Lake Sludge and Aggressive Little Birds
Elusive in more ways than one, Lost Lake is a 43-square-acre lake hidden in a landscape of thick
forest, only reachable by sketchy dirt and gravel roads (“Lost Lake, Michigan”). While physically “lost”
in the woods, this lake seems to be “lost” to the internet too, because as much as I scavenged I could only
find one site that talks about the lake itself! However, its secrecy made it a lovely place for canoeing, as
we had the entire lake to ourselves to enjoy for its flora and fauna.
Our canoeing expedition took place on the afternoon of May 26th, 2023 and the journey to the lake itself went quite smoothly, except for the van being jostled and whacked by sticks on those chaotic dirt roads. I had the pleasure of being Jordan’s canoe partner, and after a short prologue from Dr. Hoekman, we were free to explore. We saw two beaver lodges, but no beavers, and a foraging loon. There were many insects as well, mayflies, stoneflies, and many tiger swallowtail butterflies fluttering about. The water itself was also abounding in life. The lake is no deeper than a few feet around the shorelines, getting to about 25 feet at the center (“Lost Lake, Michigan”). Its lack of turbidity allowed us to see algae, leafy lake plants, and lily pads popping up through the water. Sam was even able to jump out of his canoe and fetch some massive clams from the silt. There was also an abundance of a mysterious translucent green goop, which gathered in little balls at the bottom of the lake. Jordan and I would try to stir them to the surface with an oar then grab them with our hands, collecting them into vials. However, I still have not been able to find anything about what it could be. My guess is that it is some sort of algae, as the green tinge could suggest it is alive and photosynthesizing.
Photo Credit: https://nestwatch.org/connect/participant-photo/eastern-kingbird-leaser-lake/
A photograph of an Eastern Kingbird in its nest, which looks similar to the nest at Lost Lake.
One of my favorite moments of this trip was when I saw not only Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus), but also found their nest on a dead log over the water. Kingbirds are drawn to water, often found nesting in riparian areas (Murphy). They can be easily identified by their cap of dark feathers, dark wings, and bright white chests and tail tips (Murphy). We did not get very close to the nest, however, because Kingbirds are known to form socially monogamous pairs, which aggressively defend their nesting sites, certainly living up to their scientific namesake, the tyrants (Murphy). I felt especially lucky because this little bird had traveled a long way to nest right before my eyes. Kingbirds are migratory and travel all the way north from South America to breed (Murphy).
Photo Credit: Paige Terpstra
The Insect Ecology class watches the truck with the canoes getting unstuck from the sand in front of us.
Spirits were high as we climbed back onto the shore, and I was warm from adventure and good company. We piled into the van and began the treacherous feat back down the dirt roads, laughing as they jolted us around. At one point we thought that the truck with the canoes was a goner because it got stuck in a rut, however, it was able to make it after a lengthy process of backing up and then driving through the groove once again. All in all, we made it back in one piece and gained some pretty good stories. Enjoying nature on your own is a wonderful thing, but it does not come close to celebrating nature with new friends who are just as in awe of creation as you are!
References
“Lost Lake, Michigan: Go Fishing, Boating or Take a Vacation.” Lake, www.lake-link.com/michigan-lakes/crawford/lost-lake/22213/. Accessed 29 May 2023.
Murphy, Michael T., and Peter Pyle. “Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus Tyrannus), Version 1.0.” Birds of the
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