The most obvious aspect of the winter of 1970-71 was the lack of winter finches and waxwings. Almost no redpolls, Pine Grosbeaks, crossbills, or Bohemian Waxwings were seen, which cantrasted sharply with the previous winter when all these species were widespread and the Common Redpoll was particularly abundant. This year the Common Redpoll was conspicuous by its absence, and the Americll'n Goldfinch was the invasion bird of the winter. The Purple Finch and Evening Grosbeak were also less numerous than in the previous winter.

All this points up why these species are known as erratic winter visitants.

The exact why's and where's of their population movements are not systematically charted on a continental basis, and it is impossible to predict what the winter will bring. Detailed knowledge of food preferences, food availability in breeding and wintering areas, and nesting success over a wide area of boreal forest would be necessary for prediction. This is not available, especially for the vast areas of boreal forest areas in Canada, where there are few people, never mind birders. So the unknown is always one of the interesting dimensions of winter birding.

The most excrtmg bird of the winter was the Ivory Gull on Lake Superior.

Records show only three other sightings of this rare arctic species: in the winter of 1948-49, 1955-56, and 1966-67, with only one bird seen each time. The three observations this winter of an adult Ivory Gull are probably all the same bird, although they were made in three different localities.

The last two sightings were at late winter gull concentrations areas. It seems from the number and ages of the Glaucous Gulls in the flock that the gulls move freely back and forth from the Duluth city dump to the Knife River fishing harbor. When Lake Superior is frozen over at this arm of the Lake there is little other food available.

Some 85 observers reported the 116 species found this winter (an average number). Three species that are only of casual occurence in Minnesota were reported: the Gyrfalcon, Mountain Bluebird, and Townsend's Solitaire. A few species that do not normally try to overwinter were seen: the Black-crowned Night Heron, Ring-billed Gull, and Eastern Towhee.

CONTRIBUTORS:

Agassiz NWR staff James A. Baumhofer Jo Blanich Don A. Bolduc Marvin Borell Betty & Doug Campbell Marjorie M. Carr R. Christman Mable Coyne Ell a H. Dahlberg Richard C. Davids Mrs. Arnold Dekam Bob Drieslein Whitney & Karen Eastman Kim R. Eckert Mrs. L. A. Feil Pepper Fuller Raymond Glassel Janet C. Green Karol & Jerome Gresser John G. Hale W. 1. H ansen John A. Hart Helen S. Hatlelid Wayne Hawkinson Kathy Heidel Bruce A. Hitman P. B. Hofslund Charles L. Horn Jr.

Harding F. Huber M. lvanovs R. B. Janssen Richard H. Jorgensen Mrs. E. W. Joul Earl D. Kopischke Maria Krogseng Violet Lender Fred Z. Lesher Bill Litkey William H. Longley Mrs. Warren W. Lundgren Lester T. Magnus D. G. Mahle Phil Moos Mary H. Muehlhausen Fran Nubel Jean Peterson Alden F. Risser Orwin A. Rustad Ellen Schmid C. K. Sherek Beatrice A. Smith Evelyn T. Stanley Mrs. John D. Telfer Carol Urness Bro. Theodore Voelker Carol Welch