It was warm, but not raining, so not a bad morning for a visit to Estabrook Park. Here’s the one picture I did manage to capture yesterday. That’s a great blue heron standing stoically on a log floating in the pond and looking about as thrilled with the weather as I was.
The photogenic heron today was this green heron on the far riverbank who thought it saw something, but soon decided it was nothing.
I found the osprey again, a bit farther upstream and over the same riverbank. I haven’t seen it atop a lamp post over the UWM parking lot in a couple of days, but I did see a bunch of crows picking over a fish carcass yesterday that the osprey had probably left there. Perhaps it is now opting for someplace a little more secluded and peaceful.
While counting the mallards out on the water, our new best friend, the river deer came by to say “hi”. I even saw it yesterday, too, crossing the meadow to munch on fallen mulberries at the north end, but I didn’t manage much of a picture in the rain and dark. Speaking of the meadow, however, I am sad to report that the parks department has finally mowed it, and I’m mostly just trying not to think about it right now.
On a happier note, here’s a wood duck hen steaming downstream with six ducklings in tow.
Plus, four more ducklings in hot pursuit. They look a bit grown up, and that’s even more great news.
Meanwhile, just on the other side of the upstream island, here’s another hen with three partially-grown ducklings of her own.
Not to be left out, here’s a mallard hen with her brood, too. Oddly enough, the mallard and wood duck hen had a brief spat, while I was momentarily looking elsewhere, but by the time I could turn my head back their way, they were already back to business as usual.
On shore, there’s a new bug in town, as far as I know, and I believe it is a green immigrant leaf weevil (Polydrusus formosus), which is only our second weevil ever. Anne has asked me to point out that I did not see it wobble nor fall over.
On my way back south, I found this pair of stream bluet damselflies doing their best to make more in what must be the most ambitiously acrobatic way ever.
Right by the bluets, this twelve-spotted skimmer dragonfly paused to catch some rays.
Finally, this summer azure butterfly did the same but nearly under my feet.
Tomorrow, I plan to join the Milwaukee Birders at the Rawson Gardens in Oak Creek, where bobolinks have been spotted. I’d love to see a bobolink, and perhaps so would you, so keep your fingers crossed!
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 
Good morning Andrew, I hope that you are okay? I’ve been missing your posts every morning which have become like morning coffee to me! I may have missed you telling us that you were travelling or something but just checking up that you’re well. Thank you for your response in advance, Pat Bachhuber
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