The sky is a bit hazy today, but the breeze has died down, which makes listening for birds all the easier, so it was another perfectly fine morning to be in Estabrook Park. When I arrived at the pond, I could hear a wood duck calling, and it only took me a moment to find this cutie perched atop the big old trunk at the southern tip.
The bigger surprise was finding a great blue heron in a tree at the other end of the pond. We’ve seen them on the river a couple of times, but I think this is the first time this season that I’ve seen one at the pond.
The biggest surprise was finding a second great blue heron fishing in the pond along the east shore. What a way to make an entrance!
I didn’t see anyone else there at the time, so I continued on to the north end, and found the bluebirds again along the way. I believe this one is the male, based on the vibrancy of his colors.
There are still redstarts singing and foraging everywhere, and here’s a female.
This male wasn’t far away.
The chestnut-sided warblers are almost as ubiquitous as the redstarts, and the jet-black mask on the face of this one marks him as a male.
I didn’t see a kingbird until later, and I wasn’t able to get a picture, but here’s another look at the one from yesterday.
On my way back by the pond, the mother duck and duckling had come out from wherever they were hiding, and they seem to be getting comfortable with life in their little fishbowl because they are making it easier for me to get nice pictures.
Finally, I stopped back by the river one more time, and the geese with seven goslings, who are really starting to look like teenagers now, were settling in for their mid-morning naps.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 