It was cool, cloudy, and breezy this morning in Estabrook Park, but at least the rain held off for a while. The critters may have been sensing that a storm was on its way because they seemed more skittish than yesterday.
I didn’t take a picture until I was beside the downstream island in the river, where I spotted our phoebe again. If you are beginning to tire of phoebe pictures, don’t worry. They eventually drift farther north for the summer, and I have a hope that new birds will be arriving soon.
The female belted kingfisher was back near her spot, but she kept to the farther branches, and there was no sun today to light her up.
The blue-winged teals and northern shovelers have all moved on already, and the hooded merganser kept his distance, so the interesting sight in the waters around the islands was this American herring gull who caught the first crayfish I’ve seen this season.
Back below the islands, I was happy to see that we still have a pair of common goldeneyes on the river, and here’s the drake trying to take a nap, …
and here’s the hen keeping tabs on things.
Finally, the wood ducks at the pond kept to the water today, and here’s a pair hugging the shore of the island.
Lastly, my presentation at North Shore School for Seniors is just next week, so if you want to see me do this show before a live audience, you can sign up here.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 