Sony RX10 IV, ISO 6400, not cropped
A trip to Moose Bog last week produced surprisingly few bird species, but some nice looks at one male and three female Spruce Grouse. There were also a pair of Golden-crowned Kinglets moving rapidly through the trees and a nice Palm Warbler.
When I arrived at 6:50 AM, there was fog along South American Pond Road. I spent some time photographing the dead trees and spider webs in the marsh.
The Wild Raisins (Viburnum nudum) were colorful in the fog.
A bit farther south along the road, I found a spot where the sun broke through.
Back at the marsh, the sun was starting to make an appearance.
There is a new accessible path and boardwalk at Moose Bog that is quite nice. The first part of this path is seen below.
Ahead the main path turned sharply left and downhill to the bog. It was just past this spot I saw a male Spruce Grouse on the path. When I returned from the boardwalk, the grouse was nowhere to be seen.
The hill down to the bog might be a bit of a challenge for some in a wheelchair, but overall it was not terribly steep. Here is the very well-constructed platform and a view from it of the bog across a huge mass of cotton grass.
Near the top of the trail down to the platform were some Golden-crowned Kinglets. I followed them for quite a while trying to get decent photos. They sure move fast. I had a big lens, a tripod, and a fast-focusing DSLR; they would have been nearly impossible to capture with the mirrorless RX10, which is a great camera but does not focus as fast or reliably as a Nikon D500.
About halfway back to my car, I spotted some motion a bit off the path. One, then two, then three female Spruce Grouse were feeding. I got a number of shots as they moved around, crossed the path, and headed down toward the bog. At times, when I stood or crouched quietly, they walked very close to me. They seemed totally unperturbed by my presence.
I slowly hiked South American Pond Road to the marsh and back without finding any birds. In the past I have had good luck along this part of the road.
On my second trip to the platform, I got brief looks at a Palm Warbler. Here are two of the photos I was able to capture.
Moose Bog in the Wenlock WMA is a great spot. I shall certainly return.
At Moose Bog, I have photographed all four prized boreal species — Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, and Canada Jay. I normally get three per visit, but never all four in a single trip.
If you wish to see photos from a March 2018 visit, please CLICK HERE. And photos from a March 2010 visit to both Moose Bog and Victory Basin are found HERE.