Field Trips & Programs Spring and Summer 2018
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 $25 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 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 $25 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.
**RSVP is REQUIRED for attendance to programs or field trips**
Friday, June 8
Winterberry Bog Field Excursion
9:00 am- 2:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center
A beautiful property, the Winterberry Bog is fairly new to FOSZB and had a memorable ribbon-cutting where a Boreal Chickadee was found! Winterberry makes a strong showing along the edges of this property, and the depths of the Black Spruce further into the property could harbor Black-backed Woodpeckers or a diverse plant community. This should be a fun excursion for those interested in birds and plants, alike.
Friday, June 15
East Stone Lake Bog Field Excursion
9:00 am- 2:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center
The East Stone Lake Bog is a property that few have ventured out to explore and is even harder to find on the map! This is FOSZB’s smallest property, but has the largest potential for exciting finds as there is a floating bog mat on the property! Floating bogs are a very sensitive ecosystem that could harbor exciting species like Bog Copper butterflies, Grass Pink Orchids, or the tiny and rare Elfin Skimmer! Plan to get wet on this excursion!
Saturday, June 16
Dragonfly and Damselfly Field Trip
Max Participants: 20
Leader: Clinton
12:00- 5:00 pm Meet at the Welcome Center
Dragonflies and damselflies are an easily seen group of bugs and recently, have become targets of cameras and nets! “Dragonflying” is becoming a popular hobby across the US and northern Minnesota has an incredible diversity of odonates! In the last year, Sax-Zim Bog has held 2 new county records of dragonfly… Who knows what we could find out in the bog! All ages and ability levels are welcome! Extra nets will be available for those wanting to catch a few odes!
Sunday, June 17
Butterflies of the Sax-Zim Bog Field Trip
Max Participants: 20
Leader: Clinton
12:00- 5:00 pm Meet at the Welcome Center
Bogs are home to a diverse set of plants, most of which have a particularly close relationship to butterflies or moths. This field trip will focus on exploring the diversity of butterflies in the Sax-Zim Bog! Due to the diversity of the plant communities in the Sax-Zim Bog, there is a diverse selection of butterflies from bog specialists like Bog Copper, to southern species like Black Swallowtail, to fast moving Skippers and Blues the Sax-Zim Bog offers a lot for the casual butterfly watcher, to the seasoned butterfly enthusiast! All ages and ability levels are welcome!
Friday, June 22
Indian Pipe Bog Field Excursion
9:00 am- 2:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center
Indian Pipe Bog is named for the healthy growth of Indian Pipe, an obligate parasitic plant, which has no chlorophyll. These plants are an exciting find no matter where you see them! This bog also is a classic example of old growth Black Spruce, with towering trees and a solid carpet of sphagnum moss. This trip is for those hoping to get the full essence of what it means to go “bog stomping!”
Saturday, June 23
Introduction to Dragonflies and Damselflies
9:00 am- 1:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center
Dragonflies and damselflies are a recognizable group of insects that can often be seen around ponds and lakes. Recently, dragonflies and damselflies have become of recreational interest to naturalists and the general public alike. Come out to learn the differences and similarities in dragonflies and damselflies and maybe try your hand at catching a few for closer investigation!
Finding Ferns
2:00 pm-5:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center
Ferns are an enigmatic part of northern Minnesota wilderness and even sometimes a colorful part of local gardens. Ferns are diverse and often tricky to identify. This program will hope to shed some light on this diverse group of non-plants to help build your ID comfort while observing your local ferns.
Sunday, June 24
Bog Butterflies Hike
10:00 am-4:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center
Monarch butterflies are maybe one of the most recognized butterfly species in the US: they are big, bright, and special to many of us. But there are more than just Monarchs out there! This hike will look for a few species of butterfly in the Sax-Zim Bog and we will talk about what you can do to attract them to your house or garden.
Friday, June 29
Yellow-bellied Bog Field Excursion
9:00 am- 2:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center
Last for the field excursion season, but not least, is our largest property: the 97 acre Yellow-bellied Bog. This property is edged in Green Adder’s Mouth Orchids and home to bog specialist plants like Leatherleaf and Bog Laurel. At this time of year, these plants are no-longer blooming, but the property has potential for hard to find orchids or butterfly species that stick tight to the hard to reach sections of bogs. A fitting property to explore for the end of the field excursion season!
Saturday, June 30
Orchid Field Trip
Max Participants: 20
Leader: Clinton
9:00 am- 2:00 pm Meet at the Welcome Center
The Sax-Zim Bog is home to at least 14 species of orchid, including healthy populations of Pink Ladyslipper, Purple-fringed Orchid, and Minnesota’s State Flower: Showy Ladyslipper! This trip will cover a lot of ground hoping to find orchids that represent the diversity of the Sax-Zim Bog. This trip will likely involve a little “bog stomping” so rubber boots are a must! Last year, this field trip found 6 species of orchid… Hopefully we can match that number this year as well!
Sunday, July 1
Tiger Beetles: Gravel Pit Gurus
9:00 am- 12:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center
Tiger beetles are a colorful and not often observed group of insects that are becoming quite popular to amateur entomologists and naturalists. Often, you find these species very commonly in gravel pits or open sandy areas. Come out to learn a little more about these colorful and fast predators.
Sax-Zim Spiders!
1:00 pm-3:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center
Spiders are an interesting bunch: some have nothing but nice things to say about them, while others cannot bear to be within several hundred feet of these eight legged wonders. The Sax-Zim Bog has an incredible diversity of spiders, including several first state record and dozens of new county record species in the last three years. Come out to learn a little more about the different species of spiders in Minnesota and spend some time observing these misunderstood critters!
Saturday, August 4
Bog BioBlitz VI
Details coming!
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 $25 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.