Our early cool snap continued this morning in Estabrook Park, as did the thick cloud cover, but what did I expect for the start of astronomical fall? A warm summer day?
Anyway, a couple more critters showed their faces today, and here’s a Cooper’s hawk with brown longitudinal streaks on its belly, which mark it as a juvenile. I’ve seen a pair flying together over the river and performing some mild acrobatics, and the leading theory to explain this behavior at this point in the season is an adult helping a juvenile with hunting practice. “Time to get with the program, Kiddo!”
As I was trying to get a picture of the hawk, before it took off, I could hear a familiar calling nearby, and it didn’t take me long to find the source.
I didn’t capture much else on film today, so it’s a good thing I have some images left over from yesterday. As I mentioned, things were really hopping at the pond, and here’s a male belted kingfisher who was flitting from spot to spot looking for something to catch.
And here’s a great blue heron, also at the pond, who looks as though it has already caught it’s fill and is now letting its belly do the rest of the job.
Meanwhile, here’s one of the two double-crested cormorants at the river.
And the great egret, who decided to try the fish at the other end of the island. I wish the image was a little sharper, but I’m not the one who took off when the still and low-light scene clearly called a low shutter speed.
Finally, I didn’t see a single butterfly or dragonfly today, but I did see this one monarch yesterday, and if I had to guess what it was thinking, I’d guess it was wondering why it wasn’t already halfway to Mexico by now.
I don’t see a change in the weather forecast for anytime soon, but I did hear a couple of returning sparrows this morning, and maybe they’ll feel at home enough by tomorrow to show their faces. Keep your fingers crossed!
