A big front rolled through Wisconsin yesterday, and it created a disaster for our neighbors to the north, but we’re thankful that no fatalities or missing persons have been reported there. Around here, we were a lot luckier, and all we got was about an inch and a half of sorely needed rain and a big drop in temperature.
Thus, it was a gorgeous morning in Estabrook Park, and the big surprise came early when I spotted this darling black-crowned night heron youngster resting over the southern corner of the pond. This one looks a little older than the one that visited last summer, as it appears to be already showing some dark feathers on its wing and cap.
Speaking of youngsters, at least one mallard hen is still making them, and here she is on the river between the islands with ten of the freshly-hatched and ravenous little rascals.
Meanwhile, this buck sure looks as though he’d like to try making some, but the doe seemed less interested.
First, she won’t be ready till mid-October, and second, he’s got a rival to contend with, although the rivalry looked pretty friendly at this point.
I did see the hooded merganser again, and this time it was on the pond and had just caught a crayfish, but it was moving pretty quickly, the light was low, and blah, blah, blah. The point is, here’s another great blue heron with a fish, and the thin wisps of feathers on its head suggest it’s also a youngster.
At the pollinator garden, I was thrilled, at long last, to catch a snowberry clearwing moth feeding from a bee balm blossom in good sunlight.
Finally, our first fiery skipper butterfly of the season has just emerged from its chrysalis, and here it is sipping nectar from a burdock blossom beside the southern soccer fields. “Welcome back you brilliant little splash of color!”
The forecast currently suggests that it will be even cooler tomorrow morning, but with a lighter wind and even clearer skies. Be still my heart!
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 