Reasons To Go Bird Watching
Fun. Big fun. Something deep seems to get fulfilled. A connection is made with the immense beauty of nature. Satisfaction. Birding invokes our primeval hunting instincts. It delivers all the satisfaction of the hunt, even though the prey itself escapes unharmed. Birding is the perfect sport for the 21st Century.
Health. Birding gets you vertical. It gets you outside and walking. But it's effortless, because your attention is on the birds. Nevertheless, after a little birding, you've usually covered quite a bit of ground. Family. Birding unites people across generations. By taking up birding, parents or grandparents can introduce their children to an interest in nature that will stay with them all their lives. Companionship. Birding is the ideal social activity. A birder need never be lonely. Nearly every community has a birding club of some sort. And because birders love to share their knowledge, newcomers are always welcome. Solitude. Birding is also the ideal solitary sport. There's a special pleasure in going out alone to bird. Your mind settles down. Your senses open up, and all nature seems to become your friend. Birding is a sport of many moods, and it serves the causes of companionship and solitude equally well.

Some Up North Wisconsin Bird Watching Must See Places
Nicolet National Forest
Covering 661,400 acres in northeastern Wisconsin, the Nicolet National Forest provides abundant habitat for a wide variety of species. In just one area alone, the annual bird survey has counted approximately 235 different species in the northern most part of Oconto County. Rare species in the forest include the boreal chickadee, gray jay, northern tree-toed woodpecker, spruce grouse and sandhill crane. The abundance of lakes attracts bald eagles, common loons and ospreys. (Since 1993, Nicolet and Chequamegon National Forest have been managed as one, with headquarters offices in both Park Falls and Rhinelander.)
For More Information Call: 715-362-1300 or 715-362-1383

Thunder Marsh Wildlife Area
Located just off of Hwy 45, three miles north of Three Lakes, this 3,000-acre wildlife offers a rare opportunity to observe the birds of a spruce and tamarack forest, as well as many species of marsh birds and waterfowl. Resident birds include ruby crowned kinglets, yellow rails, hooded mergansers and kingfishers. For More Information Call: 715-365-2632

Hunt Hill Nature Center & Audubon Sanctuary
A 500-acre wildlife sanctuary with wooded, glacial hills, three clear lakes, old-growth forest, prarie and northern bogs. Located ten miles south of Spooner; twenty miles north of Rice Lake. See nesting osprey and loons as well as many other species. Guided walks, cabin rental and environmental programs. Center open daily, 9-5. For More Information Call: 715-635-6543.

Crex Meadows Wildlife Area
This state owned 30,000-plus acre complex of marsh, woodlands and prairies is located in Burnett County north of Grantsburg at the intersection of County D and F. Crex Meadows features colonies of nesting herons, double-crested cormorants, breeding osprey and sharp-tailed grouse. For More Information Call: 715-463-2739 or 715-463-2896.