-33 degrees. As in below zero. That was the temperature Wednesday morning at the Sax-Zim bog north of Duluth, MN as we began our search for anything with feathers or fur.
This Pine Marten didn't mind the cold at all.
The headliner for day 1 was lifer #541... the Boreal Owl. This owl is about the size of a football and may or may not be present in the bog in any given year.
Day 2 was warmer with the thermometer reading just -21 degrees below zero when we arrived at the bog. The Great Gray Owl was a super find to start the day. After empty trips the past two years, we finally got one this year. We spotted it atop a dead tree about 50 yards off the road but it quickly disappeared into the forest. Happily, it emerged just down the road and posed for pictures while it soaked up the 'warm' Minnesota morning sunshine. In contrast to the Boreal Owl, the Great Grays average about 28" in length.
We then headed further north to Grand Marais, MN in search of Bohemian Waxwings. Along the way we passed the Split Rock Lighthouse standing watch over the western shore of Lake Superior. This lighthouse dates back to 1910.
And, yes, we got the Bohemian Waxwings. This is another species that we have not observed on the last couple of trips to Minnesota.
The photo below shows a mixed group of Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings. The Bohemians are easily distinguished from their more common cousins by the rufous red color under their tails.
The Bohemians flew into the ash tree where they collectively crushed the ash berries with the Cedars and then flew out as quickly as they had arrived. And, that was that.
Tomorrow, we take another shot at a Snowy Owl before heading to western Wisconsin in search of Golden Eagle, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Rough-legged Hawks and American Tree Sparrows. And, no, they were not previously called Mexican Tree Sparrows.
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