I just returned from the BWCA this afternoon and had some good sightings,
including a few unusual ones.
On Tuesday, there were 3 Spruce Grouse on the portage between Townline and
Polly Lakes. As I walked up the portage, the birds were reluctant to move,
basically causing me to eventually "herd" them up the trail. For about a
minute, I was so close to 2 of the grouse that I likely could have grabbed them
and stuffed them into my pack. I saw another tame Spruce Grouse on this
portage on the way back through today.
Today, I had a Boreal Chickadee on the portage between Townline and Kawasachong
Lake and 2 more on the Kawishiwi River between Kawasachong and Square Lake.
Some exposed mud on that same stretch of river had a Lapland Longspur picking
around, also extremely tame, allowing for nice photos with a regular,
run-of-the-mill digital camera. I also saw a Lapland Longspur at the Kawishiwi
Lake public access. Fantastic close looks at a Pine Martin hanging out at the
Kawishiwi access as well.
There were 2 Horned Larks at the Silver Island Lake campground.
Most surprisingly, I saw 2 American Golden Plovers (also really tame) sitting
right on CR 3, near the clearcut past Coffee Creek. Maybe this sighting isn't
as unusual as I think, but I was really shocked to see them there. 100%
certain of the id, however.
Gray Jays were everywhere.
In case anyone is wondering, I highly recommend the trip from Kawishiwi to
Malberg Lake...I wish I would have had time to go in farther. This is a
beautiful area if you want to see nobody and lots of gold and green
spruce/tamarack bogs. Shawn Conradhttp://users.2z.net/itasca_chippewa_birding/
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