The clear skies continue, the temps are starting to warm, and the breeze has picked up just a bit, so it was another beautiful morning in Estabrook Park.

The big surprise for me today was finding this pair of Canada geese atop the abandoned bridge abutment at the far riverbank and a bit below the falls, as though they are Egyptian geese in South Holland or something. They seemed to be conversing with another pair on the water in the blue hole right behind them, but I couldn’t quite make out what they were saying.

Just a little farther upstream, this white breasted nuthatch was busily foraging for breakfast, and I was happy that one in a dozen pictures was presentable.

As usual lately, there was not much to report from the north end, so I proceeded to the pond, where I found our wood duck drake still waiting for the hens to arrive.

Instead of hooded mergansers, he was joined this morning by a solo red-breasted merganser drake, who also managed to catch a fish, but not a goldfish this time.

Once he succeeded in choking it down, he enjoyed a quick, celebratory bath.

Finally, the dark-eyed juncos may have begun moving north because I didn’t see a single one at the pond, and only stumbled upon this single bird on my way home. According to ebird, we usually see them well into April, but with the red-winged blackbirds and common grackles showing up nearly a month early, perhaps the juncos are also changing their schedule.

I hope you’re able to make the most out of your bonus day. In Estabrook Park, the recent cold snap lasted through the night, and it was even colder this morning than yesterday, but the sky was still clear as a bell, and the wind is even lighter, so it was very nice. I was able to count a lot of birds, but most seemed too busy for pictures today. Perhaps they are all trying to make the most of their bonus day, too.

There were a few outliers, thankfully, and this cardinal by the pond was one. He parked so close that I had to zoom out to fit him all in the frame. Plus, he stayed put for a beat even after looking me right in the eye. Maybe it was an “I meant to do that” moment for him.

The grackles were still at the pond, as well, and this one put on quite a show with his splayed tail feathers and iridescent blue head feathers.

The solo wood duck drake was still there, too, and his head feathers were popping a nice iridescent green with just a splash of pink behind the eye.

Finally, the cold wasn’t enough to form much ice on the pond nor keep this muskrat in its burrow, and here it is showing just how waterproof its fur is. Notice the little pool of water on its back.

See you in March!

Holy Moly, what a weather roller coaster we are on! Temps reached the high 60s yesterday afternoon, or even setting a record high of 74°F at the airport, then we had lightning and thunder last evening, snow overnight, and temps are in the low 20s this morning. Yikes! The sun is peeking through the clouds now, and the temps don’t bother me, but the 20+ mph wind will keep most critters hunkered down, so I’m staying home for now.

Luckily, I went out for a bike ride yesterday afternoon and stopped by the pond on my way home, where I found two young nature enthusiasts taking pictures, one with binoculars, acting as the spotter, and the other with a camera nearly as big as he is. Good for them!

Anyway, when I asked them what they were seeing, they told me that there was a pair of hooded mergansers and even a turtle out enjoying the warm sun, so I hustled home to get my own camera, and this is what I managed to capture.

First the turtle, a red-eared slider, and surely setting the record for earliest Chelonian emergence in Estabrook.

Then the pair of hooded mergansers. You may recall we had a female/immature on the pond for a while late last fall, but I’m not sure when was the last time I saw a drake there.

They were snoozing against the east show when I returned with my gear, so I started with the turtle, but they soon headed out for some fishing, and it didn’t take the hen long to land a nice big goldfish.

It took her a couple of tries, but she eventually got it lined up just right and into her belly.

Meanwhile, the drake was diving, but coming up empty, as far as I saw, but he did make a nice swim-by with the wood duck, whom we had already seen earlier in the day.

Finally, the pair docked off the tip of the island and appeared to settle in for another nap.

As I reluctantly headed back home to do the work work that I had been putting off, I couldn’t help but notice that the big patch of snowdrops on the north side of the maintenance building was in full bloom. Better yet, as I tried to line up my best artsy shot, they even had a customer come visit. Yay!

Wowzah, it was warm in Estabrook Park this morning! Skies were crystal clear, so I got out well before sunrise, at 6:20 am, and it was already 52°F and on its way to a forecast 67°F this afternoon.

One critter that was out taking advantage of the unusual weather was this beaver, busily hauling a long, slender stick back to its burrow. Long-time readers may recall that just three years ago during the last week of February, there was still enough ice on the river for a pair of beaver to climb up on it and cuddle.

Another critter trying to capitalize on the early warmth is this grackle, perched high over the river, …

and five of its best friends.

I didn’t see anybody besides mallards and geese at the north end, so I headed to the pond, where I found the wood duck drake whom we first saw on Sunday, but still no hens yet. “Hang in there, Buddy! They’ll get here soon enough.”

The cardinals were quite active at the pond, and here’s one munching on some sumac seeds.

Finally, the dark-eyed juncos have changed their tune recently and are becoming less plentiful. Here’s one who hasn’t left yet and instead has found a prominent perch from which it can sing its new song.

It is a little hazy and breezy now, but earlier this morning, the sky was clear, and the air was still in Estabrook Park. Temps were in the high 30s already by sunrise, but there was enough radiant cooling overnight to frost the grass and firm up some of the river trail mud.

I suspect it was the still air and subsequent quiet that enabled me to find in short order the winter wren that the Milwaukee Birders and I searched for in vain along the river yesterday.

At the north end, all the goldeneyes and mergansers we saw yesterday have moved on already, but I finally was able to get my camera on this handsome kingfisher, for the first time since January. The Milwaukee Birders heard him yesterday, but none of us could spot it, and I glimpsed one earlier in the week as it rocketed past, but I need more time than that.

At the pond, the wood duck has also moved on already, but this white-throated sparrow was kind enough to sit still for a moment.

Another first for the season was this eastern chipmunk by the pond and glowing in the morning sun.

Finally, on my way back south, I could hear squirrels crying overhead as I walked by the entrance to the underpass, and a quick scan of the trees soon found this beautiful Cooper’s hawk on the hunt.

Donna’s Sunday morning birding group came to visit Estabrook Park this morning, and I showed them where I have seen the winter wren recently, but it didn’t want to come out and play today. Instead, we saw a bald eagle glide over the north end, and there was a goldeneye hen on the water, but I didn’t manage to get any pictures.

Well, the group eventually had enough birding for one morning, we parted ways by the beer garden, and as I walked past the pond on my way home, look who I found floating in the sun. It’s our first wood duck of the season. Woo Hoo! He was quite shy and after I grabbed this picture from up by the parkway, he hid under the bushes that overhang the water from the island and refused to come out. Oh well. I’m sure we’ll be seeing plenty more of him soon enough.

Anyway, while I was sitting on the park bench and enjoying the sun that had come out, the mallards mostly ignored me, and this drake really put on a light show with his iridescent head feathers. First, they glowed green, …

then blue, …

and finally, both blue and green at the same time!

Lastly, the goose couple were up on the lawn right in front of me, and I wonder if the female is bracing herself for the arduous 28 days of incubating she’s got in her near future.

Wow! What a difference 24 hours can make. We went from high 30s with blue skies yesterday morning in Estabrook Park to low 20s with grey skies and snow on the ground this morning. It sure seemed to wake up the critters, too.

I had just gotten on the, now nicely frozen, river trail at the far south end, when this red-tailed hawk swooped in looking for squirrels. It must have been quite hungry because it nearly ignored me. I’m pretty sure it was the one with the almost all-white belly we’ve been seeing recently.

At about half-way to the north end, near where the stream from the pond empties into the river, this red squirrel was busy with its own breakfast.

As I approached the north end, I was thrilled to find this handsome pair of common goldeneyes diving in the shallow water between the islands. We haven’t seen the likes of them since the last cold snap, about two weeks ago.

There was also a female common merganser floating with the Canada geese near the northern island.

A little ice was forming on the pond, but that wasn’t enough to daunt this intrepid muskrat, and I don’t believe I’ve been able to show you one from the pond since back in December.

There was also a sextet of male red-winged blackbirds, and they were perched together and calling in a tree over the north end. They were making quite a racket, and I don’t believe I’ve seen them behave this way before.

Back on the water, a half dozen mallards were paddling around with the pair of geese, and this one hen took a moment to spread preen oil all over her feathers.

Finally, back at the south end, there is a big old tree on the lawn of the Benjamin Church House that is still full of fruit, and it was attracting a few starlings, including this non-breeding adult or youngster, …

And a slew of hungry robins.

This morning the weather in Estabrook Park was just about as nice as yesterday, but I didn’t see nearly as many critters out enjoying it. Maybe they’re just pacing themselves.

Anyway, here is yet another muskrat picture, but in my defense, it is a different individual on a different part of the river, and the water is reflecting some pretty colors, so here we are.

The only other sight that caught my eye was this chickadee furiously foraging for breakfast.

With the dearth of pictures today, here’s another look at the red-tailed hawk from yesterday.

I saw no sign of the red-breasted merganser on the pond or the river, but here’s another look from yesterday.

Finally, someone reported seeing the yellow-bellied sapsucker yesterday, but it eluded me then and again today, so I have to go back to Wednesday for one last picture of it.

It was another very nice sprinter morning in Estabrook Park, but a little cooler than yesterday, and the mostly clear skies overnight allowed for some additional radiant cooling that even froze up the river path mud in many spots.

The songbirds are really starting to sing throughout the park, but the first critter to properly greet me this morning was this muskrat on the river.

I didn’t see anybody other than mallards, geese, and a couple of gulls on the river at the north end, but when I climbed the bluff to head toward the pond, this red-tailed hawk swooped in to say “Hi!” Actually, it was probably far more interested in any of the several squirrels in the trees around it, who were all making their warning sound.

When I finally did reach the pond, I was happy to find a red-breasted merganser drake busy fishing, but also looking magnificent in the sun while catching his breath.

I stopped back by the river again on my way home to see if I could get another picture of the winter wren. I did manage to see a glimpse of it, but I failed to get a picture this time. Instead, here’s a song sparrow, of which we haven’t seen much lately.

While there, I was surprised to find the muskrat still active on the river, and here it is with a nice fresh shoot it just pulled out of the river bottom.

Finally, I also searched for the sapsucker, but I saw no sign of him today. Instead, here’s another picture from yesterday.

Anne and I arrived back in Milwaukee safe and sound yesterday afternoon. The American southwest is amazing, of course, but it is also always great to be back home. This morning was cloudy, breezy, and a little sprinkly in Estabrook Park, but it was also warm, the breeze eventually died down, and the sun even came out for a bit.

The first critter to welcome me back was this little red squirrel, who appears to be sampling the bark on that twig, a behavior which I have not seen before. I can’t find bark listed in their diet anywhere, so perhaps it was just putting on a show to fake me out.

I saw no signs of the American coot, common mergansers, or goldeneyes, but there were a couple of red-breasted merganser drakes around, and here’s the one on the river.

The pond still has a little ice cover, but the water is mostly clear now, and here are a pair of Canada geese taking advantage of it.

There were also about a dozen mallards on the pond, and here’s one pair.

Meanwhile, this red-winged blackbird was calling from atop the tree directly over the park bench on the west lawn.

Finally, all the way back at the south end, by the sand volleyball court, I spotted my first yellow-bellied sapsucker of the season. Woo Hoo! Now that’s a fine “Welcome Home!”