Second, and maybe third, looks.

Here’s one more look at that magnificent buck from yesterday. I guess if you’re stickler for symmetry, this guy would lose some points for that 5th little tine on his right rack, but luckily for him, we’re not sticklers, and neither is that doe he was with, we can hope. We’re all just thrilled to see him in Estabrook, right?

Here’s one more look at that adorable red squirrel that my dad likes so much.

Here’s one more look at that osprey that Tamar pointed out for us on Sunday.

Here’s a first for this year. Some flowers are still blooming this late in the season, if you can believe it, and these appear to be common toadflax, yellow toadflax, or butter-and-eggs (Linaria vulgaris) growing out of the limestone blocks lining stairway number 7 from the river up to the skate park. I suspect it helps that the spot is protected from the wind and gets plenty of afternoon sun that the blocks can soak up and radiate for a while after dark.

I’ve been seeing these blossoms for much of the summer, especially growing out of the wall at the base of stairway number 6, up to the beer garden, but they really stand out now for being about the last fresh blossoms in the park.

Finally, some mushrooms are still sprouting, and this one, like many others this fall, is growing out of a gap in the bark of a box elder (Acer negundo) aka boxelder maple, Manitoba maple or ash-leaved maple, which is growing in the nice stand of trees lining the path that follows the stream from the pond down to the river. I suspect the stand of trees provides enough protection to keep these from freezing, for now.

Lastly, here’s hoping I can replenish our photo stock during tomorrow morning’s outing.