Tag Archives: MN North: Sax-Zim Bog

Sunday Night at the Movies … Minnesota Style

Year 10, ,

How many of you remember the days before one could even rent VCR tapes? In my youth during the early 1960’s this meant gathering around the TV as a family to watch “Sunday Night at the Movies”! Everyone hoped the two networks (CBS and NBC) had picked a film the entire family would love. Here in Duluth we had only two TV stations (ABC was still somewhere off in the future). Heck, our city at the time did not even have a McDonalds.

Thus, I bring you 365 Days of Birds at the Movies … on Sunday night (at least that is when I am blogging). (Image courtesy of FreePik.com)

Here is a short YouTube clip of the NBC Sunday Night Marquee Opener from the early 1970’s (video link for email subscribers).

Here are my movies, which started with an unexpected session the North Shore Duluth Scenic Railroad’s Steam Engine! I was hiking / birding in the woods near my home yesterday afternoon when I thought: “Is that a steam engine whistle?” Yup! The North Shore Scenic Railroad was out testing #332. The train was over three miles away from me when I first heard it. I upped my hiking pace … hurried home … and went to find a steam engine one mile away from my house!

And Now the Movies! (all videos taken during the last seven days)

North Shore Scenic Railroad Steam Engine #332 (video link for email subscribers)

Ring-Necked Pheasant near Sax-Zim Bog (video link for email subscribers)

Steam at Sunrise over Lake Superior (video link for email subscribers)

Great Gray Owl Sunrise … Rose, Orange and Gray!

Year 10

I was complaining (whining?) with my last post that I had gone the entire month of October without seeing an owl, but this morning that streak of poor luck changed. I arrived in Sax-Zim Bog long before sunrise, and as the pre dawn sky started to go orange, pine and rose I found a Great Gray Owl hunting for its breakfast (or for an owl that stays up all night is it dinner?).

It was a gorgeous morning.

Better yet, the owl then flew across the road and hunted with the first few moments of sun on its face. In total I only spent ten minutes with the hunting owl, but the time was precious.

Over the years November has often been one of my favorite months for finding Great Gray Owls. Juvenile owls  must increasingly hunt for themselves which means these youngsters are easier to find. The young Great Grays are poor hunters and this fact forces them to spend significantly more time hunting “per catch” than their parents.

Bad Birding … Great Colors!

Year 10, ,

The last week has been horrible for birding. Almost all our locals have departed south, and the Arctic and Tundra arrivals are staying north (think southerly headwinds). Add almost nonstop dreary skies and frequent rain showers and a person could almost decide to move to the desert southwest (almost … but not quite). When the sun did pop out on a few occasions and I was poised with my camera. It was beautiful.

Last Monday Molly suggested at the last moment we enjoy some unexpected sun and eat out at the top of Mont du Lac. This is the hill where we both learned to ski back in our youth, and over the past few years a new owner has invested lots of money in what was a tired ski resort. This image was taken at sunset from the restaurant at the top of the hill overlooking the St. Louis River.

Tuesday afternoon found me escaping the “blah” conditions next to Lake Superior and driving over to Sax-Zim Bog. The Tamaracks are golden, and the late afternoon sun made for brilliant birding, but someone forgot to tell the birds! I walked for three miles and saw only three of our feathered friends … a chickadee, crow and blue jay.

Here is a photo of Admiral Road from that afternoon.

Finally yesterday afternoon I heard there were some local Arctic celebrities at the Forest Hill ponds. I enjoyed the four Ross’s Geese and the one Blue Morph Snow Goose.

This Monday morning … more rain … I am NOT out birding.