So What happened this year?
(A very anecdotal view)
*Early reports from the north suggested the owls were late, but coming in above-average numbers.
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*Banding site along the St. Lawrence in Quebec captured 27 saw-whets in their first two weeks (after netting only 28 total all of last season) and reported their highest total count since 1999 (128).
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*Ottawa set new record: 30 in one night
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*WhiteFish Point Bird Observatory in Paradise, Michigan, reported a ‘Spectacular Season!’ with all-time high of 325 Saw-whets
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*Minnesota bander, captured over 500 owls working on his own, including one night of almost 80. 
*In parts of the upper Great Lakes, there is a tremendous amount of habitat to the north, and the funneling effect of the lakes, can channel the birds through certain areas.
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*Linwood Springs,Wisconsin, reported an all-time high of 77 saw-whets on one night, breaking a decade-old record of 71 birds.