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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…”

I couldn’t find the wood ducks again this morning, neither on the river nor on the pond, and was making my way home empty-handed, when I stopped to check on the Cooper’s hawk nest I spotted under construction yesterday. Is I searched the treetops for it or the hawk itself, a bird watcher came byContinue reading “Lost and found…”

They’re back …. the wood ducks that is. I spotted my first pair on the river this morning just off the south shore of the northern island basking in the morning sun. Some of you long-time readers may recall that my very first post from the park was to announce that I had spotted woodContinue reading “Some color returns to Estabrook…”

The greening of Estabrook continues, perhaps slowed by the grey skies but undaunted. The geese at the pond have picked up a fifth wheel whom nobody seems to like. There were three mallard drakes and one hen, and she rebuffed advances more than once. And the solo gadwall hen is still there doing her thing,Continue reading “The greening of Estabrook continues…”

I didn’t get to the park until this afternoon and it was quiet, super quiet. The wind was calm, the sky was dark grey, hardly anyone was around, and many of the critters were taking a nap, like these two mallards beside the pond. We’ve seen them there before, and I wonder how long they’llContinue reading “The calm after the storm…”