Signs of Life in Estabrook Park

It’s about time…

It was a beautiful morning in Estabrook Park. The air was nearly still and just below freezing, the snow on the ground managed to stick around, and the sky was mostly clear for the first time in days. Best of all, I had a few minutes to enjoy it all before today’s festivities got underway.

At first, I was a bit surprised. I did see one beaver on the lower river, of which we’ve seen plenty lately, but I did not see a single mallard, when normally I would have counted a couple dozen before I reached the falls. I could think of one reason that would have caused all the mallards to have taken off, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up.

Happily, once I reached the falls, my dreams did come true, and here’s an adult bald eagle taking its newly-minted status as America’s national bird out for a test drive. Talk about perfect timing.

It must have been hungry, too, because it soared up and down the river a few times, even attracting a herring gull escort for a while, and perched at least twice. Here it is when something on the water had enough of its attention so that I could sneak up for a closer look. You can even spot the jewelry it was sporting.

Meanwhile, out on the water, an octet of common mergansers, “very large and often submerged ducks”, went about their business as if to say “don’t even waste your time trying.” On the other hand, I read that “occasionally even a bald eagle will try to steal a fish from a merganser,” so perhaps that was the draw.

I would have loved to stay and watch that play out, but I had a schedule to keep, so I hustled over to the pond to check on the sparrows. The star of that show today, however, was this little red squirrel, who I’ve glimpsed there on-and-off for days, but haven’t managed to capture on film in a while. Well, today was the day that it had enough of a hankering for bird seed that it was finally willing to oblige our gaze, if only for a moment.

That’s a wrap for today, and I hope yours is going as merrily as mine.

The white stuff sticks around…

The dreary weather continues, but the lack of sun, and temps right around freezing, have left enough of the snow on the ground from Friday to let us have at least a white Christmas eve in Milwaukee. At this rate, it might even last until the big day tomorrow.

Let me start at the north end, for a change, and show you the second, and I believe larger, of the two great horned owls. We did see both yesterday, but they were both well hidden in their lair, and I didn’t even bother taking a picture. Today, I could see only one in hiding, and when I turned around to see if I could spot the other one, I was a bit startled to find it staring right down at me.

I did see a trio of common mergansers on the river between the islands, but they kept to the far shore, and I couldn’t find the black duck, so I headed to the pond. There, I spotted the pair of fox sparrows again, and this one was kind enough to let us have a nice look.

This red-bellied woodpecker was across the pond, so pretty far away, but I’m a sucker for anyone picking seeds from the sumac, and I knew it wouldn’t give me enough time to hustle around to the other side, so here we are.

On my way back south along the river, I was surprised to find a beaver still up on the ice and gnawing the bark off sticks. Earlier, on my way north, when the light was even dimmer, I had seen three (3!) at once doing the same. They were spread out, however, at about 50 yards apart, so they didn’t really make an amazing picture, but still, it’s great to see them doing so well.

At the river, I also searched for our hermit thrush, one of the winter wrens, or a bluebird, but all I could find today was this darling mourning dove.

A bit south of the beaver, I caught this muskrat checking out one of their breakfast spots, perhaps to see if there might be a morsal that somehow got missed. Anyway, I don’t believe I’ve seen one up on its haunches like this before.

Finally, to end on a colorful note, here’s a female cardinal picking berries from a bush on the island in the pond.

Short, and I hope just sweet enough…

It was plenty cloudy this morning, and just above freezing, but the precipitation held off, so we had a good day for our weekly wildlife walk in Estabrook Park. There were eight of us, all together, and we spotted or heard 26 bird species, including that now-confirmed American black duck from yesterday, and one muskrat. I completely failed to get any pictures, however, so it’s back to the editing room floor again.

Here’s an American goldfinch from Friday busily feasting on burdock seeds beside the river at the north end. Oddly, since then they have gone from being one of my most reliable finds to being scarce as hens’ teeth. We did hear one today, but only one, and that’s a far cry from the dozen or more I used to see every morning. Hmmm.

Finally, here’s another northern Cardinal on the island in the pond, also from Friday. Thankfully, there are still plenty of them about.

Lastly, here’s another look at that black duck amongst the mallards yesterday. She certainly looks like a mallard hen, as many other female ducks do, but she’s noticeably darker than the mallard hen beside her, and her bill is all dark instead of the orange and olive mix on the mallard.

Lots of familiar faces, and maybe a new one…

First, before I forget, I want to remind you that I’ll be back in Estabrook Park at 8am tomorrow morning for our Weekly Wildlife Walk. If you haven’t been out since the snow arrived, this might be your last chance to enjoy it before warmer temps and rain wash it all away.

Alright, back to this morning. It was still below freezing but warmer than yesterday, so the snow on the river trail was still nice and firm but a lot less noisy. The clouds were thick, though, and If there was more sunlight than yesterday, you couldn’t prove it by me.

My first treat came early when I spotted our beaver on the far riverbank and farther downstream than usual. The biggest difference, however, is that it was skipping the twigs and chewing on a log for breakfast instead.

The hermit thrush has indeed moved southward since Friday, but only by a few dozen yards, so I don’t know how much that helps. “You might have to go farther to really feel the difference, Sweetie.”

As I approached the falls and paused to take a peek up river, this little dash of color on the side of the bluff caught my eye.

One of the great horned owls was in the usual spot, but mostly hidden from view, so here’s a look from yesterday at probably the same bird in almost the same spot.

The big surprise for today might be this dark, mallard-like duck resting on the ice with other mallards at the far north end. I want it to be a female American black duck, which I just saw in CT and we do get to see here from time to time, but that tiny strip of white beside its blue speculum feathers gives me pause. It certainly isn’t as much white as on the mallard hen at the right edge of the image, but as you can see here, they’re not supposed to have any. The experts will weigh in soon enough. Keep your fingers crossed.

I had seen a muskrat earlier in the morning, just a bit upstream from the beaver, and I saw another two at the north end by the dark, mallard-like duck, but the best picture I got was back at the south end on my way home of this one up on the ice nearly in the middle of the river. It might be the same critter I saw earlier or a fourth muskrat, but it wouldn’t say.

Since I have a little room left, here’s a white-throated sparrow beside the pond from yesterday. I did see at least one again today, but this picture is nicer.

Finally, here’s one last look at one of the European starlings on Friday filling up on fruit from the tree in front of Kingo Lutheran Church across Wilson Drive at the south end. I believe that that is its tongue sticking out to the side of its mouth to make room for all that frozen goodness.

Lastly, to whomever left this for me in the southern parking lot this morning, you have really outdone yourself! That’s a full case and a third of Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy and about three quarters of a case of Kirkland’s Signature Hard Seltzer. Santa came early this year!

Anyway, I hope you can join us at 8 am tomorrow in the parking lot closest to the Bier Garten. Dress for the weather!

A lull after the storm…

It certainly was a nice enough morning in Estabrook Park. Sure, it was cold, at 10°F, but the breeze was pretty light, and the sun shone through at times. The critters, however, mostly kept out of sight. I did see two great horned owls, but the pictures aren’t as great, and I didn’t see any other raptors. I did see plenty of mallards and geese, but all the less-common water fowl must have fled to the lake. Luckily, yesterday was such a stellar day that I still have plenty of pictures left over to fill in for today.

As I just mentioned, I did see two owls, but I like this picture from yesterday better, before the one had moved and the sun came out.

Here are two more of the bluebirds, a male and a female, that were looking for a sip of river water with the one from yesterday.

Here’s a gadwall drake dabbling with the mallards at the far north end yesterday.

By the pond, I watched this nuthatch checking out an old woodpecker hole in a branch of the big oak tree behind the west lawn.

Here it is again doing the classic nuthatch pose.

One of the bigger surprises yesterday was catching a glimpse of this yellow-rumped warbler. It is probably the same bird I glimpsed at the start of the month, but this time the picture, fuzzy as it is, came out a lot better.

Back at the far south end, the red-tailed hawk that we’ve been seeing in that area lately posed perfectly in the sun and against a beautiful blue sky.

Finally, here’s another one of the European starlings filling up on little red fruits.

It’s beginning to look a lot like winter…

We got about four inches of the white stuff in Estabrook Park since just after I left yesterday morning, and the clouds were still low and heavy when I returned early today. That dim light might be why I was able to find this muskrat enjoying its breakfast out on the ice, as we’ve been seeing its bigger cousin do this week.

Meanwhile, the beaver was farther upstream and fixing instead to enjoy takeout at home.

Here’s a closer look through fewer branches.

A bit farther upstream, I found my first pretty bird picture of the morning, this darling hermit thrush, who perhaps was wondering if it isn’t finally time to fly south to its winter range in southern Illinois.

At the north end, this eastern bluebird might have been wondering the same thing.

On my way back south, the sun was starting to come out, Tom the mink whisperer gave me a heads-up that our great horned owl had moved to a nearby silver maple, and man, oh man, what a pretty spot it picked.

The bushes around the pond were full of birds, after yesterday’s odd lull, and this robin picking berries from a snow-covered bush on the island put on the best show.

Finally, I didn’t see a starling during my entire walk through the park, despite checking both reliable spots. After I crossed Wilson Drive on my way back home, I found out why: they’re all picking berries from this fruit tree in front of Kingo Lutheran Church. There were probably a couple dozen of them.

Opposite Day

I don’t know if the critters in Estabrook Park could sense that there was snow coming today, but they sure were making themselves scarce when I visited this morning. Nearly half of the birds I saw yesterday were in hiding today, and the two critters I did manage to get pictures of today had kept out of sight yesterday. Fascinating.

Things had gotten off to a nice start, despite the dark cloud cover, when I spotted this beaver checking for sticks to nibble on as it worked its way upstream along our shore.

After a bit, it did find something worth getting out of the water for, but I could only get a clear shot of its back end. At least we get a better look than usual at that amazing tail it has.

After I left the beaver to its breakfast, I soon found another infrequent sight, this elusive winter wren.

After that, the show was pretty much over. I did see five of the common mergansers, but no gadwall, and not a single raptor. Luckily, a couple of the raptors yesterday put on such nice displays, that I have extra pictures from then, and here’s another look at the Cooper’s hawk.

Finally, here’s another look at the red-tailed hawk.

Tomorrow’s forecast is currently calling for more snow and plenty of wind, so who knows what I will see, but I’ll give it a look anyway.

Quite the welcome home party

Anne and I had a great time out east, but you also know how I always find it great to be back in Estabrook Park, and the mild winter weather this morning, with temps just below freezing, light winds, and even a bit of sun, sure didn’t hurt.

My first big surprise came as I approached the falls down the bluff from the Bier Garten and looked up river to get a preview. There appeared to be at least two common merganser drakes, and when I finally got up to the open water between the islands, I found three drakes and three hens. Even better, this quintet bunched up nicely for a group picture.

The surprises kept coming because I soon found this gadwall drake dabbling with the mallards in the river upstream of the northern island.

Meanwhile, on shore right behind me, this mature Cooper’s hawk was basking in the sunlight while it lasted.

The pond is still frozen over, so there’s not much chance of seeing a duck there, but the trees and bushes around it were full of little birds, and here’s one of the two fox sparrows I spotted.

Just below the fox sparrow, this white-throated sparrow appeared to stretch its neck just before it took off.

Finally, just as I was about to leave the park at the south end, this beauty swooped into one of the black walnut trees that guard the exit there, probably in pursuit of one of the squirrels that call it home. This isn’t the first time I’ve found a red-tailed hawk there, and I sure hope it won’t be the last.

Connecticut Wrap-up

The precipitation yesterday did eventually peter out, and I was able to get outside to take a couple of pictures of the birds by my folks’ house. Here’s a dark-eyed junco finding seeds in the little strip of grass beside a building where the snow didn’t land.

There is an abandoned driving range nearby, which is now covered with tall grasses and low bushes. This provides great habitat for all kinds of little rodents, which in turn reliably attracts birds of prey, and here’s a red-tailed hawk looking for lunch.

Finally, I also spotted another mockingbird yesterday afternoon, but there was still no sun to light up its pretty eyes.

Overnight, there was a huge change in the weather out here, and the temperature was all the way up to 51°F this morning, so the snow was already almost completely gone. There was also a low and thick cloud cover, so not much light, but at least I never felt a drop as I strolled along the Farmington Canal Trail.

I couldn’t find the otters nor the ring-necked ducks on the pond this morning, but we had a pair of hooded mergansers instead, and here’s the drake keeping his distance.

I didn’t see any red-tails or owls this morning, but here’s one of the two red-shouldered hawks that like to hunt beside the trail.

Finally, my sister and I started hearing yellow-bellied sapsuckers yesterday, and this morning I was finally able to capture an image of this male. I see that we are just inside their winter range out here, so I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.

With any luck, our flights this afternoon will go smoothly, and Anne and I will be back in Wisconsin this evening. I look forward to seeing who’s come or gone in Estabrook Park tomorrow.

Monday morning reruns…

We had some snow on the ground this morning in Connecticut, but the precipitation has now changed over to rain, which is how I remember it often went when I lived here as a kid. If this was Estabrook Park, I’d probably be out in it anyway, as you may know by now, but I just didn’t bring the gear along on this trip that I would need for this weather. Thus, we turn to the editing room floor.

Here’s another look at one of the two red-shouldered hawks from last Friday.

Here’s another look at the tufted titmouse, on the same day, but before it got its pose just right.

Finally, here’s the otter from that morning just as it first triumphantly surfaced with whatever it had caught for breakfast.