With your help, we’ve protected 326 acres of Bog for future generations of birds and birders!
Bog BioBlitz V

Over 400 species tallied on Bog BioBlitz!

Highlights on July 22 included 3 Great Gray Owls (family group), 2 Black-backed Woodpeckers, Purple Fringed Orchids, Michigan Lily, Turtlehead, Tadpole Madtom (fish…first Sax-Zim record!), Golden Shiner (fish), Plains Emerald (dragonfly), Black Swallowtail, Wasp Mantidfly (a bug that looks like a wasp but has praying-mantis-like front legs), LeConte’s Sparrow (juvenile and adult), Rusty Snaketail (dragonfly), Brush-tipped …

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Bog Blog

200 Trees Planted on Warren Nelson Memorial Bog

200 TREES PLANTED! RESTORATION OF WARREN NELSON MEMORIAL CONTINUES
On May 12th, four Friends of Sax-Zim Bog folks planted 175 Black Spruce and 25 Tamaracks on the Warren Nelson Memorial Bog tract. The trees were purchased from the St. Louis County SWCD. This was step 2 in the process of healing the damage from the major blowdown storms of the summer of 2016…

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Partnership with MN Dragonfly Society

Dragonfly Workshop Success!

12 Workshop participants, an intrepid crew of leaders from the Minnesota Dragonfly Society, and Sparky and Clinton explored the diversity of dragonflies and damselflies in the Sax-Zim Bog as part of the first workshop venture for Friends of Sax-Zim Bog. The day started on the cool side (48 degrees F!), which worked out fine as the early sessions featured a couple of talks inside the Welcome…

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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog

HERE ARE OUR GOALS: 1. Acquire bog habitat in the Sax-Zim Bog of St. Louis County, Minnesota (a world-famous birding destination) 2. Build a small “Birder Welcome Center” and bog interpretive center on the land 3. Fund educational/research projects centered on peatlands and associated birdlife
Friends of Sax-Zim Bog
Friends of Sax-Zim Bog shared Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory's post.4 weeks ago
Here is some information on an upcoming workshop in the Bog, featuring bird migration!! Registration closes soon!
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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog4 weeks ago
Two really nice White-tailed Deer bucks in the Bog yesterday 8-20-17. Noon! Note all the deer flies. Also saw a Black Bear cross Blue Spruce Road.
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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog1 month ago
** LICHEN AND FERN WORKSHOP WRAP UP **

This weekend saw the completion of the second day long workshop in the Sax-Zim Bog! This workshop featured the expertise of Joe Walewski (author of Ferns and Lichens of the Northwoods) and a crew of 11 folks learning all about ferns and lichens!

Check out the new blog post on this workshop!

(photo below of Interrupted Fern by Clinton Nienhaus)

http://saxzim.org/2017-lichen-and-fern-workshop-wrap-up/
Friends of Sax-Zim Bog
2017 Lichen and Fern Workshop Wrap Up : Friends of Sax-Zim Bog
Protecting the SAX-ZIM BOG for future generations of birds & birders.
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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog1 month ago
** Fall Migration Field Trip August 13! **

Join us for a birding field trip this Sunday from 8:00 am- 12:00 pm. The focus of this field trip will be migration! It may seem early, but some species have already begun their migration south. We hope to find groups of warblers beginning their migration, as well as shorebirds and maybe crossbills! The Sax-Zim Bog holds a diversity of habitats and shorebirds are not uncommon to find roaming the pastureland found in the Sax-Zim Bog! Some of our finches have begun migration as well, in fact, during the Dragonfly Workshop last Saturday both Red and White-winged Crossbills were observed!

If you are interested in this field trip, we will be meeting at the Welcome Center at 8:00 am and exploring the Bog until 12:00 pm. If you have further questions, or to RSVP, contact Head Naturalist Clinton at naturalist@saxzim.org.

(Photo below of a Baird's Sandpiper by Clinton Nienhaus)
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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog added 24 new photos.1 month ago
DRAGONFLY WORKSHOP WRAP UP & PHOTOS

12 Workshop participants, an intrepid crew of leaders from the Minnesota Dragonfly Society, and Sparky and Clinton explored the diversity of dragonflies and damselflies in the Sax-Zim Bog as part of the first workshop venture for Friends of Sax-Zim Bog.

The day started on the cool side (48 degrees F!), which worked out fine as the early sessions featured a couple of talks inside the Welcome Center. First, Mitch Haag presented on Nymphs and Dragonfly Biology. This was a great introduction for our first field session where got our feet wet and collected nymphs (larval dragonflies) from the Whiteface River near Kelsey. Following this session, Ami Thompson presented on her Ph.D work with Common Green Darners, a fascinating take on a very common species in the US. The major trip of the day, however, was a trip to the Toivola Swamp! Here, we hoped to encounter Zigzag and Subarctic Darners, as well as other bog specialists. To our surprise, we encountered more than just specialist dragonflies! Clinton netted a Purplish Fritillary along the trail to the Swamp. A rare butterfly in Minnesota and a new record for Sax-Zim Bog. They are bog specialists and barely enter Minnesota at all!

While at the Toivola Swamp, we encountered our main target, Subarctic Darner, in good numbers at Sparky’s "Subarctic Pool." While there, we got the pleasure of watching a Subarctic Darner emerging from its aquatic stage, to adulthood. A real treat for participants was getting to examine 3 species of Emeralds in the hand….Ocellated, Brush-tipped, and Delicate. The field trip also added a new county record dragonfly when Sparky netted a Black-tipped Darner!

All in all, the workshop was a big success introducing folks to all stages of dragonfly life and giving a better understanding of these fascinating insects. A special thank you goes out to us for our Minnesota Dragonfly Society leaders: Ami Thompson, Mitch Haag, Curt Oien, and Kurt Mead. Without their expertise and help, this workshop wouldn't have been possible!"

Here is our odonata species list for the day… 24 species total.

River Jewelwing
Sweetflag Spreadwing
Powdered Dancer
Stream Bluet
Hagen's Bluet
Sedge Sprite

Canada Darner
Variable Darner
Zigzag Darner
Subarctic Darner
Black-tipped Darner
Shadow Darner
Springtime Darner (nymph)

Black-shouldered Spinyleg (nymph)

Delicate Emerald
Brush-tipped Emerald
Ocellated Emerald

Belted Whiteface
Four-spotted Skimmer
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk
White-faced Meadowhawk
Autumn Meadowhawk
Band-winged Meadowhawk
Wandering Glider
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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog2 months ago
NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN US!
Saturday, August 5
WORKSHOP: DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES

Registration: $90 (All participants will receive a FREE copy of Kurt Mead’s Dragonflies of the North Woods: 3rd Edition!…and expert instruction from some of the top dragonfly folks in Minnesota)

Registration open on our website store!

9am to 5pm. August 5, 2017

Meet at the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center north of Meadowlands, MN (directions here)

Bring: Water, bag lunch and snacks (no food available anywhere close), bug dope, hat, sunscreen, rubber boots!! (mandatory…unless you want to “wet foot” it), camera, butterfly net (not necessary and we will have some for you to use), binoculars (absolutely!) and a sense of curiosity!

This adventure-filled Workshop will introduce you to the hidden world of our northern dragonflies and damselflies. Experts from the Minnesota Dragonfly Society will guide you to several spots in the world-famous Sax-Zim Bog to see and capture some rarely seen boreal species (all will be released back into the wild). At this time of year there are many of the big species of darners flying….and also an abundance of the small but colorful meadowhawks. Other skimmers and emeralds may also be seen. This is a hands-on experience so please come ready for several hours in the field (rubber boots, hat, bug dope, sunscreen). We will also scoop for nymphs and you will learn the basics of identifying them to family…and learn about their fascinating life history. Back at the Welcome Center we’ll take an up close look at our finds.

SCHEDULE
Meet at Welcome Center by 8:45 am.
9:00-9:15 am- Introduction and Welcome
Welcome info about Friends of Sax-Zim Bog and intro to the work of the Minnesota Dragonfly Society
Overview of the plan for the day
9:15-9:45 am- Nymphs and their Identification
We’ll learn the fascinating basics of the dragonfly/damselfly life cycle.
Examine some aquatic nymphs and learn basics on identifying them to family
9:45 am- 12:00 pm- Field Session #1: St. Louis River, Stone Lake Road, etc (TBD)
During this session, we will confirm what we just learned about basic dragonfly and damselfly ID and anatomy by catching some adults. We’ll point out tips on quickly placing the dragonfly to family. There will also be a focus on nymphs and we’ll scoop some out of the water bottom.
12:00-12:45 pm- Lunch and Common Green Darner talk by Ami Thompson
Ami has been studying the phenology of our only true migrant dragonfly—the Common Green Darner. It is one of our most common dragonflies, one of our largest, and also one of the most amazing critters in the North Woods.
1:00-4:00 pm- Field Session #2: Toivola Swamp—Catch odes and nymphs!
Take a journey into one of the more remote parts of the Sax-Zim Bog…the Toivola Swamp. Fortunately an old railroad grade bisects this amazing place and we’ll only have to walk a quarter mile or so. Hopefully we will be able to target Black Meadowhawk, Zigzag Darner, and Subarctic Darners here. Maybe some rare Emeralds too??
4:15- 5:00 pm- Wrap up at Welcome Center.

REGISTER HERE: http://saxzim.org/product/dragonfly-workshop-aug-4-5-2017/
Friends of Sax-Zim Bog
Dragonfly Workshop Aug 5, 2017 : Friends of Sax-Zim Bog
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Sax-Zim Bog eBird Reports

31 observations in last 30 days!

  • Canada Goose
    41

    • Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) - 41


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Wood Duck
    1

    • Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) - 1


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Mallard
    5

    • Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) - 5


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Wild Turkey
    14

    • Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) - 14


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Great Blue Heron
    1

    • Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) - 1


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Turkey Vulture
    5

    • Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) - 5


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Northern Harrier
    1

    • Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) - 1


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Sharp-shinned Hawk
    1

    • Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) - 1


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Bald Eagle
    3

    • Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) - 3


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Broad-winged Hawk
    2

    • Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) - 2


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Red-tailed Hawk
    2

    • Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) - 2


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Rock Pigeon
    17

    • Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) - 17


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Downy Woodpecker
    1

    • Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) - 1


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Hairy Woodpecker
    1

    • Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) - 1


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Northern Flicker
    5

    • Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) - 5


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • American Kestrel
    4

    • American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) - 4


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Merlin
    1

    • Merlin (Falco columbarius) - 1


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Blue Jay
    10

    • Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) - 10


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • American Crow
    5

    • American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) - 5


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Common Raven
    3

    • Common Raven (Corvus corax) - 3


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Black-capped Chickadee
    2

    • Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) - 2


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • American Robin
    5

    • American Robin (Turdus migratorius) - 5


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • European Starling
    6

    • European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) - 6


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Cedar Waxwing
    2

    • Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) - 2


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Yellow-rumped Warbler
    18

    • Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) - 18


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Common Grackle
    2

    • Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) - 2


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • American Goldfinch
    7

    • American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) - 7


    Observer:
    David Marjamaa
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-18 13:05
    Status:
    Approved

  • Cooper's Hawk
    1

    • Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) - 1


    Observer:
    Paula Hoppe
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-03 07:45
    Status:
    Approved

  • Common Yellowthroat
    2

    • Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) - 2


    Observer:
    Paula Hoppe
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-03 07:45
    Status:
    Approved

  • White-throated Sparrow
    1

    • White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) - 1


    Observer:
    Paula Hoppe
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-03 07:45
    Status:
    Approved

  • Song Sparrow
    1

    • Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) - 1


    Observer:
    Paula Hoppe
    Location:
    Sax-Zim Bog
    Date:
    2017-09-03 07:45
    Status:
    Approved

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