Sparky Stensaas is a naturalist, wildlife photographer, publisher, and writer living in the North Woods of Minnesota. He is the author of six books on the natural history of the North Woods including Canoe Country Wildlife, Canoe Country Flora, Wildflowers of the BWCA and North Shore, and Winter Finches of North America. Sparky has been a birder since the age of 14 and has been birding the North Woods since 1981. Wildlife photography is Sparky's passion, and he spends many happy hours shooting photos and video of our northern critters. He founded the non-profit Friends of Sax-Zim Bog. Folks come from across the country and around the globe to see and photograph many boreal birds which are rarely seen elsewhere. Sparky, his wife, Bridget, and two sons, Birk and Bjorn, make their home under the big pines in the Nemadji Valley of Carlton County, Minnesota.