While reviewing the findings of the 122nd Christmas Bird Counts in Alaska one word kept coming to mind – unremarkable. In other words, the individual counts from this past cycle exemplified a good old Alaska winter – very wet in the coastal areas, very snowy inland, and just plain cold everywhere. As a result, a surprising number of the resident birds were missed on the ‘count days’; and notably fewer of the fall migrants that often ‘linger’ into the early winter simply did not this year – for example, no Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, American Pipit, or Yellow-rumped Warbler were reported on any State count this year – all species that have each previously been found during at least seven of the past 10 years. Looking at the State in closer detail, 12 counts were conducted in the southeast ‘panhandle’, where the climate is generally characterized by mild but often very wet maritime conditions. These counts, with their 269 total participants, tallied...