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Bog BioBlitz V

Join experts in the field on July 22nd!

On Saturday July 22nd we will hold our FIFTH annual BOB BIOBLITZ! Each year the various groups have turned up around 400 species of flora and fauna! This is your chance to get into the field with experts in wildflowers, birds, fish, butterflies, dragonflies, and even explore all the diversity of an old gravel pit! The Bird trip leaves the Welcome Center at 6am but the other field trips meet at 9am at the Welcome Center….

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…

Volunteer Appreciation Field Trip

Friends of Sax-Zim Bog survives on its staff and board, but thrives because of our members and dedicated volunteers. So we took a morning (Monday May 22) to show them our appreciation with a birding outing and a tour of some lesser known bog hot spots…including where some of the Walt Disney movie Iron Will was filmed. Our first birding stop was at the St. Louis River public landing along Arkola Road near Toivola…

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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 added 21 new photos.4 days ago

BOG BIOBLITZ V photos & results
The severe storms and winds from the previous night couldn't keep folks away from joining us in Sax-Zim for our 5th annual BioBlitz. Field trips included BIRDS, LADYBUGS & BUTTERFLIES, DRAGONFLIES, EARTHWORMS, SPIDERS, WILDFLOWERS, FISHES INSECTS and even a GRAVEL PIT EXPLORATION. About 40 folks in total explored various areas in the Bog. Some highlights included 3 Great Gray Owls (family group), 2 Black-backed Woodpeckers, 3 Boreal Chickadees, over 20 species of dragonflies & damselflies, a new fish species for the Bog (Madtom catfish), 3 species of Tiger Beetles including Big Sand Tiger Beetle, Dorcas Copper and Black Swallowtail butterflies, 4 species of earthworm, very close views of LeConte's Sparrow, Black Bear, 100s of blooming Round-leaved Sundew at our East Stone Lake Bog tract, LeConte's Haploa moth, Ruby Tiger Moth, Brown Scorpionfly, and much more! I will do a future post here and on our Bog Blog on our website with total number of species. Stay tuned for more details!

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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog1 week ago

** BIOBLITZ THIS WEEKEND!! **

Bog to Ridge BioBlitz Week is upon us!

Join us this weekend for the 2nd annual Bog to Ridge BioBlitz, July 22 and 23! This two day event will explore the species diversity in northern Minnesota, cover bog and upland habitats, and giving the chance for folks to get in the field with experts and learn about the species that can be found in these diverse habitat types. Below is a description of what to expect this weekend!

Saturday, July 22: Bog BioBlitz

There will be two separate groups for this BioBlitz! The Birds Field Trip will meet at the Welcome Center by 6 am and be back to the Welcome Center around 12 pm. The other BioBlitz field trips will meet at the Welcome Center by 9 am and will be in the field until 2:00 pm. Field Trips for this section of the BioBlitz include Insects, Plants, Butterflies, Dragonflies and Damselflies, Fishes and Aquatic Plants, and a Gravel Pit Exploration group. Plan on eating lunch in the field with each of these outings.

Sunday, July 23: Ridge BioBlitz

This is the second BioBlitz at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve! We will meet at 9 am at the Main Overlook for the Field Trips. Trips this blitz include Spiders, Invasive Plants, Birds, and a General Species Field Trip. We will be back to the main overlook by 1 pm.

Each BioBlitz is free to attend! Be prepared for the weather and for whatever wet/buggy/rough conditions may be found through the day. If you are interested in more information about the field trips for either day, email Head Naturalist Clinton at naturalist@saxzim.org. No RSVP is needed for this event!

We hope to see you there!!

(Photo of the Plant Field Trip from last year's Bog BioBlitz by Rubin Stenseng)

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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog added 4 new photos.2 weeks ago

** UPCOMING PROGRAMS **

There are a series of 3 programs and 1 Field Trip coming up this weekend! All programs meet at the Welcome Center. For more information about these programs or to RSVP, contact Head Naturalist Clinton at naturalist@saxzim.org.

Saturday, July 15
9:00-11:00 am- Dragonfly and Damselfly Basics
12:00-5:00 pm- Dragonfly and Damselfly Field Trip

Join us on Saturday for a Dragonfly filled day!! If you are a beginner, the morning program will talk over the basics of dragonfly and damselfly ID and life history. The afternoon is a more intensive Field Trip, hoping to observe and find as many species as we can!

Sunday, July 16
9:00 am- 12:00 pm- Bog Wildflower Hike
1:00-4:00 pm- Butterfly Hike

On Sunday, join us for a couple of programs targeted toward butterflies and plants! On the wildflower hike, we hope to catch the next season of blooming plants, as well as talk over some of the plant diversity in the Sax-Zim Bog. The butterfly hike will hopefully see and investigate a number of species common along our roadsides and perhaps find a rarer species or two!

(Photos by Clinton Nienhaus: Dragonhunter, Sedge Sprite, Round-leaved Sundew, and Milbert's Tortoiseshell)

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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog3 weeks ago

Register for our upcoming DRAGONFLY WORKSHOP and get a FREE copy of the Hot-off-the-Press 3rd edtion of Kurt Mead's Dragonflies of the North Woods!
http://saxzim.org/product/dragonfly-workshop-aug-4-5-2017/

Saturday, August 5
WORKSHOP: DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES
Early Registration: $80 (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 after July 20: $90

Registration now open on our website store!

9am to 4pm. 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

Dragonfly Workshop Aug 4-5, 2017 : Friends of Sax-Zim Bog

saxzim.org

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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog3 weeks ago

** BOG TO RIDGE BIOBLITZ V **

July has dawned and we are a couple of weeks away from the Bog to Ridge BioBlitz!! This post serves as a reminder to mark your calendars for July 22 and 23 for our 5th consecutive BioBlitz!

Each year, our BioBlitz uncovers and showcases species found in the Sax-Zim Bog! Last year, we partnered with Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory to add a day to our BioBlitz and showcase another amazing habitat type at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve! In total, we found over 420 different species, 90 of which, were new to our species list! How many new species will we find this year?! Join us to find out!!

July 22: Bog to Ridge BioBlitz: Sax-Zim Bog
-- Bird Trip: 6:00 am- 12:00 pm, meeting at Welcome Center --
- BioBlitz Trips: 9:00 am- 3:00 pm, meeting at the Welcome Center.
-- Trips this year: Birds, Spiders, Insects, Plants, Dragonflies and Damselflies, Butterflies, Aquatic Plants and Fishes, and a Gravel Pit Investigation!

July 23: Bog to Ridge BioBlitz: Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve
- BioBlitz Trips: 9:00 am- 1:00 pm, meeting at the Hawk Ridge Overlook
-- Trips this year: Invasive Plants, Birds and Bird Song, as well as general hikes considering plants, lichens, butterflies, and more!

For more information about our BioBlitz, check out this blog post from last year: http://saxzim.org/bog-to-ridge-bioblitz-iv-nets-over-420-species-374-at-sax-zim-bog/

If you have any questions about the BioBlitz, please contact Head Naturalist Clinton at naturalist@saxzim.org! We hope to see you July 22 and 23!!

Bog to Ridge BioBlitz IV nets over 420 species! (374 at Sax-Zim Bog) : Friends of Sax-Zim Bog

saxzim.org

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Friends of Sax-Zim Bog added 4 new photos.4 weeks ago

** UPCOMING PROGRAMS! **

This weekend there are a few programs to note! All of these (and more programs!) can be found by checking out the Sax-Zim Bog Website: http://saxzim.org/events/. As always, to RSVP or with any questions contact Head Naturalist Clinton at naturalist@saxzim.org

Here is what is on the agenda for this weekend!

Friday, June 30
Tiger Beetles: Gravel Pit Gurus!
Tiger beetles are a group of colorful and amazing beetles that can be found along a dirt road, just as easily as they can be found in a gravel pit! Because of their colors and huge mandibles, tiger beetles have been growing in interest lately by hobbiests! Take your first step to tiger beetle-ing with us on Friday!

Saturday, July 1
Bog Specialists Hike and Native Pollinators Programs
Bog specialists hike will look for species that are very specific to bogs, especially the plants that can be found in few other places than bogs. Targets include sundews, pitcher plants, and maybe an orchid or two! Following this program, we will talk about pollinators and what you can do to help them!

Sunday, July 2
Dragonfly and Damselfly Basics and Bog Wildflower Hike
First on the docket for the day we will investigate (and catch) a few dragonflies and damselfies, giving the basics of ID and how to observe them! After that, wildflowers! Lots of flowers are starting to pop along the roadsides and in the bogs in the Sax-Zim Bog area! A few orchids will be targeted, as well as other wonderful bog and upland species!

(Photos by Clinton Nienhaus: Green-margined Tiger Beetle, Purplish Copper and goldenrod, Northern Amber Bumble Bee and Woodland Thistle, Swift River Cruiser)

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128 observations in last 30 days!

Great Blue Heron
2

Northern Harrier
1

Broad-winged Hawk
2

Sandhill Crane
2

Mourning Dove
1

Great Gray Owl
3

Ruby-throated Hummingbird
1

Red-bellied Woodpecker
1

Black-backed Woodpecker
2

American Kestrel
2

Eastern Kingbird
1

Gray Jay
5

Black-billed Magpie
2

Common Raven
2

Sedge Wren
1

American Robin
3

European Starling
12

Swamp Sparrow
1

Alder Flycatcher
2

Red-breasted Nuthatch
1

Marsh Wren
1

Common Grackle
5

Wild Turkey
5

Turkey Vulture
3

Red-tailed Hawk
1

Rock Pigeon
14

Barred Owl
1

Northern Flicker
6

Eastern Phoebe
2

Red-eyed Vireo
2

Blue Jay
2

American Crow
33

Veery
2

Common Yellowthroat
1

Yellow Warbler
1

Chipping Sparrow
1

White-throated Sparrow
2

Savannah Sparrow
2

Song Sparrow
1

Bobolink
1

Red-winged Blackbird
150

Mallard
1

Bald Eagle
2

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
1

Tree Swallow
2

Barn Swallow
3

Black-capped Chickadee
2

Winter Wren
1

Golden-crowned Kinglet
2

Hermit Thrush
4

Gray Catbird
1

Cedar Waxwing
2

Ovenbird
2

Black-and-white Warbler
1

Nashville Warbler
3

Mourning Warbler
2

American Redstart
1

Cape May Warbler
1

Blackburnian Warbler
1

Chestnut-sided Warbler
1

Yellow-rumped Warbler
2

Black-throated Green Warbler
1

Le Conte's Sparrow
3

Clay-colored Sparrow
4

Dark-eyed Junco
2

Eastern Towhee
2

Indigo Bunting
2

Dickcissel
1

Brown-headed Cowbird
2

American Goldfinch
2

Killdeer
1

Hairy Woodpecker
1

Least Flycatcher
2

Lincoln's Sparrow
3

Downy Woodpecker
1

Ring-necked Pheasant
1

Wilson's Snipe
1

Black-billed Cuckoo
1

Pileated Woodpecker
1

Eastern Wood-Pewee
1

Empidonax sp.
3

Blue-headed Vireo
2

White-breasted Nuthatch
1

Brown Creeper
1

Eastern Bluebird
2

Magnolia Warbler
1

Rose-breasted Grosbeak
1

Yellow-throated Vireo
1

Cliff Swallow
5

Boreal Chickadee
5

House Wren
1

Western/Eastern Meadowlark
2

Brewer's Blackbird
2

Connecticut Warbler
1

Pine Warbler
1

Canada Goose
6

Wood Duck
1

Blue-winged Teal
1

Yellow-billed Cuckoo
1

Warbling Vireo
2

Northern Rough-winged Swallow
1

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2

Northern Parula
1

Palm Warbler
4

Scarlet Tanager
1

Eastern Meadowlark
1

Purple Finch
1

House Sparrow
5

Long-eared Owl
1

Wood Thrush
1

Sharp-tailed Grouse
3

American Bittern
1

Northern Goshawk
1

Trumpeter Swan

Ruffed Grouse

Common Loon

Osprey

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Ring-billed Gull

Yellow-billed/Black-billed Cuckoo
2

Belted Kingfisher

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Spotted Sandpiper
1

Tennessee Warbler
1

Herring Gull
1

Northern Waterthrush
1

Golden-winged Warbler
1

Bay-breasted Warbler

eBird widget created by SANIsoft

Join experts in the field on July 22nd!

200 Trees Planted on Warren Nelson Memorial Bog

Volunteer Appreciation Field Trip

Sign up for our Newsletter

Follow us on Facebook

Friends of Sax-Zim Bog

Sax-Zim Bog eBird Reports

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) - 2

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) - 1

Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) - 2

Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) - 2

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) - 1

Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) - 3

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) - 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) - 1

Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) - 2

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) - 2

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) - 1

Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) - 5

Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) - 2

Common Raven (Corvus corax) - 2

Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) - 1

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) - 3

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) - 12

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) - 1

Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) - 2

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) - 1

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) - 1

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) - 5

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) - 5

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) - 3

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) - 1

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) - 14

Barred Owl (Strix varia) - 1

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) - 6

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) - 2

Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) - 2

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) - 2

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) - 33

Veery (Catharus fuscescens) - 2

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) - 1

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) - 1

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) - 1

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) - 2

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) - 2

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) - 1

Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) - 1

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) - 150

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) - 1

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) - 2

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) - 1

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) - 2

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) - 3

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) - 2

Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) - 1

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) - 2

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) - 4

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) - 1

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) - 2

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) - 2

Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) - 1

Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla) - 3

Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) - 2

American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) - 1

Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) - 1

Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) - 1

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) - 1

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) - 2

Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) - 1

Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) - 3

Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) - 4

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) - 2

Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) - 2

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) - 2

Dickcissel (Spiza americana) - 1

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) - 2

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) - 2

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) - 1

Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) - 1

Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) - 2