[mou] Boundary Waters Birding - Lake Polly (long)

[Alt, Mark]

I spent the last half of last week in the Boundary Waters, pelted with =
rain and pinned down by ferocious thunder storms, and yet great birds =
were everywhere. My 17 year old nephew, Nick Barron, and I headed in at =
Kawishiwi Lake.  We made good time, covered 10 miles or so to Lake Polly =
by 2 PM. Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, Veery, Cedar Waxwings, Ravens, Bald =
Eagles, Loons, and Red-breasted Mergansers (this is off the Sawbill =
trail) kept us company as we paddled the big lakes and short portages. =
There are long grassy meandering streams that connect Kawishiwi to =
Square and Kawasachong Lakes. We had Lincoln's, LeConte's, and Song =
Sparrows, with Least and Yellow Bellied Flycatchers and an occasional =
Olive-sided Flycatcher. The Olive Sided Flycatcher didn't have his =
phrasing down, no "Whip 3 beers", it was more of a Whip 3, 4, or 5 =
beers" This was only one individual and I observed it calling 6 times =
with this anomaly. Since according to Dr. Kroodsma, tyrant flycatchers =
do not have an affinity for learned song, I wonder where this anomaly =
comes from?=20
=20
Pickerel and Leopard frogs were commonly heard, yet only one green frog =
heard. No tree frogs heard at all.

The 180 rod portage north into Townline Lake was the heart of song on =
this trip. Canada Warblers, Mourning Warblers, Chestnut-sided Warblers =
and Common Yellow Throats greeted us right away. White Throated =
Sparrows, Nick's favorite bird, called to us the entire route. Yellow =
bellied Sapsuckers mewed from tall mature poplar stands (Boreal Owl =
Heaven?) and Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers were heard many times in the =
distance. This is an area that appears to have been part of the blow =
down of 1999, with foliage in the undergrowth very dense and lush.=20
I have seen Spruce Grouse and Three-toed Woodpeckers here in past years, =
so I was on the lookout. I soon heard and saw Tennessee Warbler, more =
Chestnut -sided Warblers, Yellow Warbler, and Ovenbird. The I heard it, =
sounding like a Chestnut sided Warbler, but lower, softer, I pished for =
a couple of minutes, Nick was getting bitten up and impatient, then it =
popped out of the underbrush 20 feet away, a Male Wilson's Warbler. I =
was tempted to search for a nest, they are ground nesters, but proceeded =
with the portage at the behest of my insect riddled partner. As we =
dropped our packs into small  boggy Townline Lake, I heard another =
Wilson's Warbler singing along the trail. I did not see this bird, =
however, it was too dense.  A Gray Jay was being harassed by a Merlin =
along the edge of this pretty little bog lake. Boreal Chickadees were =
paying attention to the fracas by being very vocal and retreating to the =
other side of the lake, only about 300 yards. The other side of the lake =
put us on the 90 rod portage into Lake Polly, where we had a fly over of =
a beautiful Black-backed Woodpecker, A Black Throated Blue Warbler sang =
from the underbrush near the center of the portage, where it flattens =
out before descending to Lake Polly. I recently made note of the French =
word for Wilson's Warbler, far superior to our name,=20
Paruline =E0 calotte noire
Now that is what I am talking about! I wish Linnaeus had been French.
Lake Polly has a Merlin Nest on it, and we were treated to the sight of =
the fighter pilot sorties of the Merlin against Ravens, Bald Eagles, =
Turkey Vultures, and Herring Gulls. None had a prayer to withstand the =
attacks. Golden Crowned Kinglets called from the pines, and Loons echoed =
their calls everywhere. No dippers were seen, but God's Grace was all =
around us.  If you do not mind the walk, the work, and the tiredness it =
brings, and you want to go to where all you hear is nature at its =
finest, Lake Polly is a fine destination. I have to pack in a mic next =
time, it is dead quiet when the wind dies down. Good Birding.



Mark Alt=20
Sr. Project Manager=20
Entertainment Software Supply Chain=20
Project Resources Group (PRG)=20
Best Buy Co., Inc.=20
Mark.Alt@BestBuy.com=20
(W) 612-291-6717=20
(Cell) 612-803-9085