On Thursday, February 4, 2021 friends Werner Baumgartner and Wiebe Gortmaker and I traveled to the Sax-Zim Bog, in northern Minnesota, in search of the Great Gray Owl to photograph. The forecast was not friendly. The weather was predicted to include sub-zero temperatures, overcast skies and maybe some snow. If we had the flexibility to change our reservations we would have done so. But the schedule was set in place 5 weeks prior and trying to make changes in the last week before departure was just not possible. So we “bit the bullet” and traveled to one of the coldest places in the USA in the hope of finding the Great Gray Owl.
I have never experienced such cold. Not even in the Arctic or in Alaska or in Svalbard, Norway (a few hundred miles south of the North Pole). One morning, the temperature on the rental car thermometer was minus 32 degrees. Things just don’t work well at this heinous temperature. Automobile doors don’t open, doors don’t close, cars don’t start and hands are in pain. But, we soldiered onward. We drove the roads in the Bog and all the way to Two Harbors, MN, where the owls were rumored to be found. In the 4 days that we were there, we never did see a Great Gray Owl. They probably had far more sense than their human friends and retreated to where it was warmer and protected from the wind. The temperature never got above zero degrees and I discovered another side-effect of very cold temperatures – hands, fingers and skin shrink.
The shrinking effect must have contributed to the fact that one evening I looked at my hand and was shocked to discover no wedding ring. Oh no, the ring must have slipped off of my finger during the numerous times that I removed my gloves. I immediately searched all of my gloves (I had three different pairs, including heated glove liners), but no luck. I searched the rental car several time, but no luck there either. No ring in my luggage or camera bag. We traveled many times to the Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center to photograph birds at the feeders and for restroom breaks. So I searched the outhouse next. What fun looking into every crack and crevice in the outhouse building for my wedding ring. I even lifted the lid. Not sure what I would have done if I had seen it in the pothole. I did not find it.
We cut the trip short because of the lack of owls. We went home somewhat dejected, I more than the others (lost ring and a previous visit 2 years ago resulted in no Great Gray Owl photographs, either). I did photograph a few birds at the Welcome Center feeders. Really glad the feeders were kept operational. See images below:
When back at home in Silverthorne, Colorado, I was discussing our disastrous trip with photography friend Bob Karcz. I blame him. He is responsible for getting me so excited to photograph the Great Grays at the bog. His trip one month earlier resulted in 7 sightings and hundreds of phenomenal photographs of the Great Gray Owl including flight shots with a vole.
Bob said, “contact Sparky about your ring”. I did not know Sparky Stenaas. But Bob knew him. Bob somehow gets to know every person within a 1 mile radius of where he is photographing. Must be that mid-western thing (he is from Wisconsin).
So, I sent an email to Sparky (Director of the Friends of the Sax-Zim Bog organization).
The next day I got a phone call from Sparky:
WE FOUND YOUR RING!
Wow, can you imagine? Heather-Marie Bloom, a Welcome Center host and Naturalist was near the out-house when she spotted something shiny in the snow. My Ring! Amazing, what are the chances?
The ring was packaged and shipped FedEx to my home shortly thereafter. It arrived a few days later, safe and sound. See photo of ring. It needs a little repair work, but that was the case before I lost it. I designed the ring 17 years ago and had it fabricated by Summit Gold Jewelers in Frisco, Colorado. It is a 3 panel rendition of the northern end of the Ten-Mile range (in Summit County, Colorado) with the famous Peak One in the center panel in semi-precious gems inlaid in gold. It would have been impossible to reproduce this ring.

I am indebted to the Friends of the Sax-Zim Bog, Sparky Stenaas, Heather-Marie Bloom and to my friend Bob Karcz.
Thank you,
Rich
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