Weather is finally beginning to be more consistent in the Grantsburg area. We have had most of our days in the 70’s, and some nearing 80 degrees. There have been a few days of rain here and there, but not many. We have also had some air quality issues over the past few days due to the fires in Manitoba; these issues are expected to continue throughout the week.
Migration is winding down a this point, with just a few different migrant warblers still being sighted, and a few interesting shorebirds. But there is still plenty of bird watching to do at Crex Meadows! We have now entered baby animals season, with many goose and duck broods around, and our first Trumpeter Swan cygnets hatching. We will be expecting to see Sandhill Crane colts hatching soon, too.
It is not only the bird babies you will want to watch out for, as our first fawns are dropping, and we have had a couple reports of Black Bear cubs that are becoming more active as well. More and more young will be popping up by the day!
Because it is baby animals season, the Wisconsin DNR wants to remind you to help keep wildlife wild whenever possible. It is important to observe wildlife at a distance, and to remember that a baby animal’s best chance for survival is with its parents. If you think an animal many be orphaned, please refer to the DNR website for more information on what to do next.
Recent highlights include Bay-breasted Warbler, Black Tern, Blackburnian Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Bobolink, Cape May Warbler, Dunlin, Hudsonian Godwit, Least Bittern, Pectoral Sandpiper, Ruddy Duck, Scarlet Tanager, Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Tennessee Warbler, Upland Sandpiper, and Wilson’s Warbler.
It is also the time of the year where wildflowers are in full bloom! Outside of the Crex Meadows Wildlife Education & Visitor Center we have an educational prairie. Currently in bloom we have: Wild Lupine, Prairie Blue-eyed Grass, Large-flowered Beardtongue, Downy Phlox, Wild Columbine, Hoary Puccoon, Common Cinquefoil, Yarrow, and Spiderwort is just starting! Elsewhere on the properties you may find Bird’s-foot Violet, Harebell, Blue Toadflax, Indian Paintbrush, Wild Geranium, Bunchberry, Early Blueberry, White Water Lily, Common Strawberry, and more!
Mammals seen in the area within the last week:
| Beaver | Muskrat | |
| Cottontail Rabbit | Porcupine | Striped Skunk |
| Grey Squirrel | Raccoon | White-tailed Deer |
| Grey Wolf | Red Squirrel | 13-lined Ground Squirrel |
Bird sightings within the last week on Crex Meadows, Fish Lake, Amsterdam Sloughs, and surrounding area:
| Alder Flycatcher | Dunlin | |
| American Bittern | Eastern Bluebird | Red-bellied Woodpecker |
| American Coot | Eastern Kingbird | Red-breasted Nuthatch |
| American Crow | Eastern Meadowlark | Red-eyed Vireo |
| America Golden-Plover | Eastern Phoebe | Red-headed Woodpecker |
| American Goldfinch | Eastern Towhee | Red-necked Grebe |
| American Kestrel | Eastern Whip-poor-will | Red-tailed Hawk |
| American Redstart | Eastern Wood-Pewee | Red-winged Blackbird |
| American Robin | European Starling | Ring-billed Gull |
| American Woodcock | Field Sparrow | Ring-necked Duck |
| Bald Eagle | Golden-winged Warbler | Ring-necked Pheasant |
| Baltimore Oriole | Grasshopper Sparrow | Rock Pigeon |
| Barn Swallow | Gray Catbird | Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
| Barred Owl | Great Blue Heron | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
| Bay-breasted Warbler | Great Crested Flycatcher | Ruddy Duck |
| Belted Kingfisher | Greater Yellowlegs | Ruffed Grouse |
| Black Tern | Green Heron | Sandhill Crane |
| Black-and-white Warbler | Green-winged Teal | Savannah Sparrow |
| Black-billed Cuckoo | Hairy Woodpecker | Scarlet Tanager |
| Blackburnian Warbler | Hooded Merganser | Sedge Wren |
| Black-capped Chickadee | House Finch | Semipalmated Plover |
| Blue Jay | House Sparrow | Semipalmated Sandpiper |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Hudsonian Godwit | Song Sparrow |
| Blue-winged Teal | Indigo Bunting | Sora |
| Blue-winged Warbler | Killdeer | Spotted Sandpiper |
| Bobolink | Lark Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow |
| Brewer’s Blackbird | Least Bittern | Tennessee Warbler |
| Broad-winged Hawk | Least Flycatcher | Tree Swallow |
| Brown Thrasher | Least Sandpiper | Trumpeter Swan |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Mallard | Turkey Vulture |
| Canada Goose | Marsh Wren | Upland Sandpiper |
| Canada Warbler | Mourning Dove | Veery |
| Cape May Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Vesper Sparrow |
| Cedar Waxwing | Northern Cardinal | Virginia Rail |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | Northern Flicker | Warbling Vireo |
| Chimney Swift | Northern Harrier | White-breasted Nuthatch |
| Chipping Sparrow | Northern House Wren | Wild Turkey |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | Northern Parula | Willow Flycatcher |
| Common Goldeneye | Northern Shoveler | Wilson’s Snipe |
| Common Grackle | Northern Waterthrush | Wilson’s Warbler |
| Common Loon | Osprey | Wood Duck |
| Common Merganser | Ovenbird | Wood Thrush |
| Common Nighthawk | Pectoral Sandpiper | Yellow Warbler |
| Common Raven | Pied-billed Grebe | Yellow-bellied Flycatcher |
| Common Yellowthroat | Pileated Woodpecker | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker |
| Cooper’s Hawk | Pine Warbler | Yellow-headed Blackbird |
| Double Crested Cormorant | Purple Finch | Yellow-rumped Warbler |
| Downy Woodpecker | Purple Martin | Yellow-throated Vireo |