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Gray Wolf

Canis lupus

A wonderful surprise while birding! I have been to Sax-Zim Bog in northern Minnesota on a handful of occasions.  In winter, the area can attract some wonderful boreal species that are otherwise difficult to find in the lower 48 states. In early March of 2013, I headed up to look for Northern Hawk Owls and Great Gray Owls that had been seen in the area.  It's about a 6 hour drive, but to maximize my (increasingly rare) time in the field for photography, I left at 2:00 AM, arriving in the bog a little after sunrise. As I came into the southern side of the bog, I saw a shape moving through the forest on my left.  I pulled over to watch, as it was clear it was heading my way.  As I rolled down the window, a lone Gray Wolf stepped out of the forest, and paused before crossing the road.  He gave me  a look, granting me a few precious seconds to snap some photos, before he trotted across the road and disappeared into the forest on the other side.  A spine-tingling moment seeing a wild Gray Wolf at close range, and a photograph that is now one of my all-time favorites.