Sax-Zim Bog trip

Last Saturday about a dozen of us traveled to the Sax Zim Bog in northern Minnesota. The trip was sponsored by Eden Prairie's Outdoor Center and led by its director, Stan Tekiela, of NatureSmart. Stan is a prolific author of many nature books, illustrated with his excellent photography. 

   

   

Stan is firm about leaving on time.

  

  

Coffee & potty breaks are essential.

  

  

Stan lining up a spotting scope on our first quarry, the Hawk Owl.

   

   

   

   

We saw five Hawk Owls. Unfortunately, they were too far in the distance for good photos.

  

  

Is Spring on its way?

  

  

Wolf tracks nearly as large as Stan's hand.

  

  

A number of folks in the area had set up feeding stations for birds in anticipation of the 2010 Sax Zim Bog Festival of Birds, Feb. 12-14. These included rib cages of deer, providing suet for birds such as woodpeckers, Gray Jays, and Boreal Chickadees. The night before the Festival, Feb. 11, the DNR, in its infinite wisdom and arrogance, disregarding birders and most local residents, removed the feeding stations, claiming they constituted littering!!?? Although some of the seed feeders have been restored, the deer suet had not been by the time we got there. 

   

   

   

   

Purple Finch

more to follow