The Binocular Site
Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, Wisconsin
Wetlands, brush prairies, and forests roll across a beautiful landscape here in western Burnett County, and are together known as the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area. Huge marshes remain from the movement of ancient glaciers, and now provide a rich, fertile home to so many creatures.
The name of this wildlife area comes from a carpet company that once owned it, which eventually went out of business in 1933.
Habitat restoration is an important initiative undertaken by the Friends of Crex, making a wide range of recreation opportunities possible.
The brush prairie is home to sharp-tailed grouse and upland sandpipers, savannah sparrows, eastern kingbirds, Brewers blackbirds, and rufous-sided towhees. On the other hand, the marshes invite sparrows and rails as well as cranes, wrens, bobolinks, American bitterns, and common yellowthroats. Trumpeter swans are a rare favorite here, and osprey and eagles come as well.
Crex Meadows was once a favored spot by Fox, Dakota, and Chippewa Indian people. Hunting and gathering was rich amongst open expanses largely populated in brush and prairie grasses, with some large red and jack pine found as well. Farming efforts were later attempted but were mostly abandoned, as the sandy upland soils were poor for agricultural development. See the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area website for more information.
The state bird of Wisconsin is the American Robin and you can find a birding checklist for Wisconsin here.
Photo credit to djvass, used with permission under the creative commons license.
If you've visited Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, please take the time to share your experience and any tips or insight you have about this Wisconsin birding location below.
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