An afternoon delight…

You may have noticed I skipped the park yesterday morning, so when I got a text message in the late afternoon about an egret on the river, I really couldn’t say that I’d already put in my time, so I hopped on my bike an rode up to the north end to see what I could see. Sure enough, I spotted the egret right away, but it was upriver, and I’d be shooting straight into the afternoon sun, so I hiked a bit farther north for a better shot. By the time I got back to the water, however, the egret was nowhere to be found. Dang! Instead, I could count five (5!) great blue herons fishing on the river, and here’s one of them enroute to a better spot.

As I continued searching, I finally found the egret again, but it had moved way downriver and over near the far shore, so I thought I’d try crossing over the Port Washington Road bridge to see if I could get any closer.

By the time I got to the bridge, however, the stinker had moved again, and I couldn’t find it anywhere. Instead, there was a cedar waxwing hunting bugs over the water just east of the bridge, and I caught it taking a short break on a branch in that sweet, sweet afternoon sun.

So, I turned around and dejectedly headed back south on the Estabrook Park side of the river. Before I rode back up to the road, however, I figured I’d give the river one more look, and look who I found, for the third time. I suspect the geese had urged it off the sandbar, and it retreated to a tree back on the near shore to preen. For an added bonus, there’s a kingfisher perched just above it.

In hopes of getting yet a better picture, I tried creeping out onto the rocks exposed by the low water. While I was there, the kingfisher caught a crayfish and perched on a low log at the edge of the island I was now approaching. I know I’ve seen mergansers and gulls with crayfish, but this might be my first picture of a kingfisher with a crayfish.

Also, a green heron flew up to a high perch over the island, perhaps to bask in the waning light.

And a killdeer stopped by looking worried, as usual.

But the egret was done with, or tired of, moving, kept its perch, and let me take this portrait. Ta da!

It’s a great egret (Ardea alba), to be precise, and only the third one I’ve seen in Estabrook, if I am remembering correctly. I saw one on the pond in 2020, and one hung out on the river for a day or two in 2021.

Anyway, on my way back home, I stopped by the pond to check on the wood ducks. The mom with the four remaining young ducklings was keeping watch while her charges rested. Here’s one at her foot.

And here are two more on a nearby log. The fourth was also there, but not as photogenic today as the other three.

I might have to visit Estabrook in the afternoon more often, eh?