fifteen hours the wind velocity was from ninety to one hundred miles per hour. It blew down thousands of trees, crippled telephone and telegraph service, grounded planes and caused considerable property damage. Corn was flattened and about one-third of the crop was reported lost. An appeal was broadcast to pheasant hunters to help pick corn before the hunting season opened. There were an estimated two hundred thousand pheasant hunters this fall and according to reports, the number of pheasants had increased very little over last year.

The duck hunting season opened October 7 and the shooting in most parts of the state was reported good. All species of ducks had increased slightly in numbers. Mallards and Blue-winged Teal were the most abundant. This season more Gadwalls and Wood Ducks were taken than in the past few years. Large flights of migrating ducks were reported from various points in the state. Paul C. Murphy reported that at Rondo Lake, near St. Paul, an estimated twenty thousand ducks had concentrated September 8 to feed on the wild rice that grew so abundantly there. Later observations showed that a goodly number of these ducks were Wood Ducks.

Thousands of ducks, mostly Mallards flew over the Minnesota River Va;ley neay Minneapolis November 6. The flight was first observed about 4:00 P.M. and was still proceeding when darkness fell. Several flocks could be seen at one time passing so near that the hissing of the air through their wing feathers could be distinctly heard. Robley W. Hunt, Refuge Manager of Mud Lake National Refuge in northwestern Minnesota, reported on the duck migration as follows, "In general the 1949 fall migration was considerably larger in numbers of the more common species of ducks. Mallards, Gadwalls, American Wigeons and American Coots went through in large numbers; Northern Shovelers were down as were Northern Pintails; American Black Ducks were here in larger numbers, but still accounted for in hundreds only." The unusual appearance of an Old Squaw Duck was reported at Wheaton November 12, by E. A. Kobs. The bird was collected. American Golden-eyes apparently arrived very late in all sections of the s~ate. Joel Bronoel, Duluth, reported the fall migration of Golden-eyes to be late for that region. Only four we1·e in the harbor on November 18. Dr. Abbott who lives near Grand Marais stated that up to December 1, only a few ducks, mostly Golden-eyes, had appeared on Lake Superior in front of his home and they stayed just a short time. About one hundred Old Squaws arrived and they also left after a brief stay. Dr. Abbott said that last year Old Squaws by the thousands came to this same area. He saw only two White-winged Scoters. However, the unusual records <;>f Surf and American Scoters were received. A Surf Scoter was shot October 29 in Hennepin County by E. A. Kobs and an American Scoter was killed in Lake County by Lloyd Campbell October 26. The ducks were still lingering on lakes in Minneapolis, December 1. Among them were Blue-winged Teal and American Coots.

The fall flight of geese was spectacular in Eastern Minnesota, especially over the Twin Cities. Such large flights have rarely been seen in this section of the state. Since the usual flight occurred in western Minnesota and the Dakotas, an increase in the number of geese is suggested. At Mud Lake National Refuge a huge flight of thousands began October 21. Canada, Richardson's, Snow and Blue Geese were reported. Mr. Hunt stated that native residents could recall nothing like the large numbers using the area this fall. Four Richardson's Geese were shot at Swan Lake Meeker Co., and vicinity October 20. This report was sent in by J. P. Jensen. Near Lake Henry a Greater White-fronted Goose was brought down with a broken wing by hunters. This species and the Richardson's Goose are rarely found in the eastern part of Minnesota.

American Magpies were observed at Mud Lake Refuge throughout the summer and were still being seen there November 22.

Ravens may be extending their range. Several members of the Academy of Science saw one south of Cloquet September 10. One was reported September 25 ne. the Minnesota end of the Hudson Bridge. This bird was seen at close range by Dr. Vernon Whipple of St. Paul.

At Duluth, seventeen White Pelican::. were observed September 17 by Julius Wolff, Jr.

The hawk migration was about normal. Over the Twin Cities the heaviest migration occurred between October 24 and November 5. In Duluth Joel Bronoel reported that a large migration of Rough-legged Hawks took place during the latter part of October and the first part of November.

Franklin's Gulls migrated through eastern Minnesota again this fall. A large flock flew over the Isaac Walton Bass Pond September 25 and A. C. Rosenwinkel reported about twentyfive near Como Lake, St. Paul, October 5. Late dates were reported for some of the perching birds. The Yellow-throated Vireo and the Blue-headed Vireo were observed October 9 by A. C. Rosenwinkel, St. Paul. A Gray Catbird, a Brown Thrasher and several Eastern Bluebirds tarried in Minneapolis, as late as November 5.

American Egrets lived around lakes in the vicinity of the Twin Cities and in the marshlands of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers until driven away by the opening of hunting season. It was another good year for them. The report to the Audubon Field Notes by Harvey Gunderson is as follows: "A good summary of the fall distribution of American Egrets in Minnesota was furnished by biologists from the Conservation Department who flew twenty-five hundred miles in an aerial survey of waterfowl in midAugust. Out of a total of two hundred ninety American Egrets, two hundred thirty-one were tallied along the Mississippi River between Hastings and Winona. (Lee, Longley, Zorichak)."

Birds from the North arrived at the usual time. Tree Sparrows appeared in the area around the Twin Cities October 9. A report from Duluth by Jot! Bronoel dated November 19 stated that Sno\\' Buntings and Lapland Longspurs were numerous and that Northern Shrikes, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks and Bohemian Waxwings had arrived. Pine Siskins appeared near St. Paul October 15. On a field trip in Lake Vadnais Pine Forest November 5, the St. Paul Bird Club listE-d an Arctic Three-toed Woodpeekers, a Northern Goshawk and a flock of Red Grossbills.

A pronounced invasion of the Snowy Owl occurred in Minnnesola this fall. From various parts of the state fo.trteen reports have been sent to the 1vluseum of Natural History. Two Snowy Owls came to the University of Minnesota Campus November 17 and are still living on the roofs of the buildings.