Yesterday, I spent a delightful morning in Sax-Zim Bog. How else might one describe a day with deep blue skies, calm winds and 44F?! The two week stretch of -175F weather got old! I took lots of hikes, and was surprised to learn how much snow has melted in the forest. My main reason for heading over to the Bog was to say goodbye for another year to the grosbeaks. Within days all of the Pine Grosbeaks should be gone and on their way up to the northern fringes of the Boreal Forest in Canada. I actually felt lucky to find two females.

The Evening Grosbeaks will hang around for a week or two longer. While a few will stay and breed in northern Minnesota, most will migrate north to the mid Boreal Forest up in Canada.

I also enjoyed some time with a few Gray Jays … a year round bird in northern Minnesota, and now Canada’s national bird (official new name … Canada Jay)

Finally, this morning I was out of the house shortly after 6 am in search of Great Gray Owls. I struck out 100%. The melting snow and time of year means it’s time for these owls to leave the roadsides where they hunt “meadow voles” and head deep back into the forest … to raise a new family and munch on “red backed voles” all summer.