Featured Photo by Giovanna Rodrigues
Weather has been hot and stormy in the Grantsburg area. We have had some cooler weather this past week, with a couple of days even dipping into the 60’s. But that didn’t last long, as more hot weather is on the way this week and next week. We have had lots of random days of rain and some storms, none that became too severe in our area. Some of our flowages are still a bit high after these rain events, and some of our minimum maintenance roads are muddy. Most of the main roads through Crex and Fish Lake have been holding up well to the moisture, but be cautious while you drive, as sink holes can develop even days after rain events.
We are still amid brood rearing season, which is always a fun time of the year for a visit! Baby birds are growing fast, and there are some that may not even look like babies anymore. Loons, cranes, swans, and ducks with young have been plentiful on and around our flowages lately, with Phantom Lake Road being a good place to see them all!
It is not only the bird babies you will want to watch out for, as we have many fawns wandering around, and several bear cub sightings as well. 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.
Bird sightings within the last week on Crex Meadows, Fish Lake, Amsterdam Sloughs, and surrounding area:
| American Crow | Eastern Kingbird | Red-eyed Vireo |
| American Goldfinch | Eastern Phoebe | Red-tailed Hawk |
| American Kestrel | Eastern Towhee | Red-winged Blackbird |
| American Redstart | Eastern Wood-pewee | Ring-necked Duck |
| American Robin | Field Sparrow | Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
| American White Pelican | Grasshopper Sparrow | Ruffed Grouse |
| Bald Eagle | Gray Catbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
| Barred Owl | Great Blue Heron | Sandhill Crane |
| Black Tern | Green Heron | Scarlet Tanager |
| Black-capped Chickadee | Hairy Woodpecker | Sedge Wren |
| Blue Jay | Hermit Thrush | Solitary Sandpiper |
| Broad-winged Hawk | Indigo Bunting | Song Sparrow |
| Canada Goose | Mallard | Swamp Sparrow |
| Cedar Waxwing | Marsh Wren | Tree Swallow |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | Mourning Dove | Trumpeter Swan |
| Chipping Sparrow | Northern Flicker | Veery |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | Northern Harrier | Vesper Sparrow |
| Common Grackle | Osprey | White-breasted Nuthatch |
| Common Loon | Pied-billed Grebe | Wild Turkey |
| Common Raven | Pileated Woodpecker | Wood Duck |
| Common Yellowthroat | Pine Warbler | Yellow-headed Blackbird |
| Downy Woodpecker | Purple Finch | Yellow-throated Vireo |
| Eastern Bluebird | Red-bellied Woodpecker |
Mammals seen in the area within the last week:
| Beaver | Grey Squirrel | Red Squirrel |
| Black Bear | Muskrat | White-tailed deer |
| Cottontail Rabbit | Raccoon | 13-lined Ground Squirrel |