Today will more than likely be the last day I hike back into the frozen bog with my trusty Canon SX60. While this has been a great camera for me, its successor the Canon SX70 was waiting on my doorstep when I returned home from Sax-Zim Bog. Expect a review of my new camera shortly, but my final hike with an old friend was most pleasant.
I actually had not even planned to head to the Bog when I go up yesterday morning, but when I discovered the day would be totally clear with light winds I could not resist the “call of the bog”. I arrived in the Bog thirty minutes before sunrise, but even with light winds and perfect weather before sunrise, I did not find a Great Gray Owl. Without deep snow in the woods, there is little reason for these birds to hunt the roadsides.
However, given there is only 4 inches of white stuff on the ground, taking hikes deep into the bog is much easier than normal. A Northern Hawk Owl has been hanging out in the South Logging Road clearing 3/4 of a mile from the trail head. No snow shoes were necessary and when I first arrived two Gray Jays and the owl were having a major disagreement. It was like a World War I dogfight for over three minutes with the three birds diving and swirling at each other. It was a “hoot” to watch!
Next a pair of Hairy Woodpeckers took exception to the presence of the owl, but these two birds were not as agile and tended to scream from a distance. The two images given below were of the combatants taken on top of two dead tamarack pines approximately fifteen yards apart. The Northern Hawk Owl was not impressed with the presence of the Hairy, as its facial expression seems to express.
I did stop by the Welcome Center around 10 am. It has an amazing number of male pine grosbeaks including this one I caught foraging on the ground.
My final hike of the day was into the Warren Nelson Bog. Light winds meant it was extremely easy to hear Black Backed Woodpeckers in their search for food. Within minutes after arriving I heard and found this female. All an all it was a great day in the Bog … sunny, no wind, and 9F.
I simply want to express my appreciation for your blog. While I missed the first couple of years, I am an avid reader now! We have a cabin on the North Shore, and my husband and I love the opportunities we have to visit Sax Zim. Your blog helps us stay connected to the special nature of those places, even when we are not there. And I always find something new to learn. So, thank you for the gift of your blog!
Richard, I love your passion for the outdoors, the bog, and the wildlife. Thanks for sharing that drive with us and providing the impetus for us to get up and get out. Merry Christmas. I look forward to seeing you in 2019.