Field Trips & Programs Summer 2017
The Friends of Sax-Zim Bog is continuing to build and offer diverse programming for all of the seasons! The spring and summer listings include a mix of public programs, field trips, naturalist hikes, and workshops! All of programs are FREE. All of the field trips are FREE for members who have donated over $20 in the last year. If you are not a member, the $20 Field Trip fee includes a membership and 12-months of free field trips. If you have any questions about any of the programs, field trips, naturalist hikes, or workshops, and to RSVP, please contact Head Naturalist Clinton Nienhaus via email at naturalist@saxzim.org.
Naturalist programs are new for the FOSZB, funded in part by grants by the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation and the Carl and Verna Schmidt Foundation.
Saturday, August 12
WORKSHOP: LICHENS & FERNS with Joe Walewski
Cost: $80 preregistration; $90 after August 1 (All participants will receive 1 FREE copy of one of Joe’s books…either Ferns or Lichens…and expert instruction from one of the top field naturalists in Minnesota)
Registration now open on our website store!…LIMITED TO 30 PARTICIPANTS
9am to 4pm. August 12, 2017
Meet at the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center north of Meadowlands, MN (directions here)
Joe Walewski, author of Ferns of the North Woods and Lichens of the North Woods, will lead this all day workshop on Sax-Zim’s often ignored organisms…the lichens and ferns. Spend the day learning about the lives of these fascinating groups. You’ll go in the field to learn identification tips and tricks, and closely inspect our varied species at a variety of locations. We’ll also bring specimens back to the Welcome Center to examine them under a microscope. Joe’s books will be available for purchase!
Car pooling.
Joe will also have both his books for sale.
Bring your own lunch, water, drinks, hat, rubber boots, sunscreen, bug dope. There will be off-trail walking in wet conditions. More details coming!
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Joe Walewski is the Director of Naturalist Training at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, Minnesota. He earned a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University and an M.Ed. in Environmental Education from the University of Minnesota – Duluth.
Every year he works with future leaders of environmental education. He challenges them to pay close attention to the natural world around them and to critically examine how they share meaningful stories with their students. They reciprocate the challenge and help him to see, experience, and learn about more new things every day.
When away from work, Joe finds plenty to do helping his wife, Lori, in the garden and banding birds (especially hummingbirds). He thoroughly enjoys rambling and exploring life with his daughter Jenny. Joe continually strives to reduce his ecological footprint. In an effort to reduce his contribution of global warming gasses, Joe commutes to work by foot, bike or ski at least fifty percent of the time.
Joe is the author of both Ferns of the North Woods and Lichens of the North Woods.
Sunday, August 13
Fall Migration Field Trip
8:00- 12:00 pm Meet at the Welcome Center
By early to mid-August many of the breeding species in the Sax-Zim Bog are ready to head back south for the winter. Many of our warblers have now changed to their drab fall plumage, shorebirds may be stopping through the agriculture fields on their way to South America, and many waterfowl have begun to collect and ready themselves for a long trip south. This field trip will look for migrant species that can be found in the Sax-Zim Bog and may not nest in the bog exclusively.
Sunday and Monday, August 27-28
Fall Migration Workshop
The fall season is once again nearing and our bird counters and banders are soon to be active at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. If you are interested in learning a little more about migration, we have an upcoming workshop that would be a good primer for the upcoming flight season! This workshop will focus on fall migration in all of its forms and include field learning experiences focusing on migration from the perspective of birds leaving Minnesota, birds wintering in Minnesota, and those birds that may not migrate at all in the fall! It will also be held at two of the most spectacular bird watching locations in Minnesota!
Day 1: Sunday, August 27th 9am-4pm
Sax-Zim Bog: Migration Mecca
INSTRUCTOR: Clinton Nienhaus
Meet at the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center
The first day of this two day workshop will be held in the Sax-Zim Bog and will investigate what migration means for many of our northern species. The Sax-Zim Bog is home to species of bird that will migrate to South America and it also becomes home to species that migrate from the Arctic to winter on the “Arctic Riveria” of the Sax-Zim Bog. We hope to find migrant warblers, learn about migration needs and wants of species, and maybe even view a few early winter visitors like crossbills. This portion of the workshop will also investigate why some birds do not migrate in the fall, comparing this survival strategy with those of our other migrating avian species. This workshop is in partnership with Friends of the Sax-Zim Bog and Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory.
Day 2: Monday, August 28th 7am-2pm
Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve: Highway to the Neotropical Realm
INSTRUCTORS: Clinton Niehaus & Margie Menzies
Meet at the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve main overlook
The second day of this workshop will be spent at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. We will hope to view some migration in action, as well as learn about migration in a more in depth and hands on fashion through both the bird migration count and bird banding research being done at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. This portion of the workshop will also include ID tips and tricks for observing and documenting migration and hopefully some live banded birds. Here, we hope to see migrating warblers, sparrows, and of course raptors.
WHAT TO BRING: Each day will be filled with learning opportunities focused on the spectacle of migration. Northern Minnesota has a diversity of habitats which are great stop over locations for species and a great location to start watching migration! For this workshop do plan on bringing a lunch and eating in the field. It would be important to bring note taking materials and your binoculars. Clipboards, field guides, and a spotting scope or two will be provided during the workshop.
COST: $80 for members of Hawk Ridge and/or Friends of Sax-Zim Bog, $90 for non-members
To register for this workshop, click HERE. From the link, follow the page to Events. When the link for registration is complete it will be included here. For further questions about the workshop, contact Clinton Nienhaus at cnienhaus@hawkridge.org
Directions to Welcome Center on Owl Avenue
**Open mid December to mid March from 10am-3pm daily
**Also marked on our birding map
Directions from Cotton, MN on US53…
*Go West from Cotton on CR52/Arkola for 11 miles
*Turn South (left) on Owl Avenue
*Go 1.75 miles (second curve) to Welcome Center
Directions from Meadowlands, on CR133…
*Go West on CR133 to CR229/29
*Turn North (left) on CR229/29
*Go North to T at Correction Line Rd
*Turn West (left) on Correction Line Rd
*Road curves North and becomes Owl Ave
*Go North on Owl Avenue for 2.5 miles to Welcome Center
Naturalist programs are new for the FOSZB, funded in part by grants by the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation and the Carl and Verna Schmidt Foundation. Public programs are free to attend, but donations are always welcome! All field trips are free for members who have donated $20 in the last year. Membership is $20 and includes free entry to any field trip in a 12 month period! If you have any questions about any of the programs, please contact Head Naturalist Clinton Nienhaus via email at naturalist@saxzim.org.