And just in the nick of time, too. Well, not the fruit, yet, just the flower, but I was beginning to despair that they would never open. How I never noticed these beauties before is beyond me. I can’t wait to try that fruit, right? Note this warning, however, from the Pedia of Wik: AllContinue reading “The Mayapples have Arrived!”
Author Archives: Andrew Dressel
Muskrat love in the Pond
It is an absolutely gorgeous morning in Estabrook Park; mild, still, and sunny; with no mosquitos yet, and the road still closed for the cherry on top. Our headliner this morning is this cute little muskrat who appeared to be busy gathering aquatic vegetation in the pond. The love implied in the title is justContinue reading “Muskrat love in the Pond”
Memorial Day Anurapolooza at the Pond
Perhaps the frogs and toads, all of the order Anura (literally without tail to the ancient Greeks), just wanted to wait until the official start of summer, or maybe I’ve just been bad at spotting them, but luckily for you, astute pond-life observer, Carolyn Bucior and her trusty lieutenant, George, were on the job again and alerted me to the amphibianContinue reading “Memorial Day Anurapolooza at the Pond”
Some Estabrook mysteries solved
First up, fairly new subscriber and self-described “super sleuth”, Mark Beske reports that he has seen the canada geese and goslings at Hubbard Park, just a bit down the river from Estabrook. Anne supposes that they went there for the excellent take-out fish fry, but I noticed that the beer garden was open yesterday, soContinue reading “Some Estabrook mysteries solved”
Arrivals and departures in Estabrook
Well, the birds start coming, and they just keep coming… Yesterday, I was taking a second quick spin before supper and spotted something in the branches down the bluff from the path where it passes right next to the road. It wasn’t moving a lot, so I pulled out my camera to see if IContinue reading “Arrivals and departures in Estabrook”
Big changes afoot at the pond
The goslings were all gone this morning. There weren’t even any mature canada geese at the pond when I arrived, until 3 flew in from the west. I counted 10 strapping young goslings there yesterday morning, and here’s hoping that they all just outgrew it and hiked themselves down to the river. Bon voyage, mes amis!Continue reading “Big changes afoot at the pond”
More new arrivals in and out of the park
Welp, the can of worms is out of the bag now! Here’s another amazing image sent in this time by keen reader Betty Koepsel from out in Oconomowoc. The accompanying story goes like this:”Sweet teeny newborn found in the grass about 10 feet from our vegetable garden… almost run over with a lawnmower…mom is near,Continue reading “More new arrivals in and out of the park”
Reader photo of the day
I know, I know, this is supposed to be all about the flora and fauna of Estabrook Park, but we made an exception for the great horned owl and owlets, with good reason I believe, and we’re going to make a similar exception this morning for this amazing shot sent in by an avid reader.Continue reading “Reader photo of the day”
Drama at the pond
The drizzle took a break for a bit yesterday, and I stepped out to stretch my legs. There were plenty of critters about, but nobody wanted to sit still for me until I made it to the pond, where Ol’ Blue was intent upon rustling up some lunch. Suddenly, a second Great Blue Heron drifted in, andContinue reading “Drama at the pond”
Rerun Monday in Estabrook!
Water is still falling out of the sky, so I’m dipping into the archives, all the way back to April 11, for a never-before-seen image. The colors are pretty drab, but there goes a pair of wood ducks, a male hooded merganser, and a pair of blue-winged teals in some kind of multi-species smorgasbord on our little pond. Man, thoseContinue reading “Rerun Monday in Estabrook!”
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 