DOUBLE YOUR MONEY! $10,000 1:1 Matching Gift Available

Give to the Max Day is next week

Thursday November 16

YOU CAN EVEN SCHEDULE YOUR GIFT IN ADVANCE

We make about a third of our operating budget on this very important day...PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY. Your $20 donation will garner us $40 thanks to a generous offer from Warren Woessner.

AND Your donations on Give to the Max Day still qualify for certain Benefits...INCLUDING HANDMADE TILES TO BE DISPLAYED IN WELCOME CENTER WITH YOUR NAME & DEDICATION (see below for giving levels)

Any Donation over $1,000 (non-designated)

Pitcher Plant, Wild Iris, Baltimore Checkerspot, Tiger Swallowtail, Luna Moth, Porcupine (TAKEN 7-2017), Pine Marten, or pitch us an idea!

Any Donation over $3,000 (non-designated)

Yellow Ladyslipper, Ermine
(or any species not taken...or suggest a species)

Any Donation over $5,000 (non-designated)

Pink Ladyslipper, Moose
(or any species not taken...or suggest a species)

Any Donation over $10,000 (non-designated)

Showy Ladyslipper, Timber Wolf
(or any species you want!)

**8x8 handmade tiles with your brass plate will be displayed at the Welcome Center

GO TO GIVEMN.ORG HERE
 

Bog Boardwalk Funding Completed! 

...A very generous donation from WARREN WOESSNER & a Grant from the IRRRB has secured the future of the boardwalk...Thank you!

900' Boardwalk to be called Warren Woessner Bog Boardwalk

Warren Woessner Bog Boardwalk will be completed in Spring 2018

Hot off the Press!...A three-year donation and pledge from Warren Woessner, will secure the completion of the bog boardwalk at the Warren Nelson Memorial Bog. This legacy project will be known as the Warren Woessner Bog Boardwalk.

“The work of the FOSZB is preserving enhancing and promoting a unique winter birding hotspot in a very cold state. It is a conversation starter on all my birding trips and I am proud to be a part of the effort to keep this special place special.”

—Warren Woessner

Early in 2015, friends of Warren Nelson and members of Friends of Sax-Zim Bog came together to honor the life of Warren Nelson, a passionate birder and photographer, through the purchase of a 40 acre mature black spruce bog in the Sax-Zim Bog Important Bird Area. A HEARTY THANK YOU! to those who donated.

BOG BOARDWALK IS PHASE 2

Now with funding secured, we can complete the boardwalk and honor Warren’s legacy of passing on his love of birds and bogs by constructing a 900’ BOG BOARDWALK. Visitors to the area will be able to experience the magic and wonder of walking through a bog, without getting their feet wet, getting lost or breaking an ankle! 
 

This boardwalk will be...

...a Bog Boardwalk for learning

...Access to the hidden world of the bog

...an Invitation to explore

...a Path to orchids & Boreal birds


Though recent snows and cold have slowed progress on the bog boardwalk construction, we have not stopped! Many volunteers have worked hard to keep this project going; Jason Traver, Bob Kozarek, Tom Williams, Sarah Beaster, Rubin Stenseng, Ben Yokel, Gene & Julie Ollila, and more. Sparky cuts a path for the Warren Woessner Bog Boardwalk in late October 2017.


A little snow doesn't stop Friends of Sax-Zim Bog!

20 acres added to Warren Nelson Bog!

Generous donation from Gordon Andersson makes this possible

Warren Nelson Memorial Bog is now SIXTY ACRES!

A 20 acre addition to the Warren Nelson Memorial Bog has been made possible by Gordon Andersson’s donation. Though logged in the last decade, the site is growing back nicely into Tamarack and Spruce...and as Gordon said, “It’s still habitat for something!” True, Gordon, True.
We are planning on eventually adding a spur from the Warren Woessner Bog Boardwalk out into this new parcel...mainly to highlight the regrowth of a Black Spruce/Tamarack bog.

“Every dragonfly, orchid, bird, and moose needs a place to live for a season or through the year. The species may change over time as the vegetation cycles and conditions change. But saving land from building and row-cropping is saving habitat for non-human animal and plant species.”

—Gordon Andersson

Map of the 20 acre addition to Warren Nelson Memorial Bog made possible by generous donation from Gordon Andersson.

Finish your Holiday Shopping Early!
2018 Sax-Zim Bog Wild Calendar

Best-selling 12-month Wall calendar for sale ONLINE: Makes a great Christmas present!

All these amazing photos taken in the last 12 months!

Sparky just picked up several cases of the 2018 Sax-Zim Bog Wild calendar...TODAY! The 2018 calendar features photos of our native wildlife and flora including Great Gray Owl, Showy Ladyslipper, PIne Marten, Snowshoe Hare, Sandhill Crane and more.


PURCHASE "CALENDAR PLUS MEMBERSHIP" HERE
PURCHASE ONLY "CALENDAR" HERE

The 2018 Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Calendar highlights the Sax-Zim Bog's amazing wildlife and scenery. Over 70 photos by the area's top wildlife photographers grace the pages of the 12-month calendar. 8.5 x 11 inches on high quality glossy paper. Friends events are listed too, as well as sunrise/sunset times, moon phases and each month has a paragraph on what you can expect to see in the Bog that time of year.

$17 FOR CALENDAR
OR....
$42 FOR CALENDAR PLUS 1-YEAR MEMBERSHIP (Free field trips)

$25 OF THIS PURCHASE INCLUDES A 1-YEAR MEMBERSHIP TO FRIENDS OF SAX-ZIM BOG (Free Field trips for 1 year, e-Newsletter, Annual Report and more).

Amazingly, nearly all of the images in this calendar were taken since the last calendar came out in November of 2016, and all the photos were taken in the Sax-Zim Bog. This shows how many photo opportunities there are in the Bog! Thanks to all the photographers listed below for their generous donation of their images for use in this calendar: Jason Mandich, Ryan Brady, Tim Glackin, Amy Johnson, John Kelsey, Jim Schnortz, Rubin Stenseng, Ben Yokel. All uncredited small photos are by Sparky Stensaas.

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Amy Johnson (www.facebook.com/MyFeatheredPhotos)
Jason Mandich (www.facebook.com/JasonMandichPhotography)
Jim Schnortz (www.facebook.com/SchnortzPhotography)
Sparky Stensaas (www.ThePhotoNaturalist.com)
Ryan Brady (www.pbase.com/rbrady)
Tim Glackin (www.facebook.com/TimGlackin)
John Kelsey (www.facebook.com/John R. Kelsey)

**All proceeds from the sale of this calendar go to Friends of Sax-Zim Bog to support their mission to Preserve, Promote, and Protect the Sax-Zim Bog.

IF YOU OWN A STORE, OR WANT TO SELL THESE CALENDARS AT RETAIL, PLEASE LET SPARKY KNOW. YOU CAN PURCHASE CALENDARS AT WHOLESALE FOR $8.50 and resell for retail ($17) until January 1. You keep the profit! But you need to fill out a W-9. Contact Sparky for details (218.341.3350 or sparky@saxzim.org)

PURCHASE "CALENDAR PLUS MEMBERSHIP" HERE

PURCHASE ONLY "CALENDAR" HERE
 

NEW "Bogdiversity" T-shirts & Mug

Mens and Womens styles available in our online store

Species include  Showy Ladyslipper, snowshoe Hare, Connecticut Warbler, Nordmann’s Orbweaver, Great Gray Owl, Baltimore Checkerspot, Subarctic Darner, Eastern Gray Treefrog, Black-backed Woodpecker.

Women’s sizing SMALL-XXL (WOMEN'S MAROON)

Men’s sizing M-XXXL (GRAVEL & MAROON COLORS)

Buy merchandise here

 

Recent "Bog Wild" Highlights

mid October to early November 2017

Winter started early this year with several snowfalls beginning on October 27th. Many of the Tamarack still had yellow needles when the first snows began.

Sparky unexpectedly found this Short-eared Owl hunting along a road in the north part of the Bog in early November. This is a rare species in Sax-Zim. It was Sparky's NINTH owl species found in the Bog. How many other locations in North America can boast of that many owl species?


Common Redpolls are around in good numbers....and as usual, most are feeding on "wild foods" including birch seeds and Speckled Alder catkins and cones (shown here). Only later in the winter, after wild foods supplies are depleted, do they show up at area feeders in force.


Trumpeter Swans on Stone Lake. These late lingering swans had to move on when the entire lake froze over on November 8th.


Short-eared Owl


White-tailed Deer in the snow along Correction Line Road.


Winterberry berries in their full glory along Nichols Lake Road. Birds such as Evening Grosbeaks and many others will feed on these beautiful fruits.


Muskrat


"Shorty" the Short-eared Owl is all fluffed out due to the near zero windchills.


One feeder is filled at the Welcome Center....More will be going up after deer season. Welcome Center opens for the year on December 9.

 

Boreal Wings Gala 2018 at Springbrook

Birder, Storyteller & Humorist Al Batt to keynote

Save the Date...Sunday January 21 from 2-4:30pm

All bog buddies, please put Sunday January 21 on your calendar. That is the date of our 2018 Boreal Wings Gala at Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley, Minnesota.
Once again, we'll have a silent auction with tons of fun bird-related items, bird-themed appetizers, Sax-Zim Bog merchandise, great conversation, an update from Executive Director Sparky, and even a World Premiere of another "Clinton's Critters" video.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Al Batt of Hartland, Minnesota is a writer, speaker, storyteller and humorist. Al writes humor and nature columns for many newspapers and does regular radio shows about nature. He writes a number of popular cartoon strips that are syndicated nationally and is author of the book, "A Life Gone to the Birds." He is a columnist for "Bird Watcher’s Digest" and writes for a number of magazines and books. He is a trustee of the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Haines, Alaska. Al hosted TV shows for many years and speaks at various festivals, conferences and conventions all over the world. He has received the Ed Franey Conservation Media Award from the Izaak Walton League, the Thomas Sadler Roberts Award from the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union for lifetime contributions to birding and was recognized by Bluebirds Across Nebraska for outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation. Al speaks to anyone who will listen. His mother thinks he is special.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!...CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS $35 per person (Kids 17 $ under FREE)

(May also pay $40 at the door as well)

Join us and other bog buddies for a night of stories, food, and fun!
Sunday, January 21, 2018 (2-4:30 pm)
Springbrook Nature Center, Fridley, MN

Schedule:
Come early to hike/snowshoe/ski the nature center's many trails!
Also check out the new building and interactive exhibits.
2pm—Appetizers, mingle, silent auction
2:30pm—Sparky updates everyone on Friends of Sax-Zim Bog projects & enjoy a World Premiere of a new Clinton's Critters video
3:00-3:45 pm—Humorist and Birder Al Batt takes the stage. His stories will have you rolling in the aisles (if we have aisles).
3:45-4:00 pm—Silent Auction wraps up
4-4:30 pm—Mingling, AppetizersIncludes soup/bread dinner, silent auction, and a 1-year membership including free programs.

Email info@saxzim.org for more info...or Call Sparky at 218.341.3350 with questions.

DO YOU HAVE BIRD OR NATURE RELATED ITEMS TO DONATE FOR THE SILENT AUCTION? Email info@saxzim.org for more info...or Call Sparky at 218.341.3350
Many nature-related items to be included in the Silent Auction
This is a Fundraiser for 501c3 non-profit Friends of Sax-Zim Bog to continue to purchase land in the Sax-Zim Bog and preserve it for future generations of birds and birders
 

2018 Big Half Year for the Bog

Our second annual starts January 1st

Create your own birding goals for Jan-June 2018!

YOU CAN DESIGN YOUR OWN BIG HALF YEAR! Pick a birding goal...any goal! It can be species you see just in your backyard…or in a local park…or in your county…or entire state (ANY STATE! Not just Minnesota). Be creative! Because it is not the birder with the biggest number that wins…All prizes will be given away as a drawing in early July 2018

How about...

• birds seen in your backyard
• birds seen in Minnesota
• birds photographed in Sax-Zim
• birds photographed in North America, Columbia, Brazil, Paraguay or Zimbabwe
• birds seen only at sewage ponds
• birds seen on Tuesdays
• birds seen in the Boreal Forest
• birds seen in the city limits of Minneapolis?
• birds seen while driving
• birds seen out your window
• birds species heard singing

GET CREATIVE!

We will have a compilation picnic in July to share stories, eat good food and give away prizes.
How do we turn this into a fundraiser? You can solicit pledges per species, or lump sums, or just make a donation yourself! The more you raise, the more chances you'll have to win our fabulous prizes (TBD). All participants must pledge or raise over $50.
Each participant will be given a page on our website to update folks on their progress in their personal Big Half Year for the Bog. Share stories, photos, videos!...and garner pledges.

EMAIL SPARKY YOUR BIG HALF YEAR GOAL AND GET STARTED! sparky@saxzim.org We'll have more details soon on our website and on Facebook.

 

New Facebook GROUP

Please join today!

We can all have more interaction in a Facebook Group than a Facebook Page

For those of you who don't know, Friends of Sax-Zim Bog recently started a Facebook GROUP; formerly we only had a Page, which limits interaction between us and our members. The new group is called "Friends of Sax-Zim Bog" Group (formerly Sax-Zim Bog Wild Group). You can ask to join and we will add you as soon as possible.

This will be a great way to hear about sightings in the bog and learn about upcoming events and field trips. We will not allow any extreme negativity in the group...but we will foster positive interaction with all members.

We will try and move those of you on the Page to the new Group, but that will take a while. Please head over there and ask to join. Thanks!

GO TO NEW FACEBOOK GROUP HERE


 

Showcase your Bog Photos on our Website!

Now you can showcase your best Sax-Zim Photos on our website

Now you can upload your best Sax-Zim Bog photos and have them showcased on the home page of our website. The latest 10 photos will cycle (5 seconds each) at the top panel of our homepage. Sparky has uploaded 3 photos as a test and it works nicely.

FIRST YOU MUST CLICK ON THE "PHOTO UPLOAD" Tab to begin (You'll need to register as a User first)

Here are the details:

    •    Only Friends of Sax-Zim Bog members who have donated $20 or more in the last 12 months are eligible to submit photos. (You can upload now and FOSZB staff will check your status before posting photo...or you can email info@saxzim.org to check) To donate, please click the "Donate" button at the top of the home page.)
    •    **All photos MUST have been taken in the Sax-Zim Bog...No exceptions.
    •    **Only one photo upload allowed per calendar day.
    •    Please list species name in Photo Title or Caption fields.
    •    Feel free to add any fun details about the experience in the Caption field.
    •    You may add camera equipment used in the Caption field.
You can have your photo on the Homepage of the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog website!

Start submitting photos here
 

Sax-Zim Bog Winter Bird Festival

Registration for 11th Annual is now OPEN!

Friends of Sax-Zim Bog in cooperation with the Town of Meadowlands, Minnesota will be putting on the 11th annual Sax-Zim Bog Winter Bird Festival on Presiden'ts Day Weekend February 16-18, 2018.

Keynote speaker will be Laura Erickson of "For the Birds" radio fame, and author, naturalist, and speaker extraordinaire.
Field trips to Sax-Zim, Duluth, North Shore, speakers, vendor fair, good food, awesome birds, and more.

Watch the Festival Website here for registration details

 

We Need Your Stuff!

List of items we could really use...

Friends of Sax-Zim Bog seeks a few items for our Welcome Center/programming...

Note that you will receive a written value of your donation for tax purposes. All donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE!

1. Insect "cages"...butterfly "cages" (the expandable kind with mesh for raising butterflies
2. stereoscope (for viewing small critters, plant parts ...To be used in our bioblitzes and workshops
3. butterfly/aquatic scoop nets
4. tripod (high quality! or at least good quality to be used with our spotting scope)
5. binoculars (good binoculars! Not opera glasses, not your old beat up pair from 1950, Not any with elements out of whack please)
6. picnic table(s)...either new or in good shape. For OUTDOOR use. Cedar, high end plastic?
7. mini van ...Honda, Toyota, Chrysler with windows that roll down (great for birding trips!), Must be in good condition. High mileage is okay.
8. heavy duty mower  Need to mow our Gray Jay Way and Welcome Center trails. Must be heavy duty in order to go through thick grass and brush.
9. seating for fire ring ...log benches? for around our outdoor fire ring
10. cash....We can always use cash!

WITH ANY DONATION, PLEASE CHECK WITH SPARKY TO SEE IF YOUR ITEM COULD BE USED (before showing up with it)
sparky@saxzim.org or call Sparky 218.341.3350

Here is just an example of some log seating for around the fire ring that we could use at the Welcome Center...but we are open to any design! Email or call Sparky if you have ideas (218) 341.3350 or sparky@saxzim.org....***WE HAVE SOME GIANT WHITE PINE LOGS THAT COULD BE USED IN THIS PROJECT.

 

New Tiles available for Donors

Opportunity for your name on handmade tiles to be displayed in the Welcome Center

Mammals, Orchids, Wildflowers, Butterflies, etc

Leave your Legacy in the Bog! A NON-DESIGNATED donation over $1,000 will qualify (Donations specifically targeted for Acres for Owls Land Fund or any other restricted donation are not eligible) ***GIVE TO THE MAX DAY DONATIONS COUNT!

Handmade tiles by Alaska artist Nancy Hausle-Johnson are displayed in the Welcome Center. Soon, a new round of tiles will be available for donors to have their name on.
 

Any Donation over $1,000+ (non-designated)

Pitcher Plant

Wild Iris

Sundew (TAKEN 7-2017)

Baltimore Checkerspot

Tiger Swallowtail

Bog Copper

Luna Moth

Porcupine (TAKEN 7-2017)

Red Squirrel

Pine Marten

Tamaracks

and many more...

Any Donation over $3,000+ (non-designated)

Yellow Ladyslipper

Ermine

(or any species not taken...or suggest a species)

Any Donation over $5,000+ (non-designated)

Pink Ladyslipper

Moose

(or any species not taken...or suggest a species)

Any Donation over $10,000+ (non-designated)

Showy Ladyslipper

Timber Wolf

(or any species you want!)

DOWNLOAD our All-Season Birding Map!

This map shows the best roads to bird in spring, summer, fall and winter


Big thanks to Tony Hertzel for all his hard work!
Download Map Here

 

Shop via Amazon Smile and make Friends $$!

Most of us already shop on Amazon.com so why not make some money for your favorite non-profit in the process! Use this link to shop at Amazon and Friends of Sax-Zim Bog will benefit. Thank you!
SHOP AMAZON SMILE FOR FOSZB HERE
 

WELCOME CENTER OPENS SAT. DEC. 9, 2017
Directions to Welcome Center on Owl Avenue