This morning got off to such a nice start. As the sun approached the horizon, and dawn began to break, I could see that the skies were clear, and there was none of the expected fog. Plus, the air was still, and it was a bit colder than forecast, at 31°F, so the muddy path along the river was nice and firm.
In keeping with such a great start, I soon spotted a muskrat amongst the mallards foraging on the flooded bottom down the bluff from the middle parking lot. We haven’t seen one since before the deep freeze.
Before the sun had a chance to light everything up with a golden glow, however, the clouds rolled in, and I didn’t get another picture until the north end, where the red-breasted merganser drake is still hanging around. There were also some common mergansers and a goldeneye hen, but they all kept farther away from shore.
The pond was quiet, and as I swung by the river one last time, this raccoon was kind enough to give me a peek.
Finally, since I have only one bird picture today, here’s one more look at the hermit thrush from yesterday to even things out.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 