A beautiful autumn landscape in NW Wisconsin (photo gallery… click for more photos)

Another Great Ricing Season Underway

I’ve been out on the wild rice beds near my home in Grantsburg, WI for a few evenings this past week and all day today. The harvest has been pretty good so far, and my partners and I have gathered somewhere around 80 lbs of raw rice through today. Maybe more, but I am not … Continue reading Another Great Ricing Season Underway →

Late Winter on Phantom Lake

I took a walk one recent afternoon and saw some interesting early signs that spring is not too far off! There was a small pool of open water along the shore where dozens (maybe hundreds?) of tiny bullheads and a couple larger ones were hanging out. A pair of Trumpeter swans flew in just before … Continue reading Late Winter on Phantom Lake →

Wolf Sign on a Winter Walk

It was a beautiful sunny day today, perfect for a winter walk. The snow is too deep for my short-legged companion Annie to accompany me on an off-road snowshoe hike, so I took advantage of the marvelous gravel roadways on Crex Meadows, not far from home and blessedly unplowed after the latest 3-4 inch snowfall … Continue reading Wolf Sign on a Winter Walk →

Crex Crane Tour

Every fall thousands of Greater Sandhill Cranes gather near Grantsburg Wisconsin to beef up in preparation for their annual southward migration to the warmth of the U.S. Gulf Coast. And every fall, hundreds of folks visit the area to view the cranes for themselves. I had the opportunity last week to lead a group of … Continue reading Crex Crane Tour →

June Prairie Wildflowers

In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them. ~Aldo Leopold

The Perfect Flower Family

I think my favorite family of flowering plants has to be the Heath Family, because of it's diverse plant types, useful fruits and generally small but beautiful flowers. The Latin name for this family is Ericaceae, which is derived from the Greek ereike, which means, loosely "heather". Members of the Heath Family can be found … Continue reading The Perfect Flower Family →

Spring birding at Crex Meadows

Spring is here and birds are returning from their southern ventures over the winter. Crex Meadows Wildlife Area is one of the premier birding hot spots in the country, and for many good reasons. Habitat: Crex Meadows is over 30,000 acres of undeveloped land that includes mainly upland brush prairie, marshy wetlands and shallow flowages, … Continue reading Spring birding at Crex Meadows →