Episode 300!

Thanks for coming along for the ride, and check out all the old friends who stopped by in Estabrook this morning to say hi. The parkway is still closed off between the middle and southern parking lot, and that tranquility is still glorious, so enjoy it while it lasts!

Our first guest in a very shy cooper’s hawk who sat for this image none-the-less in one of the little trees by the middle parking lot, and we appreciate it!

At the pond, a muskrat, whom we haven’t seen there since last summer and haven’t seen at all in weeks, took a swim between the algal mats. Let’s see the beavers do that, eh?

At the river, this little chipmunk must have been too busy munching to worry about me.

On my way to the north end, I walked past that tree in which we saw only tail feathers at the start of May, and look who was there today! Mr. and Mrs. Downy Woodpecker were busy taking turns stuffing it full of grub. It was a much quieter operation than what the Hairys’ run.

At the north end, the fish were at it again, and two pretty reliable readers pointed out that they are probably carp, not smallmouth bass as I had mistakenly presumed yesterday. Sorry about that, and thanks to those two alert fisher dudes! Anyway, I think you can see their big carpy scales better in today’s picture.

And look who stopped by as I was trying to capture the perfect carp picture! Our ol’ buddy the friendly coot. I had no idea he or she was even still around.

On my way back south, another red squirrel seems to have been disappointed in yesterday’s red squirrel picture, and let me take my time to get it right.

Not far past there, I found another fledgling, this one looking like maybe a male downy or hairy woodpecker, catching some zzzs on a log, and I left him to it. I hope Mom or Dad are keeping tabs on him.

It wasn’t long before I found a grey squirrel wondering what’s up with all the red squirrel picture lately.

Lastly, almost at the south end, I finally found more mallard ducklings. Just two this time, but we’ll take ’em!

There are some new flowers and mushrooms up, but I think that’s enough for today. Oh, and we should call it our season finale, too, ’cause I’m going on a little vacation. Anne’s been working her fingers to the bone through this pandemic, so once we got vaccinated, she planned a little trip out west, and I’m thrilled to report that she asked me to come along.

Don’t worry. This isn’t a case of the burn-outs like last fall. I’ll be back in a few days, and I’m bringing my camera along anyway. Maybe I’ll find something worth reporting from the field, so watch this space and keep an eye on the place for me while I’m gone.