As I mentioned yesterday, Anne and I are camping at Kohler-Andrae State Park for the week with her extended family, and we’re off to a great start, weather wise. It was cool this morning, but the sky was clear, and the wind was light, so I had a nice time checking in with old friends.
They have a little fishing pond here, and the big surprise this morning was finding a mallard hen with seven brand-new ducklings. This might be the latest brood I’ve seen so far. “Good for you, Sweetie, and best of luck!”
The Black River is thicker with duckweed this year than I recall seeing it before, but that didn’t appear to slow down this muskrat too much, though it did pause to wipe off its head.
There are green herons, of course, and here’s an adult hunting for its breakfast.
More fun, for me at least, was also seeing this youngster trying to do the same. Or maybe it was just keeping eyes on Mom so it would know as soon as breakfast was ready.
Best of all, this little sora put in an appearance, right on schedule! “Thanks, Honey!”
I got my very first viceroy butterfly picture here back in 2023, and I have found one in Estabrook since then, but it’s always nice to find one back at the original source.
Finally, the orange and dark brown on this butterfly, with a little bit of white, made me think this was either a painted lady or an American lady, but this is our very first Compton tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum), and it’s not even in the same genus. Instead, the mourning cloak is a closer cousin. I did not see that coming. Did you?
I can’t wait to see who I find tomorrow!
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 