Weather has been hot and stormy in the Grantsburg area. We have had most of our days in the high 70’s and 80’s, but also had several days in the 90’s over the past week. We have had lots of random storms that came along with the heat wave, none that became too severe in our area.
We are in the midst of nesting and brood rearing season, which is always a fun time of the year for a visit.
We have seen Common Loon chicks, lots of Trumpeter Swan cygnets and Canada Goose goslings, and duck broods are growing quickly. We have had several reports of Sandhill Crane colts around Crex Meadows as well.
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.
Bird sightings within the last week on Crex Meadows, Fish Lake, Amsterdam Sloughs, and surrounding area:
| Alder Flycatcher | Eastern Towhee | Red-necked Grebe |
| American Bittern | Eastern Whip-poor-will | Red-tailed Hawk |
| American Coot | Eastern Wood-pewee | Red-winged Blackbird |
| American Crow | European Starling | Ring-billed Gull |
| American Goldfinch | Field Sparrow | Ring-necked Duck |
| American Kestrel | Forster’s Tern | Ring-necked Pheasant |
| American Redstart | Golden-winged Warbler | Rock Pigeon |
| American Robin | Gray Catbird | Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
| American Woodcock | Great Blue Heron | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
| Bald Eagle | Great Crested Flycatcher | Ruffed Grouse |
| Baltimore Oriole | Great Horned Owl | Sandhill Crane |
| Barn Swallow | Green Heron | Savannah Sparrow |
| Barred Owl | Green-winged Teal | Scarlet Tanager |
| Belted Kingfisher | Hairy Woodpecker | Sedge Wren |
| Black Tern | Hooded Merganser | Song Sparrow |
| Black-and-white Warbler | House Sparrow | Sora |
| Black-capped Chickadee | Indigo Bunting | Swamp Sparrow |
| Blue Jay | Killdeer | Tree Swallow |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Least Bittern | Trumpeter Swan |
| Blue-winged Teal | Least Flycatcher | Turkey Vulture |
| Bobolink | Mallard | Upland Sandpiper |
| Brown Thrasher | Marsh Wren | Veery |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Mourning Dove | Vesper Sparrow |
| Canada Goose | Northern Flicker | Virginia Rail |
| Cedar Waxwing | Northern Harrier | Warbling Vireo |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | Northern House Wren | White-breasted Nuthatch |
| Chipping Sparrow | Osprey | Wild Turkey |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | Ovenbird | Wilson’s Snipe |
| Common Grackle | Pied-billed Grebe | Wood Duck |
| Common Loon | Pileated Woodpecker | Wood Thrush |
| Common Raven | Pine Warbler | Yellow Warbler |
| Common Yellowthroat | Purple Finch | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Purple Martin | Yellow-headed Blackbird |
| Downy Woodpecker | Red-bellied Woodpecker | Yellow-rumped Warbler |
| Eastern Bluebird | Red-breasted Nuthatch | Yellow-throated Vireo |
| Eastern Kingbird | Red-eyed Vireo | |
| Eastern Phoebe | Red-headed Woodpecker |
Mammals seen in the area within the last week:
| Beaver | Grey Squirrel | Red Squirrel |
| Black Bear | Muskrat | River Otter |
| Cottontail Rabbit | Raccoon | White-tailed Deer |