The cloud cover was pretty thin at sunrise, but they soon got that fixed, and today became as grey as seems to have become the norm lately. On the plus side, the air was as still as forecast, it was barely cool enough for frost to form overnight by radiant cooling, and it didn’t rain until after lunch, so it was yet another good morning for our weekly wildlife walks.
On my way to the meeting spot, I swung by the pond, and I was just in time to catch the muskrat enjoying its breakfast at the far water’s edge. After collecting everyone from the parking lot, of which there were eleven again this week, we stopped by the pond once more and confirmed that the wood ducks were really not there today. Perhaps yesterday will have been our last look for the year.
As I approached the pond the first time, I had noticed this raccoon sleeping in a shallow nook and took its picture. On our way from the pond to the river, on my second pass by this tree, the raccoon was still there, but it quickly crawled down inside a much deeper hole than I realized existed. There, it proceeded to have a loud and extended discussion, with perhaps another raccoon, and probably about if the hole was big enough for the two of them. Nobody came out, however, and the conversation eventually petered out, so we continued on to the river.
Things were quiet on the river, for a change, and I don’t believe we saw a single angler, for the first time since I can’t remember when. Instead, a great horned owl was back in its usual spot on the southern island. There was also a commotion, involving at least several crows, over the far riverbank, and the owl had its head turned away from us to monitor the situation.
After we moved past the owl and came to a clearing with a good view between the two islands to the far riverbank, we could see some of the crows moving about in the tops of the tall cottonwoods that grow there. Suddenly, a veritable flock of birds erupted from the trees, and it comprised a second great horned owl, with a Cooper’s hawk and at least four crows in hot pursuit. I’ve never seen anything like it, and thankfully, the owl didn’t go far. Here it is perched right over their usual hiding place. Check out those talons!
In short order, the first owl came out of its spot to join the second, while the crows cawed. Then they all took off, and we couldn’t track them after that. Phew! What a show that was.
With all the ruckus, we almost didn’t notice a great blue heron was also perched high in the cottonwoods across the river, and it never budged. Can you pick it out?
How about now?
After all that, it was time to return to the parking lot. In all, I counted 19 species of birds, and 4 species of mammals during our walk.
Finally, after checking the pond one last time and still finding no wood ducks, I headed to the river for my walk home, and this hairy woodpecker put on a nice little show right at knee level and right in front of me.
The end.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 