Less frost and more deer…

It was a super nice morning in Estabrook Park, with clear skies and still air, similar to yesterday, but warmer, so no sign of frost for a change.

I got my first nice picture at the north end when this doe crossed between the two islands. She had a fawn in tow, but it was lagging behind, and then it had to go potty, after which it hustled to catch up, so I never had a good shot.

As I watched those two wade up the west side of the northern island, I could hear a snort from the southern island, and here’s the buck who took exception to my presence. In this picture, he’s just about to stomp that left front hoof to accentuate his displeasure. After this picture, I continued north to leave him alone and check on the owls, who were not in today.

On my way back south from counting the pigeons on the Port Washington Road bridge, I was thrilled to spot a kestrel high above the northern island. Before I could get south enough for a decent picture, this merlin showed up, and the kestrel immediately chased it away. By the time I was south enough, however, the merlin returned and perched nice and low over the river.

And the kestrel chased it right back off again. This act repeated several times at various perches over the river, and it was a fun show to watch, although I’m sure the fierce little birds were taking it very seriously.

I eventually continued south, and stayed along the water again, in hopes that maybe an owl had arrived while I was away. I had no luck with that, but as I rounded a corner, look who was grazing right in the middle of the path. It’s a second buck with a slightly less-developed rack, so that makes three different bucks in the park for sure. We both froze, I apologized and assured him everything was okay, he returned to grazing and didn’t snort or stamp at me, I snuck a couple of pictures, and then he moseyed deeper into the brush. Be still my heart.

Much farther south, were I saw the rusty blackbird and all the sparrows yesterday, I checked again, and this time, I found this gorgeous Lincoln’s sparrow.

And another winter wren teased me.

Finally, back at the southern soccer fields, I was stunned to find a dragonfly, a cherry-faced meadowhawk, I believe, and it appeared to be working hard at soaking up some of that sun, so I was able to get nice and close for what might be our last dragonfly picture of the year.