Bill,
So far most of the northern owls have not appeared in any significant
numbers. Last year, as you mentioned, we (Minnesota, Wisconsin) had an
enormous irruption of northern hawk owls, great grays, and boreal owls, but
that may have been a once in 50 year phenomona.

I've been to central and northern Minnesota on several winter owling weekend
trips in past years and on a good trip will see three or four great grays
and maybe photograph one.  Last year we could see up to 70-80 birds a day,
but that was simply exceptional. Still when I think back to how much time
I've spent in great gray range and how many I've seen, seeing a couple per
day isn't too bad.

One exception to this year's trend are snowy owls and this may be a fairly
good year to find them (9-10 have been sighted so far, but they are spread
out all over the north and east central Minnesota). They won't be common
like the great grays or northern hawk owls were last year though.  To find
one I'd recommend watching the Minnesota Ornithological website,
specifically their unusual bird sightings at http://moumn.org/hotline.html.

Gordon Dietzman