Author Archives: Andrew Dressel

It was an odd morning in Estabrook. The temperature was mild enough, but the wind was still quite gusty. The sun was mostly out, but the sky wasn’t very blue. I heard and glimpsed a kingfisher again, but didn’t manage to capture an image yet. I did finally manage to find wood ducks up inContinue reading “March heads for the door, as blustery as ever.”

Our latest arrival in the park this morning is this little chipmunk beside the Oak Leaf Trail. I read that they hibernate for the winter and are now re-emerging. I’ve spotted them a few times over the past week or two throughout the park, but this was the first one to sit still a bitContinue reading “The chipmunks return…”

I only managed to document one new arrival today, and it’s this little brown creeper (Certhia americana) whom I found methodically creeping up tree trunks beside the river. I also spotted, but failed to capture, a group of three cranes, probably sand hill, flying high and drifting south fast in the high winds, and whatContinue reading “Spring keeps on creeping in…”

It was a fine morning for ducks, geese, or anyone else wearing a full-body dry-suit, cold with on-and-off precipitation. Nevertheless, I found a gap in the green blob on the radar, so where we go. There are still 4 couples and a 9th wheel of geese on the pond, and a second couple appears toContinue reading “A fine day for ducks and geese…”

That’s right, boys and girls, it was exactly 1 year ago today that I breathlessly fired off an email message to a few friends and family whom I thought might be interested to learn that there was a wood duck on the pond in Estabrook Park. Before then, I didn’t even know wood ducks existed,Continue reading “The Park Report, 1st Anniversary Edition!”

The wood ducks are back on the pond. again Yay! I think I saw two couples in the early morning light, and at least one couple appears to be getting quite comfortable in what I hope will be their summer home. Here they are up on the lawn as I sit on the park benchContinue reading “Lots of action…”

That’s right, there were 11 Canada geese on the pond this morning, 5 couples and 1 optimist who is sure his big break is just around the corner. Or maybe he’s just a failure to launch still living with his folks. Either way, that’s up from 9 geese yesterday. Our heroes are still staking outContinue reading “They cranked it to 11!”

Our top story this morning is the exciting return of the wood ducks to the pond in Estabrook Park. There were three drakes and two hens in all. The lighting was a little tricky this morning, but the drakes were looking resplendent nevertheless. In other news, the Canada goose situation continues to be an evolvingContinue reading “The wood ducks are back on the pond…”

Well, by “eagle” I mean the female Canada goose on the pond in Estabrook, and by “landed” I mean assumed her throne, and by “her throne” I mean her nest on the island in the pond. Finally, and not a moment too soon! There were 3 other pairs of geese on the pond this morning.Continue reading “The Eagle Has Landed!”

It was a delightful morning in the park, and there was surprisingly little going on. Not many visitors and no new critters. The two pair of geese, a pair of mallards, and Mrs. Gadwall were all on the pond. The river is full of geese and mallards and one last goldeneye hen. The red-bellied woodpeckersContinue reading “The hens have it…”