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

Over 40 folks turn up amazing bog biodiversity!

NINETY NEW SPECIES added to our composite list on Saturday July 16th 

Our Saturday July 16 Bog Bioblitz drew over 40 folks on an absolutely gorgeous day! Highlights included 5 singing male White-winged Crossbills on McDavitt, a Black-backed Woodpecker on McDavitt, Gray Fox (Sparky), Bobcat (Norma Malinowski), Clinton found two new fish species for the Bog including Golden Shiner, Pinesap discovered at Cotton School Forest along with many orchids Malaxis uniflora, 100,000 Xyris montana plants (Minnesota Special Concern species), 28 species of butterflies including Baltimore Checkerspot and Bog Copper, Purple Fringed Orchid, Ragged Fringed Orchid, a first Bog record of Marsh Grass-of-Parnassus, 21 species of dragonflies, Sparky found a Broad-winged Hawk nest with two young, 2 FIRST STATE RECORD SPIDERS and more cool stuff….Details, more photos and a complete species list to follow in our e-Newsletter (next week). Thanks to all our leaders and participants! See you again next summer!

On Sunday the 17th we had the “Ridge” part of the bioblitz at Hawk Ridge. 75 new species were added to the Hawk Ridge composite species list. Check out www.hawkridge.org for more details.

SEE THE ENTIRE LIST OF 2016 BOG BIOBLITZ SPECIES HERE


Enjoying the post-blitz wrap up. Each leader shares their teams discoveries and tells tales from the day. Note the new purple “Silent Dusk” t-shirts which are available in our “shop” at www.saxzim.org

The field trips tallied a total of 374 species of organisms (a bit less than last year) but we added an impressive 90 (!) species to the Composite Sax-Zim Bog List:

23 species of moths (20 NEW…thanks to Kristina Dexter and Clinton Nienhaus)

10 species of mammal (1 NEW…Bobcat seen by Norma Malinowski; also Gray Fox (Sparky), Striped Skunk (Jessica Dexter), Coyote, Snowshoe Hare, Franklin’s Ground Squirrel)

16 species of trees and shrubs (5 NEW…several willow species added by Kelly Beaster)

4 species of reptiles and amphibians (Mink Frogs calling, Garter Snake, Wood Frog)

85 species of birds (White-winged Crossbills, Black-billed Cuckoo, Black-backed Woodpecker, Broad-winged Hawk nest with 2 young, Sandhill Crane, 10 species of warbler, etc)

22 species of odonata (5 NEW…Williamson’s Emerald, Stream Cruiser, Northern Spreadwing, Sweetflag Spreadwing and Stream Bluet)

90 species of wildflowers (9 NEW…Pinesap, Marsh Grass-of-Parnassus, Pipsissewa, etc)

29 species of butterflies (5 NEW…Purplish Copper, Question Mark, Common Ringlet, etc)

28 species of grasses, rushes, sedges (8 NEW…Arrow Grass, Rough-leaved Ricegrass, Drooping Woodreed, etc)

5 species of fish (2 NEW…Golden Shiner, Fathead Minnow)

1 species of crustacean (1 NEW…Northern Crayfish)

27 species of spider (17 NEW…Tuft-legged Orbweaver, Splendid Dwarf Spider, White-banded Crab Spider)

4 species of lichen (2 NEW…Green Reindeer Lichen, Alternating Dog Lichen)

7 species of fern (1 NEW…Spinulose Shield Fern)

6 species of clubmoss (4 NEW…Bristly Clubmoss, Running Clubmoss, Shining Clubmoss, etc)

2 species of moss (2 NEW…Magellanic Bogmoss, Polytrichium moss)

2 species of horsetail

1 species of grape fern (1 NEW…Leathery Grapefern)

3 species of bumble bees (2 NEW…Fernald Cuckoo Bumble Bee, Indiscriminate Cuckoo Bumble Bee)

2 species of ladybird beetle (2 NEW…Seven-spotted Ladybird Beetle, Asian Multicolored Ladybird Beetle)

4 species of other insects (3 NEW…Phantom Cranefly, Woolly Aphid, Scorpionfly)


A few of our intrepid field trip leaders: L-R: Chad Heins (spiders), Jim Lind (dragonflies), Dave Grosshuesch (dragonflies), Jerry McCormack (butterflies and ladybird beetles), Kelly Beaster (wildflowers, grasses). (Photo by Rubin Stenseng)

Sparky and Jessica Dexter found this Broad-winged Hawk nest very near the Welcome Center. The two young were very photogenic. All the participants were able to view through a scope. (Photo by Sparky Stensaas)

Checking on the Broad-winged Hawk nestlings

Norma Malinowski trekked to the immense stand of Xyris montana (Yellow-eyed “Grass”) located along CR8 at the southern end of the Bog. (photo by Norma Malinowski)

This is the taiga-like bog of stunted spruce south of CR8 at the south end of the Bog. (photo by Norma Malinowski)

Norma also found this tiny butterfly called the Bog Copper. It is a denizen of open bogs with scattered stunted spruce and tamarack. Its main caterpillar food—cranberry—is only found in bogs. (photo by Norma Malinowski)

The birders checking out a Chestnut-sided Warbler along McDavitt Road.

Friends of Sax-Zim Bog’s Head Naturalist Clinton Nienhaus examines his catch of Golden Shiners and other small fish.

Clinton and spider-leader Chad Heins checking out the fish finds.

The flora group in the sedge edge just north of the Welcome Center. (Photo by Rubin Stenseng)

Kelly Beaster records the flora groups finds in the Bog. (Photo by Rubin Stenseng)

A new species for the Sax-Zim Bog! Miraculously, botany leader Kelly Beaster saw this small white flower in the wet ditch while driving! (Photo by Sparky Stensaas)

As noted above, this small population of Parnassia palustris (Marsh Grass-of-Parnassus) was discovered along Sax Road. It is a rarely seen wildflower which is a listed species in Wisconsin and Michigan.

Socializing is an important part of our Bog BioBlitzes

The “spider group” identifies their spider finds at the Welcome Center.

Socializing after the BioBlitz

A crowd pleaser…the stunning Baltimore Checkerspot was seen along Stone Lake Road but also encountered in several other spots during the day. (Photo by Sparky Stensaas)

Virginia Ctenuchid (Ctenuchia virginiensis), a very common day-flying moth, nectars on thistle (Photo by Sparky Stensaas)

Friends of Sax-Zim Bog’s Development Director, Sarah Beaster nets a damselfly on Stone Lake

Dragonfly/damselfly leaders Jim Lind and Dave Grosshuesch orient the “ode” folks before collecting. Friends of Sax-Zim Bog’s Board Chair, Lori Williams (in green shirt), joined the group.

Jim Lind makes an odonate discovery.

Frosted Whiteface dragonfly. (Photo by Julie Grahn)

Jim Lind and Sarah Beaster

This rarely seen saprophytic plant called Pinesap (Monotropa hypopithys) was discovered at the Cotton School Forest. It is a close cousin to Indian Pipe and since it has no chlorophyll, it gets its nutrition from association with underground mycorrhizae of fungus. (Photo by Sparky Stensaas)

Atlantis Fritillary on Brown-eyed Susan. (Photo by Rubin Stenseng)

A rarely seen Black-billed Cuckoo was called in for great views at the Admiral Road gravel pits. (Photo by Sparky Stensaas)

One of three baby Spotted Sandpipers seen with mom at the Admiral Road gravel pits.

A beautiful flower longhorn beetle called the Banded Longhorn (Typocerus velutinus) feeding on pollen. (Photo by Sparky Stensaas)

After a two-year absence, White-winged Crossbills have reappeared in the Sax-Zim Bog! The bird group had FIVE singing males on McDavitt Road. They are totally dependent on spruce cones and the crops have been poor the last couple years. The cones are abundant this year.

Kelly Beaster shares some of the flora groups finds at the Wrap-up session. (Photo by Rubin Stenseng)

Head Naturalist Clinton Nienhaus briefs the “blitzers.” (Photo by Rubin Stenseng)

This female Black-backed Woodpecker was a lifer for several! McDavitt Road

A Gray Jay soars over the bird group on McDavitt Road.

The Dion Skipper is a small butterfly of wet meadows. It is at the northern edge of its range in the Sax-Zim Bog. (Photo by Sparky Stensaas)

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