It’s beginning to look a lot like winter…

We got about four inches of the white stuff in Estabrook Park since just after I left yesterday morning, and the clouds were still low and heavy when I returned early today. That dim light might be why I was able to find this muskrat enjoying its breakfast out on the ice, as we’ve been seeing its bigger cousin do this week.

Meanwhile, the beaver was farther upstream and fixing instead to enjoy takeout at home.

Here’s a closer look through fewer branches.

A bit farther upstream, I found my first pretty bird picture of the morning, this darling hermit thrush, who perhaps was wondering if it isn’t finally time to fly south to its winter range in southern Illinois.

At the north end, this eastern bluebird might have been wondering the same thing.

On my way back south, the sun was starting to come out, Tom the mink whisperer gave me a heads-up that our great horned owl had moved to a nearby silver maple, and man, oh man, what a pretty spot it picked.

The bushes around the pond were full of birds, after yesterday’s odd lull, and this robin picking berries from a snow-covered bush on the island put on the best show.

Finally, I didn’t see a starling during my entire walk through the park, despite checking both reliable spots. After I crossed Wilson Drive on my way back home, I found out why: they’re all picking berries from this fruit tree in front of Kingo Lutheran Church. There were probably a couple dozen of them.