I can see out our dining room window as I write this, that it has clouded up and started to sprinkle, but the weather was picture-perfect this morning. The sky was clear, if a little hazy, temps were about 10 degrees warmer than they’ve been in weeks, and the air was nearly still.
As I stood looking out over the river at the north end, I noticed that a few cedar waxwings were doing their best swallow impersonation and flying out over the water to catch bugs out of that still air. After enjoying the show for a while, I thought I might try to capture a picture of one, so I set up my camera to do that, and almost as soon as I started watching for an opportunity, look who flew by.
If that “beak” is throwing you off, as it even did to the iNaturalist image recognition algorithm, that’s because the female belted kingfisher is holding her breakfast in it, a good-sized fish she just caught upstream. This is only the third picture I’ve been able to capture of a kingfisher since April, and I’m pretty sure they are not nesting on the upstream island, as they have in previous years, so it’s especially nice when they pay us a visit.
Man, if it wasn’t for the waxwings, I would never have gotten ready in time for that picture. “Thanks, guys!” After that, I did spend a while trying to capture a waxwing image, as well, but they were zigging and zagging like crazy, and this is the best I could manage. The reason the bird appears to be flying out of the frame is because that’s exactly what it was doing, and I couldn’t crop the result any better than this. Oh well, and better luck next time, but they sure are pretty birds anyway. Right?
Later, as I was making my way back downstream, I heard the familiar call of an osprey, which are always a treat to see, so I hurried back to the islands to see if I could catch a glimpse, and this is the glimpse I could catch. It had just tried for a fish, a sight that my autofocus failed to track, came up empty, and was climbing back up to try once more.
Then I headed downstream again, and when I got to the other wide and slow part of the river, down the bluff from the middle playground, I spotted this muskrat steaming right towards me. Right after I got this picture, it turned towards shore and disappeared behind grass and other plants growing on the riverbank.
When I tried to sneak up on it to see if I could get a better picture, I found it busily mowing down the forget-me-nots growing there, which I had no luck capturing, and then it hopped right back into the water with a mouthful. That bouquet might seem sweet and all, but remember, those are for food.
Finally, the weeds, both native and invasive, are coming up nicely in the meadow beside the river at the north end, and I spotted at least seven species of butterflies there today, but my favorite has to be this question mark, named for the two small white marks on its hindwing, and which we haven’t gotten to see since 2024! “Hello, stranger!”
Here’s the other side of its wings. I read that they hibernate or migrate to survive the Wisconsin winter, and this one sure doesn’t look like this is its first summer. A related bit of good news is that I’ve recently gotten word from the Parks Department that “the Unit Coordinator for Estabrook likes the idea [of not mowing there],” so maybe we’ll get to enjoy the critters it attracts for a while longer. Yay, and keep all your fingers crossed on that one!
I see temps will still be mild, at about 70°F at 7am tomorrow, the rain should be done, and the breeze should be light, but the humidity is expected to be 91%. So, conditions will be just fine for our weekly wildlife walk, but dress comfortably, and bring some insect repellent. The mosquitos will be thirsty! If 7am’s not your thing, I’ll come by the parking lot again at 8 to collect you.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 