Tag Archives: MN North: Sax-Zim Bog

Sax-Zim Bog Winter Birding Map (interactive)

Background, Year 5

It may be the middle of Summer, but before we realize it, the cold North Wind will blow and the snows will come. Many birders will want to visit the Arctic Riviera and enjoy some winter birding just north of Duluth in Sax-Zim Bog.

There are many ways to plan your visit in search of winter birds including the Great Gray Owl. I serve as a volunteer naturalist at the small one room cabin / Welcome Center found in the middle of the Bog. The Welcome Center is run by the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog, a 501(c) non profit dedicated to protecting the bog and its habitat / wildlife. Their web site has a section on planning your visit, including a downloadable pdf map.

Realizing how many birders use Google Maps on their smart phones, I have built a Sax-Zim Bog Winter Birding Map which works in conjunction with Google Maps.

  • Add Sax-Zim Bog Winter Birding Map to Google Maps
    • Make certain you are first signed in to your Google account
    • No app or software install necessary
    • One time setup, but may repeat process if map gets lost or unpinned
  • Version 1.3 created on July 26th, 2018

INSTRUCTIONS          SCREEN SHOTS          INSTRUCTIONS

Follow this process any time AFTER you click upon the link given above to add the Sax-Zim Bog Winter Birding module to Google Maps. This will always bring the map/module back to the forefront. This assumes you are logged in to your Google account.

Step #1: Go to “Google Maps”. Press the “Drop Down Menu”

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Step #2: Press “Your Places:

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Step #3: Drag screen to display “MAPS”

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Step #4: Press “Maps”

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Step #5: Press “Sax-Zim Bog Winter Birding Map

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Step #6: Explore map options. Learn more information.

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Step #7: Navigation to return to Google Maps screen.

Step #8: You’re finished! Repeat process if map is lost.

I would like to thank Elliot Nelson from Michigan State University who built a similar winter birding map for the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan (add Upper Peninsula map), and pointed me to the right tools to create the Sax-Zim Bog Google Maps add-in.

Bird Photography Snob!

Year 5

My secret was discovered early this morning in Sax-Zim Bog. I am a bird photography snob! While others try to pad birding lists, I swoon over certain birds and ignore others! My good friend Greg discovered that fact this morning. When we saw a female Bluebird in the bog, a sight I have to admit I had never seen in Sax-Zim, I did not even attempt to take a photograph. The sun angle and the distance were reasonable; thus I could not use that excuse for not pressing down on the shutter. Greg asked me why I did not take a photo and I responded … “It wasn’t the male”. Greg used polite words, but the message was … “you’re a bird photography snob!” Guilty as charged!

In 1964 when I was eight years old my parents gave me my first birding books, National Geographic’s “Song and Garden Birds of North America” and “Water, Prey and Game Birds of North America”. Over the years with moves to college, a wedding and our first home, and now our return to Duluth, these two books have remained with me through every move (most books have not survived). I know that based upon what I saw in those books, my love of certain birds (and not others) were shaped. Growing up in the Boreal Forest I never saw grassland birds. The cover page of Song and Garden Birds was a Meadowlark. I LOVE Meadowlarks, and till I retired a few years ago and had time to devote to both birding and photography, I had never seen a Meadowlark. Growing up I never knew there were grassland birds 50 miles away from Duluth. My parents were not birders. Here is a photograph from each book. There is still a paper clip on the eagle / osprey page from years ago. To this day I can not help but stop the car and watch whenever I see either of these two birds.

One of the other birds I loved, but never saw were Bobolinks. Well, only 100 yards away from the female Bluebird I found this Bobolink. My camera came out and the image was taken.

Oh yes, I also grew up reading dog books, and loved Jim Kjellgaard’s series, Big Red, Irish Red, and Outlaw Red. I was convinced I would never have any other kind of dog EXCEPT an Irish Setter. WRONG! For years until she died a few years back, a rescue dog named Spot and I were inseparable. She and I were joined at the hip. The American Kennel Club never recognized Spot’s breed, a Bassamation. This mutt was a combination of a basset hound and a dalmatian and I loved her. Perhaps I am not a snob after all … just extremely picky on who gets my attention and love! How about you???

Big Red

Spot and I out on NorthStar Lake (and Cyrus)

Birding Luck!

Year 5,

When birding even with great knowledge of habitat, one should never underestimate the value of luck! Over the past two days Lady Luck has been kind to me. At times I can drive the back roads, and hike remote trails and see almost nothing, but then there are times when you just get lucky.

Yesterday, when I noticed on weather radar that the heavy rains would be ending soon, I quickly decided to head over to Sax-Zim Bog. I only saw one other birder, and beyond that two other cars. Given the birder was out of his car and had binoculars glued to the sky, I stopped.

Connecticut Warbler! This little bird is one of the hardest to find warblers in North America. Its numbers have fallen over the past two decades, and its preferred nesting location is in the middle of tamarack bogs. These two facts make finding this little guy difficult, but this Mr. Connecticut was singing his heart out at the top of a pine tree. My thanks to Steve Clark who had been looking for this warbler for well over a day. Me, I just stumbled upon him and his find. Here is the eBird report which gives the location. I really believe this warbler has a nest near by, and will stay in the same basic area for a few weeks.

Bog Birds: Connecticut Warbler and Eastern Kingbird

Today, I drove south to attend a wedding. I only had a few minutes to bird at the Fish Lake Nature Trails. Once again, luck was with me. This Red-Headed Woodpecker immediately greeted me and posed nicely for a photo.

As noted, birding knowledge is great, but I will take luck anytime!