The Bog isn’t a place just for the birds. Mammals also lure droves of people.
This year, the star of the show is an Ermine, which is a Short-tailed Weasel in its white winter coat. It is commonly found near the Welcome Center this winter. While the Ermine appears to be very cute, it is a fierce predator. It’s coat changes color; white in the winter, and brown on top with white-yellow on its undersides during the summer.
Another mammal that draws a crowd is the Pine Marten. It frequents the bird feeders along Admiral Road, enjoying the peanut butter that visitors put out for the wildlife. This year, its appearances are less frequent and it tends to stay further back in the forest. In 2019, it could be seen most every day, right at the edge of the timber, visiting the feeders.
Red Squirrels are quite common in the Bog. If you see a bird feeder, you are likely to see a Red Squirrel. It is the smallest squirrel found in Minnesota. Red Squirrels, also called pine squirrels, take on an orangish-red color in the winter.
Thanks for taking us to the bog, Stan. It was a lovely visit!
Carol, thank you for joining me for a virtual journey to Sax-Zim Bog. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
Thanks for sharing Stan! As always, great photos.
You are welcome Diane.
Love the photos Stan, especially the squirrel. It is nice that it posed for you.
The Squirrel was digging for seed in the fluffy snow and had a nice coating on it.