Featured Image by Bjorn Thorpe Bergerson
Weather has been cold here in the Grantsburg area for the past few days; with many days of highs only in the 40’s, but with mornings as low as 11 degrees. Flowages have some skim ice on them most mornings, and once that ice lasts longer throughout the day, the rest of our migratory birds will likely head south. Recent rain has helped the water levels in flowages come up slightly, but levels are still low.
Fall migration is still coming to a close, with only a few species still hanging out in the area. Sandhill cranes continue to be around, but numbers are definitely past their peak. Many cranes will likely begin to depart for their winter destination in the next week or so.
Additionally, most fall hunting seasons have now opened, and the 9-day rifle deer hunting season will occur at the end of this month (see full list of current and upcoming seasons below).
The best crane viewing recently has been at Phantom Lake on Crex Meadows and at Grettum Flowage on Fish Lake. Other bird highlights this week include American Pipit, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Shrike, Pine Siskin, Rough-legged Hawk, and Short-eared Owl.
Bird sightings within the last week at Crex Meadows, Fish Lake, Amsterdam Sloughs, and surrounding area:
American Coot
American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Pipit
American Robin
American Tree Sparrow
American Woodcock
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
Black-capped Chickadee
Blue Jay
Brown Creeper
Canada Goose
Cedar Waxwing
Common Raven
Dark-eyed Junco
Downy Woodpecker
European Starling
Fox Sparrow
Gadwall
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Green-winged Teal
Hairy Woodpecker
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Northern Harrier
Northern Shrike
Pied-billed Grebe
Pileated Woodpecker
Pine Siskin
Purple Finch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-necked Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Rough-legged Hawk
Ruffed Grouse
Sandhill Crane
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Short-eared Owl
Snow Bunting
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
White-breasted Nuthatch
Wild Turkey
Mammals seen in the area within the last week:
Beaver
Black Bear
Grey Squirrel
Raccoon
Red Fox
Red Squirrel
White-tailed Deer
Current and Upcoming Hunting Seasons (for a full list of WI hunting seasons, please visit the WI DNR website):
Archery Deer Hunting: September 12-January 3
Fall Turkey: September 12- January 3
Ruffed Grouse: September 12- January 3
Regular Goose: September 16-December 16
Regular Waterfowl: September 26-November 24
Rifle Deer Hunting: November 21-29