Tonight I decided to check on the condition of the main dike that runs through the Boy Bay Marsh located on Battleground State Forest land. I also thought it might be a good night to check for new arrivals in the marsh. I was rewarded on both fronts. The DNR mowed the entire length of the main dike removing some very difficult brambles to negotiate. It also appears that they conducted prescribed burns on portions of the sedge meadows. These sedge meadows have had cooperative Nelson's Sparrows in previous years, and if I ever get out late enough I am sure there are Yellow Rails here as well.
Tonight American Bitterns, Sedge Wrens, and Swamp Sparrows could be heard all up and down the dike. At one point I stopped on the edge of the dike to look for a Bittern that sounded like it was just feet away. As I searched I heard the distinct plop of something right at my feet landing in the water. I had assumed it was just a frog as they were truly deafening, but to my surprise this is what I saw when I looked down.
I continued my walk down the dike and was rewarded with several Nelson's Sparrows singing their frying egg song (Listen Here) in the sedge.
Boy Bay Marsh (my name for it) can be accessed from County Highway 73 in Cass County. There is a road shown on Google Maps but this is a two track with some very large holes that only the largest 4x4 is going to make it through. You should park near the highway and walk to the opening to the marsh. From there you can walk south along the main dike (stick to the west side). It is a long walk to the best Nelson's Sparrow spots and you must be very careful while walking along the dike as there are many large holes from Beavers or Muskrats that burrow into the dike. Half way to Boy Bay is where the best sedge meadows are, but if you walk all the way to the bay you are sure to find large numbers of ducks that use Leech Lake as a stopping point in their migration.
I have included a google map here.
View Boy Bay Marsh in a larger map
Tonight American Bitterns, Sedge Wrens, and Swamp Sparrows could be heard all up and down the dike. At one point I stopped on the edge of the dike to look for a Bittern that sounded like it was just feet away. As I searched I heard the distinct plop of something right at my feet landing in the water. I had assumed it was just a frog as they were truly deafening, but to my surprise this is what I saw when I looked down.
 |
| Sora - not sure who was more surprised! |
Eventually the Sora flew off...
I continued my walk down the dike and was rewarded with several Nelson's Sparrows singing their frying egg song (Listen Here) in the sedge.
Boy Bay Marsh (my name for it) can be accessed from County Highway 73 in Cass County. There is a road shown on Google Maps but this is a two track with some very large holes that only the largest 4x4 is going to make it through. You should park near the highway and walk to the opening to the marsh. From there you can walk south along the main dike (stick to the west side). It is a long walk to the best Nelson's Sparrow spots and you must be very careful while walking along the dike as there are many large holes from Beavers or Muskrats that burrow into the dike. Half way to Boy Bay is where the best sedge meadows are, but if you walk all the way to the bay you are sure to find large numbers of ducks that use Leech Lake as a stopping point in their migration.
I have included a google map here.
View Boy Bay Marsh in a larger map
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