It was an epic morning in Estabrook Park. The weather was nearly perfect, with clear blue skies, nice cool temps, and just a bit of a breeze; and the critters simply wowed me. The lack of clouds got me out nice and early, so by the time I reached the pond, the goslings were still keeping warm in Mom’s tender embrace, as Dad watched over to make sure everyone kept a respectful distance.
The great blue herons seem to be finally warming to the place, and this one didn’t even seem to mind me on the boardwalk while if fished just below the falls. The bluff is steep there, and the sun wasn’t very high yet, so most of the light was reflected off the trees over the far riverbank.
By the islands, however, the bluff is pretty low, the sun was higher in the sky by the time I got there, and that conspired to light up this green heron, with the wee fish it just caught, like a spotlight.
You might want to be sitting down for this next image. As I was working on the green heron picture above, look at the action taking place on the island behind it. That’s right, the first goslings on the pond are followed the very next day with our first fawn of the season. How amazing is that?!?!
But wait. There’s more! As I was working on my best fawn picture, look who flew in to perch over the far riverbank. We may not have seen a pair of eagles together since last December when they serenaded each other.
I stopped by the pond again to see if I couldn’t get a picture of the goslings going for a swim, but the pond was already crowded with people, so I retired to the river one more time, and that’s where I found them. Mom and Dad had already marched the three little ones down the path through the woods. Hmph, that was quick! I did get some pictures, but they’re nothing amazing, so here’s one of the two wood duck hens instead, who were also there, with one of her ducklings. One had five, whom I believe we’ve seen there before, and one had nine, who could well be the brood that started with twelve back on the pond just three weeks ago.
Finally, the dragonflies are still thick on the weeds beside the soccer fields, but I didn’t see a new one today, so here’s a gorgeous common buckeye, which we haven’t seen since last October.
Wouldn’t you agree that they put on an epic show today?
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 