Sorry about missing yesterday. I did visit Estabrook, but only for a couple of hours, during which time I didn’t see much, and then I had to ditch my camera and grab my gripper for the Milwaukee Riverkeeper Cleanup, which apparently set some kind of record. My buddy Mike joined me again, and we hauled out three large garbage bags full and one more tire from beside the river. After that, it was already after noon, and I was shot, but one highlight was seeing my first spotted sandpiper of the year. I only had my phone with me at that point, but woo hoo anyway.
This morning, the weather was about the same as yesterday, cool and cloudy, but a little less breezy and still no rain. The critters, on the other hand, were a lot more visible today. Maybe they were enjoying the newly squeaky-clean park, or they were reasserting their ownership of it after the crowd of volunteers yesterday. Either way, my first treat was spotting this cutie right at the bottom of the stairway from the beer garden. Given all the traffic yesterday, it must not have bothered her enough to move.
Above the falls, beside the downstream island, this beaver let me know, more than once, that it would like a little less traffic. “Noted! And sorry, Honey!”
Meanwhile, the tom turkey looked on from the far shore and seemed instead to want attention, from someone at least.
I eventually continued upstream, and when I turned the corner in the little path that runs beside the river, I was greeted by this tranquil scene. I can’t tell for sure just from this image, but those might be the start of antlers just in front of the ears.
I did my best to leave the deer undisturbed and pressed on. Along the way, I glimpsed the sandpiper a couple of times again, but it had recovered from the exhausted stupor it appeared to be in yesterday, and it flitted off as soon as it saw me. On my way back to the falls, it flew again but this time must have finally felt comfortable enough with the distance it had put between us, to sit for our first sandpiper picture of the year. Yippee!
Farther downstream, this chipmunk opted to stand its ground, at least until I had the best image I figured I was going to get through the leaves and sticks and continued on my way.
Finally, I had heard this guy singing yesterday morning high over the far shore just below the falls, but he bolted before I could even get my binoculars on him. He flitted a couple of times today, as well, but on my third try I was able to sneak our first Baltimore oriole picture of the year from about 100 yards away. “Welcome back to Estabrook, Handsome!”
Lastly, the forecast for our weekly wildlife walk tomorrow morning doesn’t look great, but the expected showers aren’t scheduled to start until 11am, long after we should be finished, so come on out to see the oriole, the sandpiper, or any of the several other new arrivals that have been spotted in Milwaukee County over the weekend.
Given that sunrise is now before 6am, and the breeze is supposed to increase a bit as the morning wears on, let’s revive the 7am start for those of you who are up for it. Don’t worry! You can still come at 8, and someone will swing by the parking lot to collect you, but if you want an early start, I’ll see you at 7.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 