All posts by richardhoeg@gmail.com

Sax-Zim Bog Early Winter Birding Report

Year 5

The Friends of Sax-Zim Bog staff and volunteers had our annual training day yesterday. Many of us birded the Bog starting at sunrise and then arrived at the Welcome Center mid morning. All the feeders are now filled at the Center, and the deer carcasses are out. There are a good number of Pine Grosbeaks (including the one pictured), and lots of Gray Jays at the Welcome Center. However, the Redpolls count is very low.

One Great Gray Owl was seen by a volunteer while birding, but the numbers and frequency of sightings right now are not high. I am convinced the Great Gray Owls being seen at this point are local birds (no migrants).

Over the last 24 hours of the first Northern Hawk Owls have been seen in northern Minnesota. One of the sightings was in the Bog on McDavitt, but the bird could not be re-found. I looked hard 30 minutes after the reported sighting including a few hikes.

The Welcome Center will open at 10:00 am on Saturday, December 8th, but as noted the feeders are now filled. Remember, in addition to stopping by the Welcome Center during your trip to the Bog, use my Google Map overlay.

Two Rough-Legged Hawks having a Disagreement over a prime hunting spot

Holiday Train!

Year 5

Looking for a special free family event which reminds oneself of an earlier time when folks understood what makes life special? Attend holiday train! What could be better than watching a locomotive and its cars all decked out with Christmas lights chug into town and then have the box car door fold down and yield a free 1/2 hour concert by nationally known acts?

Canadian Pacific’s two holiday trains will be travelling across southern Canada and the northern United States over the next two weeks. Make it part of your new holiday tradition. Next weekend I will be in Nipigon, Ontario along the North Shore of Lake Superior enjoying the spectacle. Although the event is free, a donation of food for the local food shelf is greatly appreciated. (see schedule for the USA and Canada)

Last year saw me watching the Holiday Train in the small prairie town of Plummer, Minnesota. Molly wrote an article for the Lake Country Journal and I provided the photographs. This image of mine is currently their web site’s home view.

Some views of the train and last year’s concert in Plummer.

This year’s routes … (see schedule for the USA and Canada)

Watch a short video from last year’s concert

Ski Birding at Old Vermilion Trail

Year 5

Ski Birding: Webster’s dictionary does not define this phrase, but to readers of this blog the meaning should be obvious … taking one’s cross-country skis and heading out into the Boreal Forest while looking for birds. Since Monday, I have been ski birding four times. In fact, I maintain 5k+ of remote wilderness Nordic ski trails with three winter bird feeders at the trailhead. Snow has come to the Northwoods, and given firearms deer hunting season is now over, I have both groomed the trails and put up the winter feeders. (learn more / see map)

Yesterday morning, in addition to the usual suspects, I saw small flocks of Ruffed Grouse and Pine Grosbeaks near the feeders (200 yards). This Ruffed Grouse was “gritting up” after having eaten its breakfast.

You will find ski condition reports on SkinnySki under the heading of Old Vermilion Trail (NE Minnesota). This image is actually a GoPro shadow selfie photo taken last winter at a near by trail system, Boulder Nordic. Appropriately enough the trail I was skiing has the name Lonesome Grouse!

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