The clouds were thick this morning in Estabrook Park, but the rain did hold off, temps were mild, and the winds were very light, so it was a fine time to resume looking for wildlife there.
There were plenty of sights to see, but the treat of the morning has got to be the first great egret I’ve been able to show you from the park since October 2023! “Hello, Stranger!”
Then it was time for me to collect the wildlife walkers at the beer garden parking lot, and the first place they all wanted to go was the river around the islands, in hopes of getting their own eyes on that egret. By the time we got there, however, all we could find were great blue herons and this one bald eagle. That’s a pretty good consolation bird, but too bad about the egret.
As we moved from spot to spot along the river in hopes of finding where the egret was hiding, Donna also found our first ruby-throated hummingbird since June. Yay!
After we finally gave up on the egret and started making our way back downstream, someone spotted the fawn and her mom on the downstream island, and here’s the fawn eating its leafy greens.
Since we had no luck with the egret anywhere on the river, we gave it a go at the pond next, where there were a slew of wood ducks, a pair of green herons, and this handsome, male belted kingfisher. But no egret. Oh well.
Then it was time to call it a morning and let everyone get on with their day, but on my way home, I checked in on the weeds beside the soccer fields, and that’s where I found this gorgeous painted lady butterfly sipping nectar from a burdock blossom.
Finally, lest you worry that the group went home sad for not finding that darn egret, just look at the smiles on their faces when they found a six-pack of unopened Budweisers! Ha!
I see that we’re due for more thunderstorms this evening, but the forecast for tomorrow morning looks similar to today’s, so I can’t wait to see who shows up next.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 