Beautiful weather has returned to Estabrook Park, and I hoped I’d have a great morning of picture taking, but perhaps we’re entering a period of doldrums before the fall migration.
One exception was this little eastern wood pewee hunting from the same chain at the north end as Monday, but today it let me get a lot closer.
Another exception was this youngish great blue heron at the pond who seemed transfixed by something ahead of it and let me sneak this picture through the reeds.
At the other end of the pond, this young catbird was too busy crying for its breakfast to worry about me.
There were still plenty of wood ducks on the pond, but there was only one mallard, and the hooded merganser appears to have moved on. Perhaps this snapping turtle surfaced to see where everyone had gone.
That’s it for the birds and reptiles, I’m afraid, and I didn’t see any mammals, so thank goodness for the bugs. We’re having a bumper crop of fiery skippers this summer, and here’s one on a blazing star blossom at the pollinator garden.
This Peck’s skipper on a purple cone flower appears to have the same markings but with the colors inverted.
There are still plenty of dragonflies around, and this one appears to be a ruby or cherry-faced meadowhawk, which I read can be quite tricky to distinguish.
Finally, I’m glad to start seeing monarchs more frequently, and this one on a thistle blossom will be our butterfly of the day.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 