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 many rainy days here within the last week, and there is a lot more of that to come. Our air quality issues have continued a bit but are not as bad as they were last week. This has been a combination of the smoke moving into our area from the Canadian wildfires, but also a huge amount of pine pollen.
Migration is pretty much over at this point, and nesting and brood rearing season is well underway already. This means that there is still plenty of bird watching to do at Crex Meadows!
There are Common Loon chicks out and about, more Trumpeter Swan Cygnets hatching by the day, and goose and duck broods are growing quickly.
It is not only the bird babies you will want to watch out for, as our fawns are continuing to drop, 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 Alder Flycatcher, American White Pelican (Grettum Flowage), Black Tern (Phantom Flowage), Bobolink (Dike 1 and Dike 5), Eurasian Collared-Dove, Lark Sparrow, Least Bittern, Redhead (Grettum Flowage), Red-necked Grebe (Phantom Flowage), and Snow Goose (Phantom Flowage).
Bird sightings within the last week on Crex Meadows, Fish Lake, Amsterdam Sloughs, and surrounding area:
| Alder Flycatcher | Eastern Bluebird | Red-breasted Nuthatch |
| American Bittern | Eastern Kingbird | Red-eyed Vireo |
| American Coot | Eastern Phoebe | Redhead |
| American Crow | Eastern Towhee | Red-headed Woodpecker |
| American Goldfinch | Eastern Whip-poor-will | Red-necked Grebe |
| American Kestrel | Eastern Wood-pewee | Red-tailed Hawk |
| American Redstart | Eurasian Collared-dove | Red-winged Blackbird |
| American Robin | European Starling | Ring-necked Duck |
| American White Pelican | Field Sparrow | Ring-necked Pheasant |
| Bald Eagle | Gadwall | Rock Pigeon |
| Baltimore Oriole | Golden-winged Warbler | Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
| Bank Swallow | Gray Catbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
| Barn Swallow | Great Blue Heron | Ruffed Grouse |
| Barred Owl | Great Crested Flycatcher | Sandhill Crane |
| Belted Kingfisher | Green Heron | Savannah Sparrow |
| Black Tern | Hairy Woodpecker | Scarlet Tanager |
| Black-and-white Warbler | Hooded Merganser | Sedge Wren |
| Blackburnian Warbler | Indigo Bunting | Snow Goose |
| Black-capped Chickadee | Killdeer | Song Sparrow |
| Blue Jay | Lark Sparrow | Sora |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Least Bittern | Swamp Sparrow |
| Blue-winged Teal | Least Flycatcher | Tree Swallow |
| Blue-winged Warbler | Lesser Scaup | Trumpeter Swan |
| Bobolink | Mallard | Turkey Vulture |
| Brown Thrasher | Marsh Wren | Veery |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Mourning Dove | Virginia Rail |
| Canada Goose | Northern Flicker | Warbling Vireo |
| Cedar Waxwing | Northern Harrier | White-breasted Nuthatch |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | Northern House Wren | Wild Turkey |
| Chimney Swift | Northern Parula | Willow Flycatcher |
| Chipping Sparrow | Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Wilson’s Snipe |
| Common Grackle | Northern Waterthrush | Wood Duck |
| Common Loon | Osprey | Wood Thrush |
| Common Merganser | Ovenbird | Yellow Warbler |
| Common Nighthawk | Pied-billed Grebe | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker |
| Common Raven | Pileated Woodpecker | Yellow-headed Blackbird |
| Common Yellowthroat | Pine Warbler | Yellow-rumped Warbler |
| Cooper’s Hawk | Purple Finch | Yellow-throated Vireo |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Purple Martin | |
| Downy Woodpecker | Red-bellied Woodpecker |
Mammals seen in the area within the last week:
| Beaver | Muskrat | Striped Skunk |
| Cottontail Rabbit | Porcupine | White-tailed Deer |
| Grey Squirrel | Raccoon | 13-lined Ground Squirrel |
| Grey Wolf | Red Squirrel | Woodchuck |