Lots of familiar faces, and maybe a new one…

First, before I forget, I want to remind you that I’ll be back in Estabrook Park at 8am tomorrow morning for our Weekly Wildlife Walk. If you haven’t been out since the snow arrived, this might be your last chance to enjoy it before warmer temps and rain wash it all away.

Alright, back to this morning. It was still below freezing but warmer than yesterday, so the snow on the river trail was still nice and firm but a lot less noisy. The clouds were thick, though, and If there was more sunlight than yesterday, you couldn’t prove it by me.

My first treat came early when I spotted our beaver on the far riverbank and farther downstream than usual. The biggest difference, however, is that it was skipping the twigs and chewing on a log for breakfast instead.

The hermit thrush has indeed moved southward since Friday, but only by a few dozen yards, so I don’t know how much that helps. “You might have to go farther to really feel the difference, Sweetie.”

As I approached the falls and paused to take a peek up river, this little dash of color on the side of the bluff caught my eye.

One of the great horned owls was in the usual spot, but mostly hidden from view, so here’s a look from yesterday at probably the same bird in almost the same spot.

The big surprise for today might be this dark, mallard-like duck resting on the ice with other mallards at the far north end. I want it to be a female American black duck, which I just saw in CT and we do get to see here from time to time, but that tiny strip of white beside its blue speculum feathers gives me pause. It certainly isn’t as much white as on the mallard hen at the right edge of the image, but as you can see here, they’re not supposed to have any. The experts will weigh in soon enough. Keep your fingers crossed.

I had seen a muskrat earlier in the morning, just a bit upstream from the beaver, and I saw another two at the north end by the dark, mallard-like duck, but the best picture I got was back at the south end on my way home of this one up on the ice nearly in the middle of the river. It might be the same critter I saw earlier or a fourth muskrat, but it wouldn’t say.

Since I have a little room left, here’s a white-throated sparrow beside the pond from yesterday. I did see at least one again today, but this picture is nicer.

Finally, here’s one last look at one of the European starlings on Friday filling up on fruit from the tree in front of Kingo Lutheran Church across Wilson Drive at the south end. I believe that that is its tongue sticking out to the side of its mouth to make room for all that frozen goodness.

Lastly, to whomever left this for me in the southern parking lot this morning, you have really outdone yourself! That’s a full case and a third of Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy and about three quarters of a case of Kirkland’s Signature Hard Seltzer. Santa came early this year!

Anyway, I hope you can join us at 8 am tomorrow in the parking lot closest to the Bier Garten. Dress for the weather!