March goes out…

The rain that was forecast for this morning in Estabrook Park held off until after lunch, so I had a far nicer visit today than I had anticipated. Better yet, the pied-billed grebe, who hasn’t let me take its picture since last Thursday, allowed me to take this portrait. Not only did the rain holdContinue reading “March goes out…”

Nice weather brought almost everyone out of the woodwork…

It was a gorgeous morning in Estabrook Park, and on my way upstream along the river to the beer garden parking lot, I finally saw my first great blue heron of the year that was not merely flying over. “Welcome back, Beautiful!” I’m not sure which was the bigger draw, the weather or the promiseContinue reading “Nice weather brought almost everyone out of the woodwork…”

More new sights and sounds for the year…

It was a little warmer, a little less windy, and a little sunnier than yesterday in Estabrook Park this morning. Woo hoo! Baby steps. I don’t know if it was the improving weather or just hunger, but one of the chipmunks I’ve been seeing for a few days finally relented and let me have aContinue reading “More new sights and sounds for the year…”

A bit of a rebound…

The temps have warmed back up to only seasonably cool, and the sky was crystal clear again, but the wind was still blowing, so the weather in Estabrook Park this morning was a mixed bag. After yesterday’s no-hitter, I didn’t have high hopes, but the critters put on a pretty nice mid-November show. The firstContinue reading “A bit of a rebound…”

A fine showing for the middle of autumn

The rain was taking a break this morning, the temps were mild for October, the breeze was light, the sun was duking it out with the clouds, and it wasn’t clear who was going to win, at least for a while, so it was a very nice time to go looking for wildlife in Estabrook.Continue reading “A fine showing for the middle of autumn”

Feels like summer is back…

Don’t blame me if I sound like a broken record because it’s not my fault that the weather just keeps getting a little nicer every day. In fact, it is supposed to get so warm this afternoon that this yellow-rumped warbler, our first of the season, may wonder if it didn’t set out too soon.Continue reading “Feels like summer is back…”

Day of the Deer…

The temps were mild, and the air was still, but the clouds were thicker than yesterday, and they even leaked a little bit, so the weather was a mixed bag this morning in Estabrook Park. The mosquitoes, however, were decidedly not mixed. Instead, they were just plain fierce, as though they were angry about beingContinue reading “Day of the Deer…”

I did! I did taw a puddy tat!

My sister and I did hike the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail again this morning, and the weather was pretty nice, if a bit cloudy, but we didn’t see anything remarkable, and I barely took a picture. Instead, the big excitement came yesterday evening when she spotted this gorgeous creature slinking along the edge of myContinue reading “I did! I did taw a puddy tat!”

Same state, different pond…

The weather was still pretty nice out here in the Nutmeg State this morning, even though the skies are no longer crystal clear. My sister also had today off of work, so we headed out early to visit Hanover Pond and the Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail, where we’ve had some good luck before. Our firstContinue reading “Same state, different pond…”

Lots of pairs…

It was nearly a picture-perfect day in Estabrook, and the clear skies let me get into the park nice and early. I don’t know if we were there before the guy who runs his German shepherd loose over the soccer fields every morning, or if the deer have just learned to wait until he andContinue reading “Lots of pairs…”