More mammals!

It was a beautiful morning in Estabrook with blue skies, bright sun, a light breeze, and seasonal temperatures. I was surprised, however, that I barely saw a little bird. Sure, I could hear cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, and juncos, but everyone must have been too busy to sit for a picture today.

Instead, we’re left with a few of the larger critters, starting with this doe and her youngster by the southern parking lot. A second youngster had slipped through that wall of buckthorn behind them before I could aim my camera.

Down at the river, the water had subsided quite a bit since yesterday, and some ice was back along with a few mallards. As I scanned a bunch along the far shore to see if there was a new visitor hiding amongst them, look who I saw.

Sure enough, a beaver was having one last snack before heading off to bed, and yes, that’s ice floating in the foreground. Once it finished with that little stick, it swam across the river…

and continued north along the eastern shore before I lost track of it. Sweet dreams!

By then the sun was peeking into the river valley and creating this scene for us.

As usual, I continued to the north end, but I only spotted this little cutie on the way enjoying its breakfast.

There were just a few gulls on the water at the north end, so I returned south and spotted our old friend, the blue heron, warming up in the morning sun in its usual spot just south of the abandoned bridge abutments. It’s hard to tell from the expression on its face, however, if it likes today’s sun any better than yesterday’s snow. They’re so inscrutable.

I was a little disappointed that I didn’t spot the coyote again this morning, but not very surprised. They didn’t earn the nickname of “Wily” for nothing, I suppose.