The rain was taking a break this morning, the temps were mild for October, the breeze was light, the sun was duking it out with the clouds, and it wasn’t clear who was going to win, at least for a while, so it was a very nice time to go looking for wildlife in Estabrook.
I got into the park nice and early, so there wasn’t really enough light for pictures until I reached the downstream island, where this female belted kingfisher granted me a semi-rare audience.
Nearly right above the kingfisher, this young-looking great blue heron was trying to catch some zzzzs, but it couldn’t have been sleeping too hard because its head immediately popped up, same as mine, when we both heard the osprey call.
The osprey glided around a bit, but I never saw it land, so then next fun sight was this tiny winter wren foraging in the weeds right at the water’s edge.
There were no odd ducks on the water today, I’m afraid, so I didn’t see a picture to take until I was back by the beer garden, and this chickadee was picking its breakfast out of this big old blossom that has gone to seed. It took a break while I selected a seat at one of the beer tables that would produce a nice background, and then it came back out for this portrait. The sun was winning at that point, so I could set the shutter nice and fast, and thus this picture has resolution to spare, in case you ever wanted to know exactly how the feathers are arranged on a chickadee’s face. Just give it a click to find out.
Back at the pond, the sun was still holding its own and was now high enough in the sky to shine down onto the water, and maybe that helped the little pied-billed grebe catch another fish. This one wasn’t nearly so big as last time, so it went down lickety-split.
By then, a couple of guys were sitting on the lawn getting their best wood duck pictures, but this drake must have noticed me in the background taking grebe pictures and wanted to share the wealth. “Thanks, Buddy!”
I walked along the paved path back south, and as I passed the guardrail, I was thrilled to find one more late-season dragonfly, which just so happens to be an aptly-named autumn meadowhawk, warming up in the morning sun.
Finally, there were still a couple of clouded sulphers making their rounds, and here’s one tanking up on some hairy white oldfield aster beside the southern soccer fields.
Lastly, the Village of Shorewood is hosting an Adopt-A-River Clean Up on Saturday, October 18 from 9:00 to 11:00 am. The target area is “Estabrook to Hubbard Park”, and the meet-up location is the south parking lot in Estabrook Park. Registration is required, and you can click on the link above to scan a QR code or “call/text Kae at (414) 588-0617.”
I’ll be there, but my focus is going to be on the north end, between the two islands, where the flood left a bunch of used tires on the now-exposed river bottom. I don’t require registration, but you will probably want/need hip boots or waders.
If you’re not interested in either of those projects, Friends of Estabrook Park are also holding a tree planting at the same time on the same day. Even better, the meet-up is also at 9am in the south parking lot, and I’m sure Harold will have a waiver for you to sign.
Perhaps I’ll see you there.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 