As promised, here are the rest of the pictures from yesterday’s magical Monday morning.
First up, a bit after the four deer strode up onto the island and disappeared in the brush, this young one came back out seemingly to see what that weird old guy on the far shore was up to.
“What is he doing there?”
“What does he want?”
“A mystery for the ages, I guess, but I hope he finds what he’s looking for.”
I sure did, Kiddo, and thanks.
Meanwhile, a great blue heron was too busy fishing to pay any attention to that nonsense.
And our newest visitor, the pintail, seemed oblivious to it all.
I did finally will one of the blue-winged teals to line up with a mallard so I could show you just how tiny they are.
On my way back south, I was happy to find that the solitary sandpiper hasn’t taken off yet.
A male northern flicker was uncharacteristically still and visible.
And the male downy woodpecker gave us a nice view of his red spot.
This grey catbird was after the berries you can see in the foreground, and every time it turned to grab one, my autofocus couldn’t follow, so all I got was a blur, but at least this one still image came out.
Finally, the yellow-rumped warbler was really in a posing mood, so we get one more look.
The forecast for Wednesday is for “partly cloudy” so let’s hope we get another nice little batch of morning sun and blue sky to make the pictures pretty.
This morning was supposed to be dark and grey, again, so I lolled in bed till 6:30, and the reward for my sloth was about an hour of warm morning sun and even a bit of bright blue sky. Do not get me thinking that sloth might pay!
Anyway, by the time I managed to stroll up the parkway, this grey squirrel was also enjoying the morning sun and blue sky with a tasty looking nut in a comfortable looking perch on top of a lamp post.
At the pond, another photographer was deep into a session with the wood ducks on the west lawn, so I just captured a quick image over his shoulder and made a bee line for the river.
Happily, I made it to the river just in time to capture one more, well-lit glimpse of a yellow-rumped warbler before the clouds rolled back in.
“That’s right, little cutie, I’m looking at you, and thanks for sitting still for a millisecond.”
They will eventually all bug out to Illinois or further, for the winter, so we gotta enjoy them while we can.
After I captured what I figured was going to be as good a warbler image as I was going to get, I turned my gaze to the river, and you will not believe what I saw. First one…
then Two…
then THREE…
THEN FOUR, YES FOUR, RIVER DEER!
(Disclaimer: “River deer” are not a “thing”, of course, and I just get a kick out of calling them that. Instead, for those of you just joining our show already in progress, these are white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), the only deer we have, and who just happen to be taking advantage of the low water to cross the river to graze on the island for a change. Maybe I’d better call them island deer.)
I can’t tell if that’s a tasty morsel or just a wood chip, but let’s hope for the former, eh?
Finally, I made one more scan of the mallards out on the water, and looky who I found. That black bill, grey face, and long neck makes me think we’ve got ourselves a female pintail. How about that?!?!? She’s only got to fly the length of Illinois to her wintering grounds, so perhaps she’ll stick around a while and let us have another chance at a better look.
Whew! After all that action, let’s bring it down a notch with this serene looking mushroom growing peacefully right out of a box elder knot.
Stay tuned to find out tomorrow what pictures I kept in my pocket to show you while I go to school.
It was a wet and dreary morning in Estabrook, but before we get into that, let me say “thanks” to all the folks who stopped by the Friends of Estabrook Park booth yesterday at the Fish & Feather Festival. We sure had nice weather in Hubbard Park for the event. There are too many names to type here, and even if I did, you can safely bet that I would somehow leave one out, so let me avoid that mistake and thanks again for stopping by to say “hi.” You know who you are.
Now, back to this morning. I woke to the sound of rain, so I didn’t bother hurrying out of bed. Eventually though, there appeared to be a big gap between the showers on the radar, so I put on my raincoat and headed out.
The wood ducks at the pond were nice and friendly this morning, and here are a couple of males looking especially resplendent.
This morning was turning out way better than I expected, but it started to sprinkle pretty good, so I headed back south and spotted our obligatory blue heron on the far shore right in front of a log that looks as though beaver have been working on it.
Just south of the falls, I finally started seeing the little birds in the trees, and here’s another golden-crowned kinglet.
At the clearing by where the stream from the pond empties into the river, I got to see the male downy woodpecker to go with the female from yesterday.
A yellow-rumped warbler was busy foraging in the tree above it.
The chickadees are still mining the cutleaf coneflower, and here’s one working on a seed it has carried way and wedged between its foot and the branch.
A stayed along the river to avoid the farmers market crowds and meet this dashing little waterthrush instead.
Finally, right behind the waterthrush, there were still damselfies clinging to the long blades of grass bending over the river, and as best as I can tell, this one is a male American rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)
Lastly, I keep forgetting to include this picture of what might be the last monarch butterfly of the season, which I took Saturday afternoon after whining about not finding monarchs any more.
Between the dark skies and falling rain, it was a short trip this morning. I glanced at the pond, didn’t see anything new, and kept right on truckin’ to the river at the north end. There, I did see a youngish blue heron again, but this time it scratched an itch instead of caught a fish.
While I was trying to line up a shot of the killdeer again, I saw a kingfisher fly north over the river, quieter and slower than usual, and then swoop up to its usual spot in the tall trees on the island. Just as I turned back to the killdeer, the kingfisher started squawking like mad, made an instant u-turn and fled for its life from a little raptor that had been waiting for it in that tree.
Well, the kingfisher managed to get away, and the raptor returned to the tree top so we could get a good look at it. It sure looks like a merlin, which we saw back in January and again in March, not the young peregrine falcon, whose parent, perhaps, we last saw on the TV tower back in July. Love to see it. Welcome back to Estabrook!
At the same spot, a female downy woodpecker was busy foraging for breakfast.
By the stream that comes down from the pond, the chickadees were hard at work on the cutleaf coneflower again.
This one almost seems to be saying, “take a picture. It’ll last longer.” Ouch!
Finally, as I walked along the parkway to get home, I could here several nuthatches, and when I looked, I found four of them foraging noisily together right beside the walkway.
“What the chickadee said.”
Lastly, I gotta go setup for the Fish and Feather Festival in Hubbard Park, so I apologize in advance for the inevitable typos. Now the forecast is for less than a 25% chance of rain until 3pm, so I have a hope of staying dry, and I’d love to see you there.
Wowza! That high pressure system parked over Michigan just keeps delivering the hits. What a morning it was in Estabrook, and if I were to ask for perfect weather, I don’t know what I would change.
Life on the pond continues with the new normal: a slew of wood ducks, one bright yellow duckling, and no herons, grebes, or mergansers.
The first sight to greet me at the river was this handsome red-tailed hawkCooper’s hawk on a big log jutting out just over the water, and maybe it had been getting something to drink as I walked up.
Well, there were three or four of them back in the same spot today, and here is a male and female together,
Just a male,
And just a female.
A bit further on shore was another white-throated sparrow, and this one seemed to say, “that’s enough with the grey rocks, mud, and dead grass, already. How about including some pretty foliage in the background for a change? It’s autumn for crying out loud!”
Meanwhile, out on the water, a youngish-looking great blue heron had bigger fish to fry.
On my way south, there were a group of grackles foraging in the woods above the trail, and this one somehow didn’t notice that I was taking its picture.
I had begun to think that we had seen our last warbler, not counting the waterthrush, of course, but look who I saw sampling the buckthorn berries just south of the falls. You can just make out the tell-tail yellow patch on its lower back that makes it a yellow-rumped warbler.
Finally, when I went out looking for butterflies Wednesday afternoon, I didn’t come home completely empty handed. Here’s a turkey vulture who was circling over the meadow by the river at the north end.
Lastly, when nature only gives us cabbage whites and sulphurs, I guess I’d better take pictures of cabbage whites and sulphurs, eh? Well, in that case, here’s a sulphur from this morning sipping nectar from the pretty little light-purple asters beside the Oak Leaf Trail.
PS. The hourly forecast for the Shorewood Fish & Feather Festival tomorrow is now “mostly cloudy” from 11-12, so if you’re planning on stopping by to say “hi”, and I sure hope you do, you might want to come earlier rather than later, but I’ll be there rain or shine.
I was so excited about all the stuff I saw yesterday that I forgot to check if that was my 400th park report before I published it. Well, it was, so we’re going to celebrate my 401st today instead. Ha!
As exciting as it was to see a beaver in the river again yesterday, can you even imagine seeing two?!?
The blue heron that was fishing on the rapids below the falls followed me up the river and stopped to check out the falls themselves as I approached.
Wood duck drakes in all their finery are showing up everywhere now, and here’s one on the river in some nice colors reflecting off the far shore.
There were at least three killdeer, and two of them passed by each other close enough for this fun shot.
Besides the killdeer, waterthrush, and robins, all out foraging on the rocks exposed by the low river water, it appears there was also a male brown-headed cowbirdfemale rusty blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) in the mix. Special thanks to diosaalx6 for pointing out my error.
Meanwhile, that same blue heron from the rapids and the falls continued north with me, and it finally caught something between the two islands.
Looks like a lot of grass…
but don’t worry. There’s a tasty little fish in there, too.
The white-throated sparrows are pretty close to their winter range, if not in it already, so they seem to be taking their time and are willing to strike a nice pose for us.
That bold waterthrush also caught something to eat.
And further south, another one even ventured right out onto the lily pads.
Finally, right on the other side of the path, a brown creeper was creeping up a tree trunk. They are also in or near their wintering grounds, so we might expect to see them for a while, if we can spot them. Did you manage to find the one I included in Sunday’s report?
Lastly, I had hoped to show you one last butterfly picture, and I even went out again yesterday afternoon to look for one on an aster in the warmth of the day, but I could only find cabbage whites and sulphurs, both of whom I’ve already featured lately. Darn. I guess we’ll have to wait till spring now.
I hit the park a little earlier than usual this morning, before sunrise, and mostly because I was awake anyway, but also to see if I’d been missing anything lately. You may have noticed that I’ve been waiting for enough light to get good warbler and vireo pictures, but we know there’s plenty of action before then.
Well, the first sight to greet me was a great blue heron fishing in the mist where the rapids resume after the big, wide, slow part of the river below the falls. What an absolute treat.
Here’s a close-up, in case you’re viewing this on your phone and can’t even see the heron in the image above.
As I was busy trying to decide just how wide to make that shot and also trying to catch the heron with its neck in that picturesque s-shape so it’s all backlit by the reflection off the water, look who just happened to swim by.
At the north end, the killdeer were back, and the sun had finally come up to light the scene.
Another heron, this one with full, mature plumage, was taking a break from fishing and perhaps also warming its bones in the warm morning sun. It was a cold morning.
On my way back south along the river, I was happy to see our goose couple with three good wings between them still looking otherwise healthy. The injured one rested while the other foraged nearby with four others, and after I stood on the shore a while trying to compose the perfect picture, it came over to check in and maybe suggest that I just keep it moving, Buddy. Sure thing, Pal!
Finally, if you’ve been to the park lately, you know that the squirrels have a ton of nuts to eat or hide before the snow flies, and this one was doing its part.
As has been the norm lately, I got a ton of pictures this morning, and I won’t have time for the park tomorrow, so I saved a few to post then, so be sure to tune in to see who else was on the prowl today.
Lastly, the forecast for the Shorewood Fish & Feather Festival this Saturday is now “cloudy in the morning with scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day,” so if you’re planning on stopping by to say “hi”, and I sure hope you do, you might want to come earlier rather than later.
It’s not light out yet, but the forecast high temperature for today is 67°, so not so much like summer anymore. Plus, I’ve gotta go to school today, so here are some more pictures from yesterday.
There was also a cormorant out there, and as I was trying to get a picture of the heron and cormorant together, the third kingfisher, who had caught the fish, photobombed the shot.
kingfisher mallard heron cormorant
Unfortunately, the cormorant wasn’t ready, so here’s a better one of the cormorant with the heron and a bonus mallard hen, but without the kingfisher. It was a regular wild kingdom out there yesterday morning.
Here’s another red-eyed vireo trying to rustle up enough calories to take it all the way to the Amazon.
On my way back south along the river, I found another yellow-rumped warbler with its bright yellow “rump” and just a hint of the yellow they are supposed to have on their sides.
This looks like another yellow-rumped warbler opting not to show us any yellow at all. What give’s, guys? That’s your signature move.
Here are a couple more acrobatic kinglet shots, just to keep the chickadees on their toes.
I think that’s finally all of them. Stay tuned for tomorrow when I get to go back to the park, and the forecast is for more cool and calm air with a bright sun and a blue sky. Perfection!
It almost felt like summer again in Estabrook with temps starting in the 60s and quickly reaching the 70s under a warm sun and a picture-perfect blue sky.
The little yellow duckling was swimming around on the pond again this morning, along with nearly two dozen wood ducks, and here’s a handsome one.
There were no herons or anything else new, so I quickly moved on to the river. At the north end, I spotted this male and female belted kingfisher having an animated conversation in the top of a tree over the island.
As I was watching that drama unfold, a third kingfisher caught a fish in the river and landed on this log to choke it down. First the kingfisher thrashed the fish a few times to subdue it.
And then down the hatch it went.
Meanwhile, back on shore, the little birds were getting their breakfasts, too.
A golden-crowned kinglet was too busy foraging to pose as nicely as the one last week, but it did take a moment to show us its golden-crown.
Here’s a dark-eyed junco just back from summering in Canada and already in its wintering grounds. You’re here, little buddy! Welcome back! You made it! Yay!
As I was doing my best to capture a decent junco image as they stuck to the shaded riverbank, a blue heron landed in a well-lit branch on the far shore.
About halfway between the north and south end, at the base of the stairs down from the middle playground and where the stream from the pond reaches the river, is a nice big and wide low area, and this morning it was really abuzz. The acrobatic chickadees were feasting on cutleaf coneflower seeds again, but I’ve already shown you pictures of them the previous two days. Instead, check out this pretty little Nashville warbler.
And, just when I thought we might have seen the last of them for the season, here’s a green heron out on the river.
Finally, I stopped by the patch of asters I discovered blooming beside the Oak Leaf Trail yesterday to look for butterflies again, and there was just this sulphur today. The two spots and pink fringe suggest its probably a pink-edged sulphur, maybe the same one as before.
Lastly, since I’ve gotta go to school in the morning, and so many pictures came out presentable this morning, I’ve saved some for tomorrow. Check in then for the rest of what I saw today.
It was another stunningly beautiful early autumn morning in Estabrook Park, and for reasons that it’s best I don’t get into, I skipped the pond and went straight to the river.
I didn’t even make it to the water before this chipper looking flycatcher, probably an eastern wood-pewee, caught my eye as it soaked up the morning sun.
Right below the pee-wee, so that I barely had to take a step, this female rose-breasted grosbeak helpfully showed us both sides to aid with our identification. What a sweetheart, eh?
And as I was trying to capture the full extent of the chickadee’s acrobatic prowess, this little chipmunk seemed to say, “sure, but who’s cuter?”
As I pondered that question, a movement caught my eye. Can you see who it was? Click here if you’re stumped.
Meanwhile, this bright red cardinal with a contrasting black ring around its beak scoffed, “disguises are for wusses!”
Phew! That’s a lot of action for 20 feet of trail. Luckily for me, things were pretty quiet from then on until I reached the north end. There, as I was trying to keep track of some darty little bird in a tree up ahead, I could hear something making a big ruckus on the water, and I turned just in time to catch this gorgeous sight.
When I mentioned big fish splashing in the water a week or so ago, long-time reader, Drew, wrote in to suggest salmon, so that’s my guess for today.
I had hardly returned my attention to the little bird in the tree when this majestic creature, who appears to be a red-tailed hawk, soared overhead.
I never did get a decent look at that little bird in the tree, but by then things had warmed up enough on the ground for the asters to be full of bumblebees…
and butterflies, like this green-eyed sulphur of some type. The two circles on its wings and hints of pink around the edges makes me wanna go with pink-edged sulphur.
On my way back south, the water below the falls was full of fly-fishing people, and so I was quite surprised to see this, usually very shy, great blue heron just above the falls and seeming to yawn in their direction.
I did want to check in on our new, yellow duckling, so I hiked over to the pond to find it alive, well, and sound asleep on the far shore.
While right offshore another blue heron stretched one of its huge wings.
Meanwhile, right at my feet, this tiny blue butterfly, which appears to be an eastern tailed-blue with its wing tails warn off, spread its wings to catch some sun.
I know that’s a lot of pictures, but the forecast is for nice weather again tomorrow, so I expect even more pictures, and I’ve gotta get these out the door to make room. Plus, Tom assured me that I “never post too many pictures!” So here we are.
Oh yeah, before I forget again, one of my followers on instagram, chimed in on that sparrow I showed you on Friday and claims that it is an adult Lincoln’s sparrow, and sure enough, the pattern of gray, brown, and black stripes on its head matches. It ain’t from around here, and is just passing through on its way from the UP or Canada to the states along the Gulf of Mexico. Here’s our picture again, just to over do it, but remember what Tom said.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 