Sax Zim Bog GTG??

[Spearing Machine]

Hey guys! I know this is getting to be short notice but was wondering if anyone would be interested in a small GTG at the bog either the week or after Christmas 18-23 or 26-30? I have a 2 week break from my technician job down in the southern US and want to get out and get a few clicks on the camera. I've yet to see a GGO. Any one interested?? I've only been there once so I'm not really familiar with the are but I now a half dozen or so of you know it well.

[Borealhunter]

For starters you can visit [Note from admin: Your post has been edited. Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.]

to get maps of the bog to help you out.

Mike Hendrickson

[MuleShack]

I would be interested in the 23rd if your going to be up there AND it is not snowing. (gotta plow)

The week of new years i plan on doing a long weekend on URL.

[MN Shutterbug]

If I didn't already have plans to meet a friend from WI up there in January, I'd have been more than happy. If you just google sax zim bog, you'll find the home page with all the info you need. Good luck finding the GGO when you get there. The only time I've seen one up there was last May.

[JayinMN]

I could meet for a morning but work a 2:30. I haven't been down their much lately because I have been shooting big white owls. GGO are pretty common though in the bog.

[Spearing Machine]

I'm not too sure on a schedule it seems like I have about 20 people I have to see in the two weeks I will be home. I have lots of fishing to get done besides wanting to hit up the bog. I may just print off a map that a few of you eluded to and just run up for a day if I get a chance.

*Jason wondering if you have any pointers or directions to head to look for Snowies? I know its a lot of luck but a general direction to head is great! If you don't want to share for the world to see feel free to PM as well!

[JayinMN]

Jeremy your over your private message limit.

[finnbay]

Most of my time is going to be day to day. I've got family coming from several parts of the country and their schedule isn't set in stone. Would sure like to get together with some of you. Steve and I were in the Bog this week and saw one GGO and a few other interesting things. Had word of a location for a snowy, but it didn't show up the day we were there. Keep posting if something looks like it'll work out for you.

[Spearing Machine]

Sorry about that, Jason. Its cleaned up, now!

Sounds like a good plan, Ken! I would like to shot for the week before Christmas but I will see how things unfold once I get home.

[JayinMN]

Jeremy the only snowys I know of are in Duluth now.

Ken I heard you were in the neighborhood that owl has been gone for a while. It was there a long time before it hit mou.

GGO are out in force and there is a NHO too. I will be boggin tomorrow for a bit.

[finnbay]

Yep, I stopped in and talked to the land owner (nice guy). A birder from Ely had seen him there, and got a picture, the day before. But I guess I was a bit late. Onward and upward I guess!

[JayinMN]

Wow the day before? I haven't seen that one for 4-5 days now. There was another one south of the Hibbing area too that moved out.

[MN Shutterbug]

Can't you entice them to stick around, Jay? I thought you were the bird whisperer

Where are they seeing them in Duluth?

[JayinMN]

Send me a pm or email. The thing with the Duluth owls are they get spray painted and tagged so they are not good photo subjects.

[Jim Almquist]

Took a quick trip to the bog with the wife. Spotted a GGO and a NHO along with a flock of Redpolls and a Northern Goshawk. Another group had spotted a flock of Redpolls along McDavitt.

[JayinMN]

Wow you did a lot better then me this morning!

[Jim Almquist]

For the little time we spent it was a very worth while trip. No shots were fired is the sad part

[Spearing Machine]

I'm headed up to the bog tomorrow morning!! Plan on spending the afternoon and evening there and staying in Duluth for the night and heading back out for part/most of the day on Wednesday as well! Maybe I will see someone out there!

[MN Shutterbug]

Hopefully, you'll see some owls out there. Good luck and have fun.

[Spearing Machine]

Well, I just rolled back home after spedning the last two days out in the bog. I can count on one hand the number of other people I saw out there so it was nice to have the place to myself.

**I dont want to warn that the last two days the county has been brushing the sides of the roads and taking down a fair amount of trees this has been occurring on Kolu Road and now working north on Admiral. When I last went through there tonight they were about a few hundred yards shy of the feeding station and if they keep taking down as many trees as they have been the feeding station is going to be gone.

On the birding front between the two days, I saw 13 Bald Eagles (some may be double counts), 11 rough legged Hawks (again some may be repeats), just a couple pine gross beaks west of the Arkola feeder, red and white breasted nuthatches, very few gray jays, black capped chickadees, and what appeared to be a group of red polls but I didn't have a real good look. I didn't see any Owls of any sort and from talking to a "bog resident" its been "slow". At least it was nice to be out and its a nice break from the southern heat.

I did also have an up-close and personal confrontation with a muskrat on Stickney Road.

[JayinMN]

Interesting we never ran into each other. I have been down there every day for as long the last week or so now. I haven't been by the feeders though. Here is my unscientific take on owls this year. They are there, I am seeing them, but with out the snow they are not having to hunt as hard as usual. Because they aren't as hungry they are less tolerant of humans getting close to them and usually fly back into the woods soon as you stop the car. I think there are a few hawks owls around too but with out the snow they are relying more on hearing then sight for hunting and staying closer to the ground in search of food. I have seen this in the spring once the snow melts they move to hunting closer to the ground instead of 30 ft up a tree. Also it seems like hawk owls become more visible when there are not as many rough leg hawks around. I have a feeling the larger hawks may harass them. Since they like to hunt the same areas the owls stay closer to cover. Once we get a some snow accumulation I bet we will see some hawk owls on the tops of trees. We need snow!

[finnbay]

It's good to be out though, ain't it? Steve and I had an encounter with possibly the same muskrat!

[MN Shutterbug]

That's a lot of eagles and hawks. It's too bad the owls didn't show themselves. Interestingly, I've never got a decent shot of a Red-breasted Nuthatch. They are few and far between down here. I had plans to be up there Jan. 7 - 9, but I may postpone things until winter really gets there. This mild weather has to be making an impact.

Thanks for the report.

[Spearing Machine]

Jason, if you were driving the same vehicle that I remember, older dark colored buick or similar car, I never saw you! I was in a small blue cobalt. Thinking I may try and make a run back up when I finish up my technician job at the end of February. If/ when it snows there ought to be a little more snow in march than now so hopefully I would have some better opportunities.

[IA4PATS]

My wife and I are heading up to Grand Marais for our secong annual Nordic ski trip and thought about stopping by the Bog. Does anyone have some quick tips for the first time visiting? I know nothing about that place.