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.

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

January 3-6, 2025: Sparky finds and photographs FOUR species of northern owls during Friends of Sax-Zim Bog’s 2025 BRRRRdathon-World’s Coldest Birdathon. TWO Boreal Owls, TWO Great Gray Owls, Snowy Owl and Northern Hawk Owl! What a great event, and photos of the other teams are shared.

Bitter cold makes birding difficult as he tries to fat bike and bird on a remote forest road (unsuccessfully). But Sparky has more success along Lake Superior with a very late lingering Bufflehead. White-winged Crossbills appear along Gray Jay Way in Sax-Zim Bog. Other highlights include two “rough” birds…Rough-legged Hawk and Ruffed Grouse. Sparky also explores a bit of the 1010 acres Friends of Sax-Zim Bog recently purchased along Owl Avenue.

Sparky takes an early December spin around the Sax-Zim Bog to see what he can find. Redpolls and White-winged Crossbills seem to be everywhere! But he has to bushwhack in to the bog to find a very trusting Black-backed Woodpecker. Canada Jays are curious and give Sparky a close up look. A lingering American Tree Sparrow is also encountered.

Sparky updates all on Tiny Bird Art 2025, BRRRRdathon 2025, the new LIVE Bird Feeder Cam at the Welcome Center and much more.

Lots of positive and exciting things going on in Sax-Zim Bog! Sparky spends some time with the Evening Grosbeak researchers David and Mallory as they track the birds with satellite transmitters.

We also enjoy one last look at the beautiful white male Snowy Owl that graced Sax-Zim with its presence for a few weeks before being hit and killed by a train.

Sparky interviews young brothers Ari & Asher from Tennessee about their trip, and also runs across Big Year birders Owen & Quentin whom share in a close Black-backed Woodpecker sighting.

And how about some hockey at the Zim Rec rink?

In Virtually Live 37 S4E2 Sparky shares findings and updates from the Sax-Zim Bog. We join him and Clinton on several Warbler Wednesday & Songbird Saturday field trips. And we find out the results of the First Greater Sax-Zim Bog Big Week!

Wildlife highlights include a huge boar Black Bear, CoyWolf, Cliff Swallows gathering mud, hunting Great Gray, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Flicker nest, dust-bathing Grouse and a variety of warblers.

Sparky makes two visits (April 21 and April 26) to find out. Highlights include a huge flock of ducks, a late Rough-legged Hawk, 8 species of ducks, Sandhill Cranes. We look for a Canada Jay nest, listen to overhead displaying Snipe and walk the Bob Russell Bogwalk. Sparky also shares about the Sax-Zim Bog connection to a new book about Dutchman Arjan Dwarshuis’s World Big Year record in 2016.

Plus, we find out about the new boardwalk and trail planned for Sax-Zim in 2023.

On a very cold December 19th day, a dozen intrepid birders go forth and find 35 species of birds in the Sax-Zim Christmas Bird Count 15-mile diameter circle. Winter finches were the heroes of the day, but a late afternoon Great Gray Owl (the third of the day) silently searched for voles as Sparky filmed the hunt.

Evening Grosbeaks Galore! Winter Finches Arrive Sax-Zim Bog 

Winter finches have arrived in the Sax-Zim Bog! Evening Grosbeaks are abundant with lesser amounts of Pine Grosbeaks and Common Redpolls. Sparky goes on an early winter jaunt in the snowy Sax-Zim Bog in search of winter birds. A junco is an unexpected find at the Sisu feeders at the Zabin. We also stop by the Welcome Center and find a Pileated Woodpecker feasting on a deer rib cage. A flock of Bohemian Waxwings make a cameo along Nichols Lake Road. A side trip takes us to Mary Lou’s new garage and outdoor “birder lounge.” Sparky also shares details about the upcoming Tiny Bird Art online auction AND the BRRRRdathon-World’s Coldest Birdathon. Come on along!