Exploring the Undiscovered Country - Meadowlands, Minneapolis - Part 1
Did you know that there are 19 different types of owls in North America? And I have seen eleven of them. Of those 11, six were on a trip to the adventurous winter land Sax - Zim Bog, the “Undiscovered Country” in Meadowlands, Minneapolis.
The Sax - Zim Bog is a 1,920,000 acres frozen bog, full of birds and animals. A bog is a type of wetland ecosystem characterized by wet, spongy, poorly drained peat-rich soil. Every year, around winter time, hundreds of owls from the Boreal Forest in Canada migrate to the bog. Some examples of these owls are the Great Gray Owl, the Northern Hawk-Owl, and the Boreal Owl. Birders and photographers from all over the world come to the bog to witness this incredible moment. This year has been even more special, as it was the irruption year. Irruption year is the phenomenon when a large number of birds move to a particular area in search of food. This could also mean that there has been an increase in the bird population though not always the case.
When we arrived, the temperature was negative twenty degrees fahrenheit (-20F). I was so cold that I could barely walk or feel my own fingers. I had just arrived from sunny California and had never experienced something like this. The next day, we decided to try and find the Long-Eared Owl. We were very unprepared. We ended up getting lost in the bitter, freezing cold and after an hour, We finally got back to the car. More on that in another post. We immediately stopped by REI and upgraded our gear for the sub zero temperatures. Once we had those sub zero insulated boots and warmers, we felt much more happier to brave the weather. It is all about learning and getting used to the weather.
When we reached the bog, we stayed at a place called “Alesches Accommodations”. I was amazed at how much everybody was into nature and birds. I got an opportunity to talk to many people and listen to their stories around birding. For some it was their 5th trip to the bog. Early morning the next day we saw our very first owl.
It was a huge Great Gray Owl. The Great Gray Owls are two and a half feet tall. I was astonished at how majestic and intelligent it looked. It would constantly turn its head, scanning the surroundings for its prey. It had circular disks around its eyes and a sharp, yellow beak with radiant yellow eyes. It was perched on a tree, its head rotating freely from its body. At that moment, as I gazed at the bird in its natural habitat, I felt a sense of gratitude and forgot about the biting cold. I simply stood there in awe at the beauty of the wilderness and a memory I was building with my family.
After this amazing sight, our day took another thrilling turn. As I was talking to the fellow birders, we learnt about a Northern Hawk-Owl spotted a couple of hours away. Intrigued by the possibility of another extraordinary encounter, we quickly made up our minds to embark on this new adventure. We decided to try and find it. When we got there after 3 hours of driving, we were doubtful of seeing it as it was spotted hours ago. But then I saw a small bird sitting on a thin branch of a dead tree. With eager anticipation, we trained our binoculars on the spot and, to our delight, realized it was indeed the Northern-Hawk-Owl! We stayed there for an hour and it didn’t move. It was as if it was saying, “Thank you. I will let you get my pictures.”.
Later that evening, on our drive back to the bog we decided to scan the bog once more hoping to spot more birds or wildlife during sunset, the day held one more surprise for us. We noticed a gathering of people by the roadside and decided to investigate. To our astonishment and sheer luck, we found they were observing a Boreal Owl!
3 varieties of Owl in one day. What a rare occurrence and filled us with so much joy. The tiredness and cold was secondary to the fun we had spotting them. My brother and I kept talking about it all evening and even the next morning. The thrill of spotting such rare and magnificent creatures is truly incomparable. Those moments in nature, where everything aligns perfectly, often leave the most amazing and lasting memories.
