Kayaking Field Trip Report

Submitted by Lisa Clark, Member

Our kayaking field trip in Mica Bay on June 22 was a beautiful way to experience Lake Coeur d’Alene in the early summer. The weather was warm, with a bit of cloud cover in the sky, and the water was calm. Nine rowers met at Beth Paragamian’s home where she provided us with a basic safety lesson; we learned about hand signals using the kayak paddle, including directional and emergency signals. We loaded the kayaks and life vests (provided by Beth) for the short drive to the Mica Bay boat launch. We spent some initial time paddling in Mica Bay, where we were able to observe raptors cruising along the mountain ridge to our south.  The entrance to Mica Creek proved to be a bit elusive, as these wetlands are reorganized by Mother Nature over time. Once we located it, we paddled into Mica Creek, rowing in about one to two miles; this gave us an opportunity to see areas that are unaccessible by foot. There were a variety of bird houses erected along the creek and an excellent assortment of snags that appeared to be labeled so they would not be removed. We noted several beaver lodges, as well. Bird sightings included bald eagles, osprey and a scatter of spotted sandpiper chicks running along the bank.

After paddling, we drove over to the Mica Bay platform where we planned to eat our bag lunches, but the thick cover of mosquitoes along the trail to and on the platform quickly changed our minds. We pivoted to Beth’s wild and scenic backyard where we enjoyed our lunches and Beth and her husband shared some wonderful wildlife stories highlighting the glories of living in North Idaho.

The Coeur d’Alene Audubon would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the Paragamians for their generosity in hosting this fun and special event for our members and community.