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

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 →

Christmas Bird Count

Each year around Christmas time, groups of birders across the country and around the world participate in a winter count of the birds in their areas. They spread out over an area 15 miles in diameter to count their observations. The data is compiled by the Audubon Society and a report is issued each year. … Continue reading Christmas Bird Count →

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 →

Time Marches On…

On my morning bike ride yesterday, I happened upon a patch of yellow wildflowers that I had not yet observed this summer; Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa ssp. speciosa var. speciosa). I returned to the patch on the way to work to snap a few pictures. The appearance of the first blooming goldenrod mean that the … Continue reading Time Marches On… →

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 →

Wildflower Adventure

My mother is visiting this weekend so she and I took a trip south on the River Road along the St. Croix River. (with a quick detour in through Fish Lake Wildlife Area) in search of wildflowers and birds. We found some nice flowers and a few good birds. Here are my flower shots (taken … Continue reading Wildflower Adventure →

Paint Mine Road Before The Bloom

I took my dogs Jet and Annie for an evening walk down to Paint Mine Road this week. I will be leading a wildflower walk there in a few weeks and wanted to see if anything was growing yet. I really did not expect to see much, if any, floral activity, but I was in … Continue reading Paint Mine Road Before The Bloom →