The far leading edge of hurricane Helene drifted in from the south this morning just as the sun rose in the east, so the weather was a bit unsettled this morning, a bit cloudy and breezy, but at least it was dry.
My first exciting greeter in Estabrook Park was this young red-headed woodpecker high in a tree just west of the soccer fields. You may recall that we had one visit us a few times last spring, and I’m thrilled to see another one giving us a look.
At the pond, the bushes along the banks are really starting to show some color, and I think it goes well with the wood duck plumage, don’t you?
Meanwhile, a young Cooper’s hawk surveyed the scene from above.
At the river, I was showing a fellow naturalist, whom I had just met, some of the good viewing spots in Estabrook, and as we stepped down to the water, we inadvertently spooked a great horned owl, who then silently glided over the water to the island. As I was trying to confirm that it was indeed a great horned owl, my new best friend had the presence of mind to check out from where the owl had just come, and look who he found right above us. Big sister, that’s who, and she was not budging, so we both took a couple of quick shots and then slowly backed away.
My comrade eventually had to go to work, poor guy, and I climbed back up on the bluff to get my first dark-eyed junco picture of this fall. “Welcome to Estabrook, Sweetie, and we look forward to seeing you all winter.”
Back at the pond, I had another chance for a ruby-crowned kinglet portrait, and got a little closer, but I believe there is still room for improvement.
Just below the kinglet, this brown creeper also gave me a second chance, with similar results.
At the other end of the pond, I found another yellow-bellied sapsucker, which I can never resist.
Finally, I don’t believe I saw any butterflies today, so this stunning little oblique streaktail
(Allograpta obliqua), “a common North American species of hoverfly”, on one of the last bull thistle blossoms beside the soccer fields and in a timely ray of sunshine, will just have to do.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 