First, congratulations to the Milwaukee Brewers on winning their first World Series title last night. I see that Milwaukee Public Schools have canceled tomorrow’s classes so all the kiddies can watch the victory parade. Sweet.
Back in Estabrook Park, it was a nice enough morning, especially for late October, but not quite as sunny or still as yesterday. The wood ducks and pied-billed grebe are still on the pond, for now, but I left them alone today and found this great blue heron in the river, instead. We are in the herons’ year-round range, but we won’t see much of them once the pond and river start to freeze.
One bird that will stay with us all winter, no matter how cold it gets, is the hairy woodpecker, and here’s a female that was flitting around with a male beside the river.
We are right at the edge of the white-throated sparrows’ winter range, and we often see a handful through the winter, but most will continue farther south.
On the other hand, we are pretty solidly in the dark-eyed junco’s winter range, so we’ll continue to see them regularly until they fly back north in the spring.
The range map for the golden-crowned kinglet resembles that of the white-throated sparrow, at least in this neck of the woods, but they become pretty scarce once the snow flies.
And that’s a wrap for today. Given how late I had to stay up last night, I’m a little surprise that I even have this many pictures to show you, but sometimes I get lucky.
Upcoming events (a new feature!)
- Saturday, Oct 31: Milwaukee Birders and the Garden Club of Greater Milwaukee are working with Milwaukee Riverkeepers for a fall clean-up of Lincoln Creek at Havenwoods State Forest from 9:00-11:00am
- Saturday, Oct 31: Friends of Estabrook are hosting another Buckthorn Weedout from 9AM – Noon. Wear sturdy shoes, long pants, long sleeves, and work gloves. Free beverages will be available at the Estabrook Beer Garden following the weedout.
- Sunday, Nov 1: Milwaukee Birders will be visiting Lake Park. Meet at the bird feeder near the playground at 8:30am.
