The clouds were thick, so it never got very light in Estabrook Park this morning, but the winds were light, the rain held off, and the air wasn’t too cool, so it was a pretty good time for a visit.
My first treat came at the pond, when I spotted this action at the north end just as I was walking up. It was a pretty long shot, and the light was way too dim for that much movement, so do not zoom in on this image, whatever you do, but you can at least see that one of the green herons had caught a pretty good-sized fish for breakfast.
As I hustled up to the north end, in hopes of a better shot, that heron gulped down its catch toot sweet and retired to a higher branch to let the digesting begin. That look on its face is the same glazed look Anne says I get after I’ve eaten a bigger meal than I probably should have. At least my meals usually don’t wriggle around for a bit at first.
A bit higher over the island, this fe male belted kingfisher was probably hoping for similar results, but I didn’t have time to stay and watch her him try.
I checked on our nesting hummingbird, of course, and she appeared to be just fine and hunkered down for the coming rain.
The river was quiet at the north end, now that the Canada geese are done nesting, there is currently no exposed river bottom to attract shorebirds, and the raptors appear not to like any of the trees we have left standing. So, my next picture didn’t come until I was on my way back south along the river, when I spotted this young robin, who has clearly fledged already, but is still wearing its baby spots.
A bit farther downstream, I caught up with a small flock of cedar waxwings, and this one was kind enough to let me sneak a picture.
As I approached the south end, I spotted my second heron of the morning, a great blue this time, and it was having nearly as much success as the green heron at the pond.
I bet this fish went down a bit easier, though.
Finally, after all the rain we had last week, I figured that this was a mosquito, and I even had a hilarious joke about “the Wisconsin State Bird” composed in my head, but upon closer inspection, you can just make out the “plumose, feather-like antennae” it’s sporting, which mosquitos do not have, but which male Chironomid midges do. So, this isn’t a biter, I can also ditch my joke about blood donations, and I probably don’t have to put on insect repellant just yet.
Lastly, your blossom of the day is from yet another tree with white flowers, which I believe, in this case, is red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea).
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 