I had a spectacular day birding the Sax-Zim Bog with my amazing Dad on his first WINTER trip to Minnesota. As we left our hotel before dawn with a temperature hovering around zero, my dad wondered if he should've gone to Cancun for the holiday weekend instead. Twenty minutes later--I think he realized he had made the right choice. No tan or tamales here, but it was definitely a Minnesota smorgasbord.

BREAKFAST
I'll have one, no make that two Great Gray Owls served sunrise up. The Great Grays were lifers for my Dad. They were seen north and east of the intersection of Co Hwy 5 and Zim Rd.

MID-MORNING SNACK
Boreal Chickadee energy bar served on the side of the road on McDavitt. The second lifer for my Dad (his first was a half-lifer in Maine).

LUNCH
Served at the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog feeder: A colorful concoction of Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, garnished with redpoll and chickadee with a splash of Blue Jay finished off with a sprig of Brown Creeper. (And oh yeah, the Trailside Lounge and Grill serves a mean cheeseburger with personal owl stories from the waitress).

DESSERT
A scoop of vanilla Hoary Redpoll (with a cherry on top) at the Meadowlands Creamery (bird feeder at intersection of Hwy 133 and Central Avenue). Dad's third lifer of the day!

MID-AFTERNOON SNACK
Grit-fed Snow Buntings and a side of Canadian Beaver. (Buntings seen on Co Rd 7 and Mr Beaver on Stone Lake Rd.)

My Dad and I are stuffed and sleepy. We feasted on some great birds today but best of all was spending the day with my Dad, sharing with him a passion that he instilled in me as a young boy many, many meals ago.

Looking up,
Alex Cruz
Ramsey and Hennepin Counties, MN

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