Featured Image by Alan Toczydlowski
Weather cooled down a bit this past week after a lot of hot weather. We also had several days of rain and storms that came after the stormy week. The ten-day forecast looks like it will remain a bit cooler (highs in the 70’s), with additional rain on the way.
Migration has come to an end, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still many birds to see in the Grantsburg Area! We still have a large number of summer residents, and our sightings list over the past week was 123 species long. This time of the year is also special because visitors have the opportunity to see lots of baby animals.
Some of the baby animal reports this week included Sandhill crane colts, Trumpeter swan cygnets, Canada goose goslings, Red fox kits, Black bear cubs, White-tailed deer fawns, a number of ducklings of different species, and many other birds!
Because we are amid “baby animals season”, the WDNR would like to remind visitors to Keep Wildlife Wild whenever possible. It’s important to observe wildlife at a respectful distance and always remember that a young animal’s best chance for survival is with its parents (there are a few exceptions for wildlife young who do not stay with their mother; this includes things like turtles, who are completely independent upon hatching).
Bird sightings within the last week at Crex Meadows, Fish Lake, Amsterdam Sloughs, and surrounding area:
Alder Flycatcher
American Bittern
American Coot
American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Kestrel
American Redstart
American Robin
American White Pelican
Bald Eagle
Baltimore Oriole
Barn Swallow
Barred Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Black Tern
Black-and-white Warbler
Black-billed Cuckoo
Black-capped Chickadee
Blue Jay
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Blue-winged Teal
Blue-winged Warbler
Bobolink
Brown Thrasher
Brown-headed Cowbird
Canada Goose
Cedar Waxwing
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chimney Swift
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Common Grackle
Common Loon
Common Merganser
Common Nighthawk
Common Raven
Common Yellowthroat
Dickcissel
Double-crested Cormorant
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Warbling Vireo
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Eastern Wood-pewee
European Starling
Field Sparrow
Golden-winged Warbler
Grasshopper Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Great Blue Heron
Great Crested Flycatcher
Green Heron
Green-winged Teal
Hairy Woodpecker
Hooded Merganser
House Finch
Indigo Bunting
Killdeer
Lark Sparrow
Least Flycatcher
LeConte’s Sparrow
Louisiana Waterthrush
Mallard
Marsh Wren
Mourning Dove
Nashville Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Harrier
Northern House Wren
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Northern Yellow Warbler
Orchard Oriole
Osprey
Ovenbird
Pied-billed Grebe
Pileated Woodpecker
Pine Warbler
Purple Finch
Purple Martin
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-eyed Vireo
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-necked Grebe
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Ring-billed Gull
Ring-necked Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Rock Pigeon
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ruffed Grouse
Sandhill Crane
Savannah Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Sedge Wren
Semipalmated Plover
Song Sparrow
Sora
Spotted Sandpiper
Swamp Sparrow
Tree Swallow
Trumpeter Swan
Turkey Vulture
Veery
Vesper Sparrow
Virginia Rail
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-rumped Sandpiper
Wild Turkey
Wilson’s Snipe
Wood Duck
Wood Thrush
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Vireo
Mammals seen in the area within the last week:
Beaver
Black Bear
Grey Squirrel
Muskrat
Red Fox
Red Squirrel
River Otter
White-tailed Deer
Sightings of Flowers in Bloom: