I didn’t get to the park until this afternoon and it was quiet, super quiet. The wind was calm, the sky was dark grey, hardly anyone was around, and many of the critters were taking a nap, like these two mallards beside the pond.
We’ve seen them there before, and I wonder how long they’ll keep it up as visitor traffic increases with nicer weather.
Not everyone was napping, though. There was a second swan couple on the pond, which I was very surprised to see, and even after a skirmish, neither pair seemed willing to budge. I can’t wait to see how this turns out.
Our gadwall hen was also still there, and she even seems to be getting more comfortable. Here she is showing off her white speculum feathers.
The situation was similar on the river. There are a lot of Canada geese jockeying for prime nesting sites and a bunch of mallards feeding along the shore. I didn’t see our new yellow mallard hen again today, and there were no mergansers, goldeneyes, or scaups, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the bufflehead couple again.
We’re in their winter range, so one of these days I expect they’ll just be gone without so much as a goodbye.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 