Sax-Zim Bog gathering

[jonny_redhorse]

Thanks Steve!.a downy wood pecker it is ...those woodies look so much alike!....was down to the "bog" again today and must be a bazillion tracks of all kinds....fox ,coyote,wolves,...all moving at night apparently...and deer of course....I did come across 3 eagles but the buggers were about 175 yards off in the trees perched waiting for me to get out of their "turf" so they could commence feeding on the deer carcasses....I don't have zoom capabilities to get out that far...just that simple ...but here's few captures from a few hours ago!...the dark bird looks to be an immature baldie(I think)....at least I saw em ...

immature bald eagle?

[JayinMN]

Nice shots Johnny, I wish I would have read the forum last night and went to the bog instead. I took a 250 mile road trip today with some hope I would see some moose or wolves. It was some real wishful thinking. I saw a blue jay and a couple crows, that was it. No pictures to report back with. I did find a spot that looks like its pretty active with a cow moose and her calf. I found a few places where they have bedded down and are feeding. I saw them this fall in the same area on one of my trips, but it was too dark out to get any pictures. Hopefully I will bump into them if I go back. My email is added to my profile now.

Paul I don't think that little buck was shot. He ran and cleared the horse fence with no problem.

Jason

[MN Shutterbug]

Jonny, those are pretty good shots from that distance. In the second picture, it looks like he's mooning you. I'm pretty sure the other is an immature baldy. And hey, just seeing them is exciting in itself, especially when you see them in a wild area such as this.

[jonny_redhorse]

Thanks Jay and XT......not my bestest photos ,no ...someday I was thinking of the "

digiscopeing" thing....to really zoom in on those far off nature shots...just might be my next "endeavor" in photography .....one sure misses alot of potential good shots because of long distances ...today was one of those days!....I believe you are right on the immature bald eagle image...after going through more of my "snaps" I came across the juvenile eagle showing more of his "mottled" plumage...certainly is a juvenile "baldie' forsure...here's a "modest" image of the juvenile...

[JayinMN]

There is an annual Sax Zim Bog Festival of Birds.

This year it will be Feb 15-17 at the Meadowlands Community Center. Here is the Schedule. Can't say I have ever attended , but looks interesting.

Friday, February 15th

Registration: 4:00 p.m - 5:30 p.m.

Food: Sweet Rolls, Meat & Cheese Platter, Coffee & Hot Apple Cider

Program Begins at 7:00 p.m.

Speaker: Dave Benson author of "Owls of the North".

The lore and legends of one of the Midwest's most famous birding areas, and an introduction to the owls that can be seen there.

Saturday, February 16th

Field Trips: All Day

Registration: 4:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Catered Dinner: 5:30 p.m.

Program Begins at 7:00 p.m.

Speaker: Laura Erickson

Sunday, February 17th

Field Trips: Half Day

*Sunday a.m. Brunch 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Meadowlands Community Centerr sponsored by the Elmer Township Fire Dept.

Tickets can be purchased at the Meadowlands Community Center for $5.00 per person.

[Steve Foss]

Thanks, Jay. Good info.

Even though the invasion winter a few years back was of a rare caliber, most years there are at least a handful of great gray or northern hawk owl winter sightings in the Bog.

I'm really hoping we can pinpoint a couple on the Bog outing. No one that I've heard from has seen one yet this winter, if I'm remembering correctly.

[jonny_redhorse]

I've made probably 8 trips to the bog in the last month or so and have not seen one great gray! ...eagles yes, owls no...the last one I saw was mid october near the intersection of South Overton and Arkola road...got a few pics of it but nothing spectacular ...apparently they're well fed up in canada! no need for em to come down this year!....not many hawks either....looks like it's going to be ravens,chickadees,woodpeckers,and maybe a glimpse of a black billed magpie on the 30th ....Thanks Jay for the "bog meet" reminder....there's a few sites on the net that mention all the details....Mike Henderson's " birding blog site" has alot of info and maps of the bog....I personally have never attended one of those bog meets but people from all over the world come to the Sax bog...I met some japanese photographers last year(south admiral road) and to different "convoys" of photographers from Madison Wisconsin...here I live 25 minutes from the bog and these people dive for 8 hours to photograph the wildlife and birds in that bog...it's a special place!....