Changeup

There is still a cool breeze out of the northeast, but the sun was out, and the sky was blue, so it was another beautiful morning to be in Estabrook Park. There are still plenty of warblers around, especially redstarts, of which I counted at least two dozen, but we’ve seen a lot of warblers lately, so let’s give them a break today.

Instead, check out this blue jay gathering nesting material off the ground beside the pond. They are normally much shyer than their aggressive reputation at the birdfeeder would suggest, but when you just gotta have that stick, you’re willing to put up with a few stares, I guess.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a few rose-breasted grossbeaks today, and here’s one, also by the pond, catching the morning sun just right.

On my way from the pond to the river, I spotted a pair of blue birds foraging bugs out of the grass from perches overhead, and here’s the male sizing me up.

I arrived at the river just in time to watch this kingfisher dive in to grab this little fish.

Farther north, the grounded common merganser drake is still looking otherwise healthy and perhaps getting a little used to me trying to get a picture of him.

Back on shore, this grackle was posing so nicely and glistening in the sun, and then …

it turned its high beams on. Wow, what a flex! I did not know it could do that with its chest feathers.

Right below the grackle, the kingbird was on break from flying sorties out over the river to catch bugs.

Just a bit farther inland from those two, the indigo buntings are back in one of their favorite locations in the park, and this one was announcing that he was now open for business.

I didn’t see any scarlet tanagers today, so they may all have already moved on, but happily, we’ve got our own, native, bright-red bird to fall back on when we need a dose.

Finally, the mallard duckling and its mom continue to graze on the pond, and today the duckling seemed a lot less frantic, so I was able sneak this nice portrait of the two of them together.