Someone new for November…

The weather this morning in Estabrook Park was similar to yesterday’s, but the clouds held their water, and I didn’t feel a drop.

I took a slightly different route this today and so reached the river a bit sooner and a bit downstream of where I normally would, which turned out to be just the right place and just the right time to catch this beaver on its way back to its burrow. Sweet!

Above the falls, a belted kingfisher was fishing from the far riverbank and let me take this picture, which is just good enough to see the rusty red band that marks her as female.

Meanwhile, at the northern island, this male gave me a similar opportunity.

The exciting news at the north end, however, was this juvenile bald eagle gliding in, and it was broadcast far and wide by a few dozen mallards as they took to the wing in response. That’s our first eagle since October, and it seemed more interested in preening than hunting, but the mallards were taking no chances, and if there was a wigeon or gadwall hiding among them, we’ll never know.

Finally, the last three wood ducks were on the pond again, and here’s one of the two hens.

And here’s the drake balancing on one leg with its eyes closed and appearing to be asleep.