My First Trip to Crex Meadows

On Friday, I stopped at the Visitor's Center at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Grantsburg, WI.  I have been reading a  blog about Crex and am so impressed with the pictures that are posted there.  My cousin Paul is a Department of Natural Resources employee in that general area, and I have heard about all the amazing birds that migrate in and out of the area.  So, I decided it was time to at least know where it is.   

I got a map from the Visitor's Center and asked the attendant about a short trip I might take on the way home.  She told me that Phantom Lake Road was my best bet.  So off I went...

There is still a little ice on this lake, and a couple of geese were stretching there legs.  But, it won't be long before the walking will be over on this body of water.

I was pretty delighted to see these two Sandhill Cranes.  I had seen a few in the air around the area so I knew that some had started migrating.  They were pretty far away and I suppose this is more fuel for the idea that I need a more powerful camera lens.

A little farther along I could see this guy sitting out on the ice.  I know it's hard to tell, but it is a bald eagle.  Now wouldn't it have been nice to have a bigger lens and get a great shot of him sitting out there 'cooling his heels', Ha!

There were many, many geese in the area, but these two were having a little alone time.

Everything is pretty brown right now, but I can imagine how pretty it will be in this area once spring is here and everything gets green again.

I had asked at the Visitor's Center if the road was gravel (in my mind delineating between gravel vs paved).  The answer I got was...more or less, which I thought was pretty vague, thinking, well it either is or isn't, right? Barely one lane, mostly sand...no wonder she was vague.

I would guess that some of the geese are nesting out in those marshy areas.  I'll have to come back when the little ones are afloat.

I started to wonder what the heck I was doing on this road when I got to this part of the trip.  Certainly no room to meet another car.  For my first trip to Crex Meadows, I felt like I got a small introduction to what this Wildlife Area is about and I'm looking forward to a return trip.