I am sure many of you have visited the Louvre Museum in Paris, and its famous art museum. However, have you visited the Loo-vre? The Loo-vre is another famous art museum located in the Sax-Zim Bog wilderness of northern Minnesota. Better yet, this museum allows you to leave a trophy as it is one of the only outhouses for miles and miles around! Words to not do justice to the Loo-vre. Here are photographs from yesterday morning (located at the Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center). Remember, while you may be able to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, you will be able to see Mona Moosey at the Loo-vre!

The Loo-vre Art Museum / Outhouse

Oh yes … many of the summer birds are back (Sandhill Crane, Black-Billed Magpie, Eastern Kingbird)

Your daily Great Horned Owlet photo (all is fine at the nest)

Great news! Sparky Stensaas just announced the first HUGE purchase of land in the Bog is a done deal. This includes Admiral Rd. and Hwy 7! Parts of McDavitt Rd are included with hopefully more to come soon. Thanks to anyone who donated. I think everyone knows I am both a volunteer naturalist as well as donor to Bog projects. The area in yellow is the land purchase.

Sorry the owlets eating crow video link for email subscribers was not actually included in yesterday’s post. Here is that link.

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”!