Author Archives: Andrew Dressel

It feels like it still hasn’t gotten completely light out this morning, but I eventually gave up waiting for some sunshine and went out anyway. There are a lot of fledglings around begging for food, and I suspect that well describes this male flicker who oddly refused to budge and just kept squawking as IContinue reading “Making do with the light we have…”

It was quite dark and foggy this morning, so I took my sweet time with breakfast and the paper and strolled out the door around 7:30, and I was greeted by this tender scene when I arrived at the pond. As far as I can tell, that is one wood duck drake, pretty far intoContinue reading “Peace and Strife in Estabrook Park”

I didn’t have much time to visit Estabrook this morning, so this has gotta be a quick one. House sparrows are “the most widely distributed wild bird,” and there are probably some right outside your window now, but this handsome devil was picking grass seeds out of the loose soil around the new park benchContinue reading “Scenes at the pond…”

Well, we finally got some much-needed rain, and Estabrook Park looked and felt a bit renewed this morning, but I wasn’t expecting the sub-50°F start. Good thing I hadn’t thrown my coat away yet. Perhaps the change in the weather prompted this great blue heron to say to itself, “I haven’t tried the pond inContinue reading “A change in the weather…”

It never seems to rain very hard today, but the sky is dark, and the wind is blowing, so it is just suboptimal for photography. Plus, the critters in Estabrook haven’t had a break in seventeen straight days, so let’s let them sleep in this morning, and we’ll use some old pictures I found onContinue reading “All new, never-before-seen images…”

I know we need rain, but I sure don’t mind taking pictures of the critters in Estabrook Park while the sun is shining. Here’s our favorite indigo bunting belting out his tune. I’m starting to lose track of all the ducklings on the river, but here’s a mallard hen at the north end with herContinue reading “Summer gets into full swing…”

I was surprised to find no wood ducks on the pond this morning. I believe that’s the first time since they hatched last week. Perhaps they were on shore somewhere napping, or Mom decided it was time for a road trip, by which I mean a hike down to the river. Maybe we’ll find outContinue reading “Lots of mouths to feed…”

Look who I spotted hauling its groceries home across the pond early this morning. That’s right, it’s our resident muskrat, whom we haven’t seen since the middle of May. Meanwhile, the kingfishers, of which there were two today, were over at the fish aisle, and goldfish must be on sale this week. A green heronContinue reading “Settling into a summer groove…”

So there I was, standing on the path along the river and frantically, but without making any sudden movements, trying to get my lens to focus on a “rare, for this time of year” and crazy-elusive Canada warbler, which I could clearly hear with my ears and glimpse with my binoculars, when all of aContinue reading “Just when I think I’ve seen it all…”

It was a dark and cloudy morning in Estabrook Park, and I even contemplated not going for a visit. All the migrants have moved on, so what did I expect to see anyway. Well, my producer was having none of that, handed me my camera, and marched me out the door. Talk about luck! WhenContinue reading “As it turns out, eight is not enough.”