The 119th Christmas Bird Count, despite some significant obstacles thrown in our way by both Mother Nature (but what else is new) and the United States Federal Government (more on that later, of course), in the end result again broke records across the board! While the weather continentally for much of the count period was quite favorable, only lapsing into true winter toward the turn of the New Year, it was the fall season leading up to the 119th Count period that played a major role it this season’s results. Across much of Canada and the northern tier of states a series of powerful cold fronts dropped down from the Arctic in mid- to late November, producing mid-winter like temperatures during the November holidays. Record low temperatures and howling winds, though with little precipitation, put much of the northern two-thirds of North America into the deep freeze well before the count period. Most lingering waterfowl and other open water dependent birds were forced south...