Winter Visitor Center Hours
Weekdays: 8:00 am- 4:30 pm; Weekends: CLOSED until April 6
It seems that winter is mostly over here in the Grantsburg area. With barely any snowfall this winter, there is none left on the ground. With temperatures getting up into the 50’s during February this year, all of the ice is gone from the flowages.
There are a number of birds that are back in the area a bit early because of the mild weather, including Trumpeter Swans (VERY high numbers), Tundra Swans, and some early ducks.
There are plenty of Sandhill Cranes back in the area as well, but just our nesting pairs and young from the past several years that are non-mating age. We do not get a huge migration of Sandhills in the springtime.
Black bears are being seen all over the place now, and were reported even in early February.
Bird Highlights this Week: American Wigeon, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Gadwall, Greater White-fronted Goose, Horned Lark, Lesser Scaup, Northern Shrike, Red-breasted Merganser, Tundra Swan.
Recent bird sightings in Burnett County (focused on areas around Crex Meadows, Fish Lake, and Amsterdam Sloughs Wildlife Areas):
| American Crow | Downy Woodpecker | Red-bellied Woodpecker |
| American Goldfinch | Eastern Bluebird | Red-breasted Merganser |
| American Kestrel | European Starling | Red-breasted Nuthatch |
| American Robin | Gadwall | Red-tailed Hawk |
| American Tree Sparrow | Greater White-fronted Goose | Red-winged Blackbird |
| American Wigeon | Hairy Woodpecker | Ring-billed Gull |
| Bald Eagle | Hooded Merganser | Ring-necked Pheasant |
| Barred Owl | Horned Lark | Rock Pigeon |
| Belted Kingfisher | House Sparrow | Rough-legged Hawk |
| Black-capped Chickadee | Lesser Scaup | Ruffed Grouse |
| Blue Jay | Mallard | Sandhill Crane |
| Canada Goose | Mourning Dove | Sharp-shinned Hawk |
| Common Goldeneye | Northern Harrier | Sharp-tailed Grouse |
| Common Merganser | Northern Shrike | Trumpeter Swan |
| Common Raven | Pileated Woodpecker | Tundra Swan |
| Common Redpoll | Pine Siskin | White-breasted Nuthatch |
| Dark-eyed Junco | Purple Finch | Wild Turkey |
| Wood Duck |
Recent bird sightings in Burnett County (focused on areas around Crex Meadows, Fish Lake, and Amsterdam Sloughs Wildlife Areas):
| Beaver | Grey Squirrel | Red Squirrel |
| Black Bear | Mink | River Otter |
| Coyote | Porcupine | Striped Skunk |
| Fisher | Red Fox | White-tailed Deer |