http://www.kewatch.blogspot.com/ Autumn 2012
A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air. Eric Sloane
Harvest Moon Gathering
People will be gathering at the widest part of Kukagami Lake (about a kilometer north of Lion's Head*) on the evening of Saturday, September 29th, weather permitting. Everyone is welcome!
Be there at 6:30 to watch the sun set in the west just as the full moon rises in the east. Boats will raft up as they arrive, and will drift along in the early autumn breeze. If you don't see anyone when you get there, look downwind!
Mushroom Walk October 6, 2 pm.
The third annual mushroom walk will be on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, rain or shine. This is an hour long walk through the forest. You will learn what to look for and what to avoid. You must pre-register for this event. Send a note with your phone number to kewatch@gmail.com to get the information regarding meeting time and place.
Road Clean-up October 12-21
Thanks to the many neighbours who take the time to pick up litter from our roadsides every spring and fall. For most people this is not just a twice a year event. The busy parts of the road are tended to frequently.
There's always room for more volunteers! Contact KEW if you would like to have a section of road to call your own.
Logging Update
You have probably noticed that the old rail bed heading east had a lot more traffic the last little while. Logging occurred in a couple of places to the east of Kukagami Road and is now complete. There will be more logging trucks on the road again from October to December, as Goulard cuts red pine to the west of Wolf Lake. Operations there begin this week.
Last year, much of the western side of McLaren creek was logged. If you haven't driven up the Matagamasi fork in the past year, you might be interested to take a side trip on your way home. Most of the forest was jack pine, which is always clearcut. There is a narrow band of uncut forest along the road. The waterway is protected from erosion, so the reserve along the creek is much wider. If you paddle the creek, you probably won't even be able to tell that logging occurred.
The slash from the McLaren cut is being piled, but it will not be burned as these things usually are. Burning of slash piles creates a lot of smoke, and the company does not want to irritate the folks who live nearby.
The logging company is hoping to see a lot of natural regeneration in the area over the next 2 years. If all goes well, they will only need to do a little 'fill-in' planting after that.
Birch Tree Problems?
The Pella's wanted to share this information from MNR – they observed "birch skeletonizer" while at the camp in late August. Apparently many areas across northern Ontario are experiencing unusual colouration of the birch trees over large areas of forest. This event is being caused by a combination of a native insect, birch skeletonizer, and a native disease, septoria leaf spot.
While the trees appear unsightly, the event is not likely to affect the overall health of the trees because it is occurring late in the growing season.
A draft fact sheet that provides information on the event and the insect and fungus is posted on the KEW website. (Scroll down below this newsletter.)
White Clouds of Algae
Lots of people have noticed a 'new' cloud-like algae in the lake over the past few years, and especially this summer. KEW is working to find out more about this invasion, and will report what we find in future newsletters.
So far we have learned that it is naturally occurring, especially in warm shallow water. There was lots of it this year because the summer was so warm. As the water cools, it is disappearing. It is not dangerous, and is not connected to the very toxic blue-green algae we have heard about.
Where on the Lake is that?
This new item in the newsletter will begin a series of places and place names. Folks who have been around since the 50's and longer seem to have a language of their own when describing places around the lake. Do you know where to find Sturgeon Point? The jumping rock? The Outlet…or is that Carafel Creek? Do you have place names that you would like to share with Kukagami neighbours? Send the name, and send along a story if there is one. KEW will be producing a map early next year with all the information we gather. One or two places will be featured in each newsletter.
* Lion's Head is a big rock at the narrowest passage of the lake as you head north out of Klondike Bay. Over the years some campers have thought if looks like a dragon's head, or a wolf's head. But most people on the lake have known it as Lion's Head for the past 60 years.
Zombies Spotted around Kukagami!!
In June of 2011, the film "A Little Bit Zombie" was filmed at our lake! The crew stayed at Sportsman's Lodge and the filming took place over a few weeks at a camp on Klondike Bay as well as the forest nearby. Bodies were seen flying off cliffs near one of the northern portages!! Local zombies were recruited for extras (but have not received any more casting calls??!!)
Check out the website for more gory details www.alittlebitzombie.com
KEW celebrates 7th year with New online photo album!
Go to the KEW photo webpage whenever you feel a need to breathe in the fresh air and peace of life at the lake. Submit your own photos and we'll post them! kewatch@gmail.com.
Website and Newsletter
The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested person. The Website is updated randomly through the year – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.
If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.
