It appears that all the wildfire smoke from Alberta has drifted east of here because the skies over Estabrook Park were a beautiful blue this morning. The air was pretty nice, too, at least until the winds shifted to bring us a cold Lake Michigan breeze.

Anyway, I got a bit closer to making an indigo bunting portrait today with this little fella in the warm morning sun.

Down the bluff, before the sun was high enough to reach over the edge, this darling female redstart was hunting up her breakfast in the cool shadows.

Farther upriver, I made a little progress on getting a common yellowthroat portrait as well.

At the pond, I found yet another warbler, this amazing Blackburnian, foraging nice a low in a tree just off the path. Isn’t it amazing when the sun, bird, tree, and sky all just happen to line up like that.

The Milwaukee River is getting quite low, and this great blue heron struck a pose on one of the sandbars that are now poking through the water.

A couple of red-faced turkey vultures soared overhead to provide nice contrast to the black vulture I spotted out in The Constitution State. See the bright red face?

Finally, a least flycatcher provides similar contrast to the willow flycatcher from Tuesday.

It was another gorgeous morning here in The Nutmeg State, so I couldn’t help but take one last look around.

As has been the norm out here, I heard this bird long before I saw it. The pictures are nothing to write home about, to be sure, because it had found itself a nice high perch, and the clear sky is still pretty white with smoke from that wild fire in Alberta, but you can just make out the namesake blue wings of a blue-winged warbler.

This indigo bunting was even higher and farther away, but I could still hear its call all the way across the field.

I’ve been hearing this chipping sparrow all week, but it was oddly quiet when I spotted it this morning.

Finally, here’s a house wren doing what house wren’s do.

It’s been a great visit, but the next stop should be Estabrook Park, so keep your fingers crossed.

I’m still out east, and I returned to the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail this morning, where I had hiked last Friday. My sister came with me again, and the weather was just about perfect, so I was glad to have a second set of eyes along. Plus, she’s the one who rescued a Carolina wren from a glue trap a couple of years ago, in case we need to do that again.

We were counting a lot of birds by their calls, mostly little ones, but not seeing many, until we heard this one. At first, I wasn’t even sure a bird was making such a squawk. Click here to hear it for yourself. Thankfully, the handy-dandy Merlin app on my phone was able to identify it right away as the call of a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus). Even better, it only took a moment to find it perched in the warm morning sun in a dead tree over someone’s back yard just off the path. Check out that “rich reddish-brown” chest! I’ve spotted them before, but haven’t been able to get a picture until now.

After all that excitement, we went back to not seeing much until my sister spotted a pair of wood ducks deep in the sticks on the far shore of a little pond. See what I mean about the second set of eyes? Here’s the drake in some very nutricious-looking water.

Finally, as we were crossing West Main Street in Cheshire, I caught sight of this masterpiece stoicly perched on a chimney over a building right along the road. That’s a black vulture, close cousin to the red-faced turkey vultures we’ve seen several times in Estabrook Park. Black vultures don’t venture into Wisconsin, but long-time readers may recall that I’ve seen them out here before when I was hiking in Sleeping Giant State Park, about 10 miles south of here. I only had my phone on me then, and am sure glad I had my camera with me this morning.

After that, we went to breakfast because my sister had to go to work today, poor kid, but I still had some time, so I visited the over-grown field where I saw the yellow warbler last Thursday. There are still plenty there, and here’s one.

This time, however, I was able to spot a brand-new species for me: a willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii). There were a few perched strategically and making their distinctive little call.

And that’s the report for today. I’ve got one more day out here, and then I should be back in Estabrook on Thursday.

This’ll be a short report. My sister and I walked the Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail to Hannover Pond and back this morning, and there was plenty to see (8 deer and 45 bird species!), but the skies were very dark, so I don’t have a lot of pictures for you today.

I was quite surprised to spot a common merganser hen standing on a rock in the middle of the Quinnipiac River. We get them on the Milwaukee River in Estabrook Park, for sure, but only when they come south during the winter and maybe linger a bit into the spring, but not in mid-May.

At the Hannover Pond, we saw a great blue heron wading in water a bit deeper than I usually see them.

Finally, we counted 30 mute swans on the pond including this mom with her cygnet.

We saw a few swifts and a couple of barn swallows hunting over the pond, but they stayed pretty far from shore, so here’s another look at the friendly barn swallow from yesterday, when the sky was nice and blue.

Along the trail, we heard several Carolina wrens and even spotted a couple, but there was so little light I didn’t even try for a picture, so here’s another look at the one from yesterday in the nice bright sun.

This morning was quite nice, about 10°C warmer than yesterday, with still air and blue sky again, at least for a while. I borrowed a bicycle and rode along the old Farmington Canal to see who I could see.

My first customer was this northern mockingbird in almost the same spot as I saw one last December. If it is the same bird, it sure made me work harder for a picture this time. In any case, the last time anyone reported seeing a mockingbird in Estabrook Park was May 2021, so maybe I’ll get to see one there, too.

I saw swallows flying and tried to ID them in the air, but if you’ve ever tried, you know how fast they are and how tricky it can be. I saw the white bellies and so figured them to be tree swallows, at first. Then a couple perched on an overhead wire, and I couldn’t believe how close one of them let me get, so now I can clearly see that their red faces make them barn swallows. We’ve seen barn swallows in Estabrook, but with more color on their bellies, and we’ve seen barn swallows with white bellies, but those were in South Holland.

I’ve also seen a lot of grey squirrels before, but never one posing quite like this little fella. You?

Another bird that has just recently returned to Estabrook is the eastern kingbird, and I was happy to see a few here as well this morning.

There are a lot of water features along the path, it was once a canal towpath after all, and so you can almost bet on seeing a green heron. I saw two, and here’s the one who posed in the best light.

Once the sun was high enough in the sky to reach down into that little pond, the turtles came out to sun themselves in droves. I’ve never seen so many in one place before. I count 9 in this picture but counted over two dozen in the immediate vicinity.

There were plenty of song sparrows singing up and down the path, just as along the Milwaukee River, and here’s the one that perched in the nicest spot.

Finally, there were also a few house wrens, but there were far more Carolina wrens belting out a different tune.

Lastly, this little cutie pie is a young grey squirrel who I heard had recently been orphaned when a hawk snatched its mom. It was gnawing on solid food this morning, so it does have that going for it, but it was showing no better skill at staying out of sight than its mom apparently did. I suppose that’s how nature works. Right?

I got out nice and early this morning for a bit to check out the Connecticut wildlife. As you can see, the sky was bright blue, and the air was nice and calm, but the temperature, at 34°F, really surprised me. There was frost on the grass, and I had to borrow a warm coat. 

Anyway, there were some warblers up and singing, and here’s one of at least a half dozen yellow warblers I saw.

The abandoned field I was in is now half filled in with honey suckle bushes and other small trees, also seems to be a favorite of grey catbirds, and here’s one of probably a dozen.

There is a tall pine tree in the northwest corner, and a red-tailed hawk was using it as a perch from which it could scan for breakfast.

The last human use of the field was as a driving range, so there are still some old utility poles that had held up the netting, and this northern flicker found one to be a nice place to warm in the morning sun.

Finally, there are also a few tall cherry trees, black cherry, I think, growing near that pine tree with the hawk in it, and this goldfinch parked in one for a moment.

That’s it for today, and tomorrow I’ll head down to the linear park where I’ve had some luck in the past.

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m traveling today and didn’t get a chance to visit Estabrook before I left. I’ve arrived in Connecticut safely and hope to look for some pretty pictures tomorrow, but in the meantime, here are some recent leftovers, mostly from yesterday, but not all.

Here’s another chestnut-sided warbler singing his little heart out.

A Cooper’s hawk in a tree over the northern island.

Down on the water below the hawk, a hybrid-looking mallard, or a mallard-looking hybrid, perhaps with a Duclair duck, based on that white bib. I read that “the Duclair duck is an excellent forager and are able to fend for themselves in the wild,” so that fits.

A Blackburnian warbler.

A yellow-rumped warbler, and yes, they are still around.

That cedar waxwing in the apple tree again, and this time with its beak on a petal.

Another look at the Swainson’s thrush from Monday.

Finally, a close-up of a couple of those gangly tweener goslings on the river from yesterday. Reminds me of a story, but that was about a swan cygnet. Maybe Mr. Andersen hadn’t seen a Canada goose gosling.

The forecast here looks good for tomorrow morning, if cold for mid-May at 34°F, but the winds should be 0 (zero!) mph, so not much wind chill to speak off. Wish me luck!

It was another wonderful morning in Estabrook Park today. The sky had a little white in it, but it wasn’t cloudy, the winds were light, and the air was 10°F warmer than yesterday morning. The birds responded in kind and were singing while they foraged in droves throughout the park.

As I was listening for warblers down the bluff from where the park gets narrow and there’s a guardrail between the parkway and the path, I spotted this perfectly perched olive-sided flycatcher waiting for the next fly to snatch out of the air.

I reached the river just in time to watch this quartet of gangly-looking goslings, probably tweens, steam by while carefully guarded by their mom and dad.

Farther north along the river, the great horned owl was not quite as well hidden as it has been lately. “Great to see ya, Sweetie!”

The river water is getting low enough again to expose rocks and tree trunks around the northern island, and this green heron was taking the opportunity to fish in a new spot.

Back on shore, I saw a trio of rose-breasted grosbeaks, and two of them weren’t “feeling it this morning”, but this female gave me a stare just long enough for one picture.

I’d gotten a tip about bird density along the river north of the islands, so I continued on up the trail to check it out, and holy moly, that was one hot tip. The trees were literally crawling with birds (especially if you consider the black-and-white warblers who forage along trunks and branches like creepers or nuthatches). Anyway, here’s a blackburnian warbler searching oak tree blossoms for something tasty to eat.

Then a small flock of about 4 birds shot overhead to join the mix, and at first, I thought they looked just like Eurpean goldfinches, with white bellies, dark faces, and bay-colored sides. They didn’t have finch beaks, however, because they are bay-breasted warblers instead, and this is only the second image I’ve ever managed to capture of a bay-breasted warbler. They sure are elusive little devils!

Finally, on my way south, as I passed a beautiful apple tree in full blossom and thought what pretty a picture that could make, a cedar waxwing flew in and began feasting on the blossoms. “Thanks!”

I’ve got some more pictures for you, but tomorrow is a travel day, so I’ve saved a few to show you then. It’s supposed to be a lot cooler tomorrow, anyway, after our pneumonia front comes through.

I was thrilled to see a clear sky when dawn approached this morning, so I hustled into Estabrook Park to see if the sun would bring out anyone new. There was more activity at the pond than there has been in a few days with a green heron, a couple of wood ducks, and a few mallards, but the funnest bird was this male belted kingfisher whom I watched make several unsuccessful diving attempts for fish from the tree over the west lawn.

As I was watching the kingfisher, in hopes that I might catch him as he caught a fish, I spotted this fun little scene steaming west towards shore.

I had to shoot through some brush to get the picture above, so it’s pretty fuzzy, but I didn’t have to wait long before the little cutie headed back east to collect another bunch of leaves. Say “hi” to the muskrat who appears to have taken up residence in the pond.

From the pond, I headed back to the river and continued north where I found a pair of house wrens who appeared to be working on a nest. I read that “the male wren finds dry sticks, which he adds to the nest.”

So perhaps this is the female singing her encouragement.

Speaking of females, it took me a moment to recognize this little darling as a female American redstart.

As I was trying to get good pictures of the redstart, look who came cruising down the river. After a bit of a slow start, the goslings are really coming on strong.

Back on shore, I found another pair, this time of blue-gray gnatcatchers. Here’s the female,…

and here’s the male, with his iconic angry Groucho Marx eyebrows.

I was surprised to read that hermit thrushes, of whom I’ve been seeing so many this spring, are now considered “rare” because they’ve all moved north to their breeding grounds, and in their place, we now have Swainson’s thrushes, which look remarkably similar.

Back at the south end, it was a special treat to catch this brown thrasher at eye level and in the sun.

Speaking of “in the sun” here’s a Baltimore oriole looking pretty against a nice blue sky.

Finally, here’s a shaggy ink cap, lawyer’s wig, or shaggy mane mushroom (Coprinus comatus), as far as I know, and I read that “the young mushrooms, before the gills start to turn black, are a choice edible mushroom, but should be prepared soon after being collected as the black areas quickly turn bitter.” Plus, don’t eat them based solely on my identification! I’m no mycologist!

The thick cloud cover continues in Estabrook Park, so I didn’t see any pictures worth taking until I hiked back down to the river after visiting the pond. At the base of stairway 5, across from the southern island, there was a lone mallard hen standing on the riverbank. I tried to get off the stairs and up the path without bothering her, but she hopped into the water anyway, and I said I was sorry and didn’t think more of it.

A little farther up the trail, however, I spotted a bunch of fishing gear that some kindly angler had left for me, I suppose to fill out my collection, and as I headed to the water’s edge to collect it, I accidently flushed a little bird out of hiding. At first glance, I thought it might be the sora again, but by the time it hit the water, I could see that it was a duckling instead. So could its mom, as it turns out, and the mallard hen was already making a beeline across the water towards us. Happily, the two soon met, I didn’t give chase, and here’s a picture of the little one telling Mom all about its big adventure while she gives me a stern look.

In short order, those two rejoined the other two ducklings waiting on the far shore, and they all started preening themselves as if nothing had happened at all. I suspect it is the same quartet we last saw on Thursday, and I’m glad to see that they are still doing fine.

After all that excitement, I continued on to the north end where I finally found an indigo bunting who was more intent upon announcing his presence than he was worried about hiding from me for a change. The lighting is terrible, but it’s a step in the right direction.

I also got another crack at a redstart portrait, but I don’t think we’re quite there yet. It’s still quite a striking little bird, though, even in a mediocre picture.

And that’s nearly all I managed this morning, so here’s another look at the magnolia warbler from Friday.

Here’s another look at the rose-breasted grosbeak from Saturday.

Here’s another look at the beaver from Friday.

And here’s the last family of geese I’ve seen in the park, beside the river at the north end on Friday.

Here’s another look at the chipmunk we saw on Thursday.

Lastly, eagle-eyed Lisa pointed out that there was a patch of toadshade, aka prairie trillium (Trillium recurvatum) in bloom on the side of the path, so here’s a pretty little flower for all the moms out there. I hope you have a great day.