As I mentioned yesterday, I was at the Retzer Nature Center all day for the first installment of their master naturalist training, but class didn’t start until 9am, so I had plenty of time before then to look around.
One sight I did glimpse on my previous visit, and failed to capture on film, was a thirteen-lined ground squirrel, but I was luckier today, so here you go. This one appeared to be lining its nest with a mouthful of fresh straw.
There were plenty of birds, but the one I haven’t been able to show you in a while was this clay-colored sparrow.
If you’re wondering how it might be possible to tell this particular sparrow from all the others, wait till you hear its song.
Finally, it’s late, it’s been a long day, and I’ve gotta wrap this up earlier than usual, so here’s a butterfly that we’ve seen before, but not yet in Estabrook and not yet this year: a common wood-nymph.
I didn’t get kicked out yet, so I’ll be back in class again tomorrow, and if today was any indication, I expect that it will be fun and informative. Since I’ll be there anyway, I’ll also try to get you some more pictures.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 