The weather service said the winter storm warning and travel advisory was not going to expire till high noon, but my own inspection of weather radar seemed to indicate the storm was now to our east. In addition, did you know via Mn511.Org (official road conditions) one may view “snowplow cams” in essentially real time? Thus, when my inspection showed Hwy 53 was in decent shape I was quickly “bog bound” at 7 am. Once I arrived at Sax-Zim Bog I entered a Winter Wonderland on snow flocked pine trees. I could tell I was the ONLY car that had driven Admiral and Overton Roads, and was the first car on McDavitt (saw one car at the very north end).

Crowds in Sax-Zim Bog? What are those? While I did not see any owls, I had a great time watching a flock of evening grosbeaks. It was truly a relaxing morning. My own assessment of the weather had been correct … zero snow or rain, limited wind, and actually decently bright conditions for overcast skies!

I still have one birding hike yet to accomplish later today. March 23rd is the official yearly start of “fluff watch”!

Migration Misfortune! Found these eight Trumpeter Swans “on” Stone Lake ice in the Sax-Zim Bog yesterday. Birds that return north the earliest get prime territory, and most years there are patches of open water, but not this year. The temperature is supposed to get down to around -15F tomorrow night (actual, not chill factor).