Northern Minnesota’s Sax-Zim Bog is home to 19 species of breeding warblers (20 if we include the “wild card” Cape May Warbler). And in Warbler-palooza III Sparky tries to film as many of them as he can.

First surprise of the day is a singing male Brewster’s Warbler! (hybrid between Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warbler). Thanks to Dave Bartkey for pointing this out!!

Spoiler Alert! He films 16 of the 19 regular species…and gets some amazing opportunities for close-ups. Sparky only hears Magnolia but totally dips on Northern Waterthrush and Canada Warbler.

Warbler Number 3 provides a surprise that will be revealed at the end of the video. Stay tuned!

We go to Nichols Lake Road (Mourning, Golden-winged, Northern Parula), Owl Avenue (Connecticut, Yellowthroat), Admiral Road (Northern Yellow, Black-and-white, Chestnut-sided, Nashville), St. Louis River at Zim Road (Blackburnian), Norway Ridge Road (Pine), Pine Road (Black-throated Green).

A Save-the-Date reminder of the 15-year Friends of Sax-Zim Bog October 25th party is also included.

Sparky wanders around Sax-Zim Bog in early spring (which is late April in northern Minnesota) to see what birds have returned. A very chill Wilson’s Snipe allows for fairly close photos/video, a hover-hunting Roughleg finds a vole, and Common Loons are vying for territory on Stone Lake.

Northern Flickers are back in force and we witness some rollicking “Wicka bouts” (I am going to coin the phrase “Wicka Wars”) between two females. Soon after a pair of gorgeous Common Mergansers float by on the lake.

We also check in on the spring highway clean up to see who found the best piece of roadside junk. Will Board Member Julie retain her crown? 

And a rarely seen “bird” appears in the skies over Sax-Zim…A “gashawk”!

Six days below zero and the birds of Sax-Zim are doing just fine! We visit Mary Lou’s feeders and find over 40 Evening Grosbeaks! Sparky shares his BRRRRdathon: World’s Coldest Birdathon experience as he birds northern Minnesota’s Superior National Forest and Grand Marais. Highlights include multiple flocks of Bohemian Waxwings eating Mountain-Ash fruits.

Temperatures during the Polar Vortex of late January 2026 hit as low as Minus-37ºF but the Northern Hawk Owl along CR47 is doing just fine!

We also walk the Bob Russell Boardwalk and install a plaque for one of our Bog Buddies. Then we are off to Yellow-bellied Bog for a walk on the snowshoe loop to look for Snowshoe Hares.

The Welcome Center feeders host plumpfy Canada Jays, Pine Grosbeaks and Redpolls.

Virtually Live 57 S6E2

Sparky kayaks around Stone Lake in northern Minnesota’s Sax-Zim Bog looking for birdlife. Highlights include Sedge Wren, Belted Kingfisher, Common Loon and an unexpected River Otter.

Late summer wildflowers are peak in late July/early August in the Bog and we take a look at a few finds. 

Sparky gives updates on upcoming events including the Artist-in-Residence program and author/photographer Paul Bannick’s Welcome Center talk on Saturday September 27. Paul will speak on his new book, Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North America’s Woodpeckers.

We end the video with highights of the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog BioBlitz XIII.

This is Virtually Live Episode 56 (Season 6, Episode 1)

Warbler Wednesdays in Sax-Zim Bog are a many-year tradition. These field trips often yield fantastic looks at some of northern Minnesota’s 25+ species of breeding and migrant warblers.

Sparky highlights some of the finds on two Warbler Wednesdays including Canada, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Pine, Magnolia, Mourning and Golden-winged warblers to name a few.

We also check in on spring highlights of our Friends of Sax-Zim Bog trail camera project, “A Year in the Life at a Sax-Zim Beaver Pond.” Meet Hank and Ginger the Timber Wolf pair that make this part of the Bog their home. Also a surprise cameo by a mom Black Bear with THREE bundles of joy.

Sparky encounters Larry and Patty from Maine along Taiga Boardwalk, and we hear about their exciting Sax-Zim Bog trip.

Then as Sparky is wrapping up the day, a TRIO of MOOSE (!) wander across his path.

Night is as unexplored as the Furthest Wilds, and in this episode we dive headlong into this fascinating time of day at a fascinating time of year. On May 3 we join Head Naturalist Clinton on his Things that Go Buzz, Croak, Hoot & Bump in the Night field trip in northeastern Minnesota’s Sax-Zim Bog.

Beginning birder Evelyn flips over a log and finds a Blue-spotted Salamander! We also catch adorable tiny Spring Peepers and cold-impervious Wood Frogs. A late Rough-legged Hawk sits and poses for us.

Join us as we explore Gray Jay Way on a still evening. White-throated Sparrows have returned in force, and they are singing their territorial song “Old Sven Pederson Pederson Pederson!” (that’s what they sing in Minnesota anyway!).

We get updates from Sparky on Friends of Sax-Zim Bog’s Artist-in-Residence Program, find out about our Bog Buddy Blake’s new YouTube channel, and updates on some upcoming platform construction projects in the Bog.

Also…drumroll please….Who found the best piece of garbage during our April 24th litter clean up?? The tension is palpable! Hint: What do Bob Ross and Sponge Bob have in common?

Come along and join us for the fun!

http://www.saxzim.org

April 3, 2025

A spring snowstorm blankets the Sax-Zim Bog in white. How did the migrant birds fare? Sparky finds some Hooded Mergansers, Fox Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbirds. Open water on the edges of Stone Lake are occupied by patient Canada Geese and Trumpeter Swans waiting for the ice to melt so they can claim the best territories.

He also shares why one bird’s name should be “Canadian” Tree Sparrow instead of its current name.

Finally we head over to Mary Lou’s to enjoy the cacophony of bird calls, gawk at the Battle Royale between feeding siskins, and witness the only bird with a green bill in the North Woods.

Mammals take the spotlight in this early spring episode from Minnesota’s Sax-Zim Bog. Sparky encounters two charismatic weasel species in the Bog’s first unfrozen water of the year. 

The snow is mostly gone, but ice clings to area lakes and rivers, but Sparky finds some open water to check.

First he spots something on the ice at Sax WMA, which turns out to be a River Otter, but there is something wrong with this “mega water weasel.”

Later, while looking for early returning waterfowl at Stone Lake (Wood Duck, Canada Geese) he finds, and travels with, a fast-swimming Mink.

The day ends with a brief sunset encounter with a hunting Great Gray Owl.

Sparky shares his six favorite photos from the two days.

He also gives an update on upcoming spring and summer field trips in Sax-Zim Bog, and shares some details on Andy Forbe’s Big Green Year on behalf of Friends of Sax-Zim Bog.

Filmed March 17 & 22, 2025

Virtually Live 52 S5E7

Tired of running around Sax-Zim Bog chasing the most recent owl sightings with many others? Here are some simple quiet ways to enjoy some solitude in one of winter’s most popular birding and photography areas.