Tag Archives: MN North: Sax-Zim Bog

Northland Return!

Year 7,

The Northland welcomed me home with a burst of snow. I welcomed the white stuff which made the trees nicely flocked. The owls even welcomed me back and during our short stay at my daughter’s house each morning I heard a pair of Great Horned Owls hooting their love song (these owls will nest within the next week or two). I accepted the owl’s call, and found them the second morning ten minutes before sunrise (off trail hike through deep snow required). I also found a flock of cardinals, but try as I might … they refused to give me a classic pose (building in the background).

Great Horned Owl just before Sunrise

Northern Cardinal

Finally, here is a “repost” from the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog, which is the wilderness area where I volunteer.  While the words are not my own, I 100% agree with the message. While we welcome all the visits to the Northland, it is important not to “overlove’ our birds.

The Sax-Zim Bog is home to 5 species of nesting owl, but our most recent visitor is not among them! This Boreal Owl has recently been seen frequenting the Admiral Road Feeding Station. This bird, as well as the Barred Owl at Winterberry Bog, have drawn the attention of a number of visitors lately and that number will only go up this coming weekend. Here are a couple of tips for viewing owls, so we can avoid unduly stressing them as they hunt at a difficult time of year:

1) Keep noise levels low. All owls, especially Boreal Owls and Northern Saw-whet Owls, are auditory predators that rely on their ears to find prey under the snow. Too much noise will disrupt their hunting success. A study by Mason et al. 2016 showed that for every decibel increase in sound, Northern Saw-whet Owls hunting success decreased 8%.

2) Keep a respectful distance. Owls have a number of signs to show us they are being disturbed, especially through their posture and behavior. The owl in the photo is rousing (ruffling its feathers). This behavior, plus relaxed eyelids, lets us know that the bird is relaxed. Signs of distress include wide open eyes, compressed head feathers, and opened bill or bill clacking. If you notice an owl showing these behaviors, take a step or two back. Spotting scopes are a great way to view birds from a distance. If you are willing, set up your scope and encourage others to view the bird from a distance.

3) The welfare and safety of all wildlife comes first, and our photos or videos come second. Every time. Considering the location of this bird, we as observers should also consider our safety, as Admiral Road is a well traveled road. Let’s try and be good neighbors to those folks living in the Bog, as well as the birds.

If you are interested in learning more about safe owl or wildlife observation, we have information on our website at the bottom of the Birding the Bog tab. Also, here are a couple of other great resources to get you started on interpreting owl behaviors:

  • https://saxzim.org/birding-the-bog/
  • https://www.internationalowlcenter.org/respectful_observation.html
  • https://artusobirds.blogspot.com/2014/12/signs-of-stress-in-owls.html

Sax-Zim Bog Northern Hawk Owl

Year 7

Some days the birds just don’t understand. While this Northern Hawk Owl made itself available for photographs, in over an hour of watching the bird out in the country side never once did it move to the nearby spruce trees which were glistening with hoar frost on a cold sunny morning (-22F at one point). Oh well, even though I have often seen this particular bird on said spruces, it was a powerline photo for me.

Northern Hawk Owl

A few comments if you are visiting Sax-Zim Bog this winter:

  1. Only park on one side of the road. These dirt roads are not very wide and the locals don’t appreciate three or four cars on both sides of the roads. It’s hard to drive amongst the birders.
  2. Great Gray Owls are present on more than just Admiral Road. You do not need to be part of the crowd on that remote road. Explore the miles of other roads in the Bog.
  3. Be careful when you pull over to park. Snow plow drivers plow the roads wider than the actual road itself. Many visitors have suddenly found their cars stuck in deep snow as the outside wheels tip down into the roadside ditch. Tows are costly given the remoteness of the area.
  4. I have found dusk to be much better for seeing Great Gray Owls this winter. The mouse / vole population is quite high, and thus there is little reason for the owls to hunt past sunrise. Remember, sunset is the owl’s breakfast time. All bets are off during stormy, windy weather.
  5. Have fun and dress warmly. Temperatures in the Bog are routinely 15 degrees colder than in the Duluth area. Last winter Cotton, Minnesota (entrance to the Bog) had a temperature reading of -55F (actual temperature, not windchill)

Sax-Zim Bog American Three-Toed Woodpecker!

Year 7

I spent the morning and early afternoon in Sax-Zim Bog.  A hike into the Winterberry Bog yielded a rare sighting, a male American Three-Toed Woodpecker. Given the remote wilderness areas this woodpecker inhabits, most folks would never see this bird. In addition, this woodpecker never visits feeders … flaking off bark for its tasty meals found underneath.

American Three-Toed Woodpecker

I also had fun watching this Northern Hawk Owl hunt. Just like when I last saw this bird almost 7 weeks ago, it is hanging out near a logging operation enjoying voles and mice scared up by crashing trees.

Northern Hawk Owl

Finally, for those of you in Florida, Molly and I are coming south. We will be in the Fort Myers area between January 23rd and 30th. Suggestions for birding excursions are definitely most welcome … perhaps even meeting some of you Floridians!

My thanks to Ed L. who took me over to the Bog today. While I am driving and my eyes are much, much better … it is nice to be a passenger.