A muskrat was up having its breakfast where the high river has flooded into a bottom, and it appeared to ignore the mallards trying to do the same while they returned the favor.
I was asked yesterday how the elaborately colored males of some species manage to survive, and here’s the red-breasted merganser, who has been hanging out on the pond recently, demonstrating one technique: vigilance. There are no fish up there, but there could be a hawk.
One of the fox sparrows, whom I’ve been glimpsing by the pond for a few weeks now, finally started singing this morning, and what a song it is.
Nearby, this white-throated sparrow, whom I have heard singing recently, was keeping quiet this morning.
Finally, the winter wren is still here and still just chirping, but I hope I get to hear its amazing song before I leaves and heads north.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 