About
The purpose of the SZB Sightings Telegram is to help both photographers and birders have a great encounter with the species that they are after, all while being respectful of the land and its residents.
I personally have mixed feelings about the existence of this group. I do not not believe that a group chat like this is great for the wildlife or local residents of the bog but I also believe that there is so much desire for a sightings group that taking it away now could do more harm than good.
Sax-Zim Bog is not a national park. It is beautiful boreal forest habitat that some of the most sought after wildlife species in Minnesota can be found in during the winter. It is also where many people have built their homes before the bog became such a popular wildlife destination. Please be respectful of all human and non-human residents, and be kind.
This group chat is not affiliated with Friends of Sax-Zim Bog or any other organizations. I'm just a guy.
Rules
1. Be respectful of the land around you. Be respectful of the humans, birds, and animals that call this land home.
2. Please only use the group chat to post wildlife sightings within the Sax Zim Bog. A follow-up question or request for clarification about a sighting is fine. A PSA such as a road being in terrible condition is fine too.
3. Please realize that there are 1700 people in this group. When you send a message, it could alert hundreds of people on their phones. Nobody wants a noticication of you asking what the weather will be next week.
4. If you see bad behavior, such as blocking a road by having cars parked on both sides, kindly ask the offending car to move. Most people respond well. If there's an ongoing safety concern, posting it in the group chat is reasonable to me.
5. Don't be offended if I delete your message. I want the chat to stay on topic and be useful to people looking to find wildlife. I'm just trying to keep it tidy. If you do something ridiculous, I will remove you.