Hi All, RECENT BIRD SIGHTINGS SAX-ZIM BOG... Great Gray Owls continue to be seen sporadically at dawn and dusk. Check all the usual roads.
Dickcissel (only appears in the Bog during major irruption years) possible along CR29/229, Watsula, Racek, and Dart Roads. Watch for Bobolinks and Black-billed Magpies along these same roads. Warblers are all still present and many are feeding begging fledged young. Listen for begging calls and watch. Many species are still singing at dawn and for an hour after. No recent reports of Boreal Chickadee or Black-backed Woodpecker…but they are year-round residents. Saturday July 22 BOG BIOBLITZ V Sax-Zim Bog 9 am- 3:00pm Meeting at the Welcome Center (BIRD trip leaves at 6:00 am and returns to WC at 9am so folks can go on another field trip) Join experienced naturalists in the field as you explore scattered areas around the Sax-Zim Bog. BUTTERFLIES, DRAGONFLIES, WILDFLOWERS (shrubs, sedges, etc), GRAVEL PIT EXPLORATION, BIRDS, INSECTS, LADYBUGS, FISHES and more. We will then all meet back at the Welcome Center around 2:30 to share our finds. Each leader will give a synopsis of what they found and even bring some specimens back. Leaders include Jerry McCormack, Dr. Tim, Clinton Nienhaus, Sparky Stensaas, Jim Lind, Dave Grosshuesch, Kelly Beaster, Bill Tefft and more. Larry Weber will join us for the compilation with his spider finds. Be sure to pack a lunch, water, bug dope, sunscreen, rubber boots, hat. WE WILL BE REVEALING A NEW T-SHIRT DESIGN AT THIS EVENT AS WELL (so bring your checkbook!) This is always a popular event…You will learn an amazing amount in a short time. No need to RSVP…just show up. See you Saturday July 22! Sunday July 23 RIDGE BIOBLITZ Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve—Main Overlook 9:00 am- 1:00 pm Meeting at the Hawk Ridge Overlook, Duluth, Minnesota For the second year, there will be a BioBlitz at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve in order to highlight a weekend of biodiversity in northern Minnesota! Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve is a well known location for bird migration in the fall season, but much of the diversity that can be found at the Nature Reserve never leaves! Last year, we found interesting lichens, Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle, Diamond Spider, and Ragged-fringed Orchid. This year, we hope to add to the diversity that can be found in Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve! Saturday, August 5 WORKSHOP: DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES Early Registration: $80 (All participants will receive a FREE copy of Kurt Mead’s Dragonflies of the North Woods: 3rd Edition!…and expert instruction from some of the top dragonfly folks in Minnesota) Registration after July 20: $90 Registration now open on our website store! 9am to 5pm. August 5, 2017 Meet at the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center north of Meadowlands, MN (directions here) Bring: Water, bag lunch and snacks (no food available anywhere close), bug dope, hat, sunscreen, rubber boots!! (mandatory…unless you want to “wet foot” it), camera, butterfly net (not necessary and we will have some for you to use), binoculars (absolutely!) and a sense of curiosity! This adventure-filled Workshop will introduce you to the hidden world of our northern dragonflies and damselflies. Experts from the Minnesota Dragonfly Society will guide you to several spots in the world-famous Sax-Zim Bog to see and capture some rarely seen boreal species (all will be released back into the wild). At this time of year there are many of the big species of darners flying….and also an abundance of the small but colorful meadowhawks. Other skimmers and emeralds may also be seen. This is a hands-on experience so please come ready for several hours in the field (rubber boots, hat, bug dope, sunscreen). We will also scoop for nymphs and you will learn the basics of identifying them to family…and learn about their fascinating life history. Back at the Welcome Center we’ll take an up close look at our finds. SCHEDULE Meet at Welcome Center by 8:45 am. 9:00-9:15 am- Introduction and Welcome Welcome info about Friends of Sax-Zim Bog and intro to the work of the Minnesota Dragonfly Society Overview of the plan for the day 9:15-9:45 am- Nymphs and their Identification We’ll learn the fascinating basics of the dragonfly/damselfly life cycle. Examine some aquatic nymphs and learn basics on identifying them to family 9:45 am- 12:00 pm- Field Session #1: St. Louis River, Stone Lake Road, etc (TBD) During this session, we will confirm what we just learned about basic dragonfly and damselfly ID and anatomy by catching some adults. We’ll point out tips on quickly placing the dragonfly to family. There will also be a focus on nymphs and we’ll scoop some out of the water bottom. 12:00-12:45 pm- Lunch and Common Green Darner talk by Ami Thompson Ami has been studying the phenology of our only true migrant dragonfly—the Common Green Darner. It is one of our most common dragonflies, one of our largest, and also one of the most amazing critters in the North Woods. 1:00-4:00 pm- Field Session #2: Toivola Swamp—Catch odes and nymphs! Take a journey into one of the more remote parts of the Sax-Zim Bog…the Toivola Swamp. Fortunately an old railroad grade bisects this amazing place and we’ll only have to walk a quarter mile or so. Hopefully we will be able to target Black Meadowhawk, Zigzag Darner, and Subarctic Darners here. Maybe some rare Emeralds too?? 4:15- 5:00 pm- Wrap up at Welcome Center. MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE! REGISTER HERE: http://saxzim.org/product/dragonfly-workshop-aug-4-5-2017/ Saturday, August 12 WORKSHOP: LICHENS & FERNS with Joe Walewski Cost: $80 preregistration; $90 after August 1 (All participants will receive 1 FREE copy of one of Joe’s books…either Ferns or Lichens…and expert instruction from one of the top field naturalists in Minnesota) Registration now open on our website store!…LIMITED TO 30 PARTICIPANTS 9am to 4pm. August 12, 2017 Meet at the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center north of Meadowlands, MN (directions here) Joe Walewski, author of Ferns of the North Woods and Lichens of the North Woods, will lead this all day workshop on Sax-Zim’s often ignored organisms…the lichens and ferns. Spend the day learning about the lives of these fascinating groups. You’ll go in the field to learn identification tips and tricks, and closely inspect our varied species at a variety of locations. We’ll also bring specimens back to the Welcome Center to examine them under a microscope. Joe’s books will be available for purchase! Car pooling. Joe will also have both his books for sale. Bring your own lunch, water, drinks, hat, rubber boots, sunscreen, bug dope. There will be off-trail walking in wet conditions. More details coming! ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Joe Walewski is the Director of Naturalist Training at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, Minnesota. He earned a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University and an M.Ed. in Environmental Education from the University of Minnesota – Duluth. Every year he works with future leaders of environmental education. He challenges them to pay close attention to the natural world around them and to critically examine how they share meaningful stories with their students. They reciprocate the challenge and help him to see, experience, and learn about more new things every day. When away from work, Joe finds plenty to do helping his wife, Lori, in the garden and banding birds (especially hummingbirds). He thoroughly enjoys rambling and exploring life with his daughter Jenny. Joe continually strives to reduce his ecological footprint. In an effort to reduce his contribution of global warming gasses, Joe commutes to work by foot, bike or ski at least fifty percent of the time. Joe is the author of both Ferns of the North Woods and Lichens of the North Woods. REGISTER HERE: http://saxzim.org/product/lichens-ferns-workshop-with-joe-walewski-8-12-17/ DIRECTIONS TO WELCOME CENTER ON OWL AVENUE NEAR MEADOWLANDS, MN **Open mid December to mid March from 10am-3pm daily **Also marked on our birding map Directions from Cotton, MN on US53… *Go West from Cotton on CR52/Arkola for 11 miles *Turn South (left) on Owl Avenue *Go 1.75 miles (second curve) to Welcome Center Directions from Meadowlands, on CR133… *Go West on CR133 to CR229/29 *Turn North (left) on CR229/29 *Go North to T at Correction Line Rd *Turn West (left) on Correction Line Rd *Road curves North and becomes Owl Ave *Go North on Owl Avenue for 2.5 miles to Welcome Center Sparky Stensaas 2515 Garthus Road Wrenshall MN 55797 218.341.3350 sparkystens...@hotmail.com www.ThePhotoNaturalist.com www.KollathStensaas.com www.SaxZim.org ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
