Tag Archives: MN North: Sax-Zim Bog

Black-Backed Woodpecker!

Year 8,

There are certain Boreal birds one will never attract to a feeder, and the Black-Backed Woodpecker is one of those species. Winter is the best time of year to find a Black-Backed because it is easier to hike through the frozen forest, and there are no mosquitoes. I had been skunked in all my prior attempts to see this kind of woodpecker this year, but today I was successful. Hiking through the forest with frequent stops to listed pointed me in the proper direction. Black-Backed Woodpeckers tend to have a syncopated sound. These birds flake bark off old and diseased Tamarack Pines … with frequent stops to investigate and eat.

Upon arriving home, I found two birds which insisted on getting their picture taken. The Pileated Woodpecker was drilling on one of my yards hollow limbs. As I have already seen the happy couple together, at this point he is warning off other Pileateds and defining his territory. The female Cardinal seemed to be upset with having her photograph taken!

A Grosbeak Good-Bye!

Year 8

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.

Cold Snap Birding!

Year 8

Our cold weather continues. It was -16F (-27F) when I got up this morning. The long range temperature forecast shows overnight lows in the “double digits” below zero for the next seven days. We are now five days into the current cold weather. If the forecasts hold true, that makes for a 12 day polar vortex.

Given lower winds this morning, I decided I needed to get out birding … even if it meant staying close to the car for warmth reasons. I visited Sax-Zim Bog which is 45 minutes from my home. My two target birds were Pine Grosbeaks and a Northern Hawk Owl. The grosbeaks were easy to find. The owl eluded me.

Tonight I need to convince myself to take a hike as the temperature plummets long after sundown. My local Great Horned Owls nested on February 8th last year (two days ago if on the same timeline as last year). My female has stopped singing as she may be on whatever nest the couple has selected. The male still sings nightly. It’s hard to convince oneself to go hiking in the dark even with full thermal wear keeping me somewhat warm. Waiting at home for the “nightly sing” and then heading out has not worked real well. By the time I hike over to the “owling grounds” the happy couple goes silent making nest triangulation difficult. I have hiked over a number of nights in advance hoping for “hoot song” at a given time of night. Those efforts have been failures. When it is -10F or colder with a decent wind, hanging around in the middle of the forest doing nothing while awaiting the evening sing (i.e. motionless … thus no body heat being generated) is a cool experience.