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.Continue reading “It’s about time…”

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 northContinue reading “The white stuff sticks around…”

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.Continue reading “Short, and I hope just sweet enough…”

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 anyContinue reading “A lull after the storm…”

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 beenContinue reading “It’s beginning to look a lot like winter…”

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 keptContinue reading “Opposite Day”

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 IContinue reading “Quite the welcome home party”

Winter creeps back in…

The winter weather resumed this morning in Estabrook Park, with temps around freezing, cloudy skies, and a light breeze. On my walk north along the river, I found the beaver having breakfast up on the ice again in almost the same spot as yesterday. This time, I had a slightly better view through the brush,Continue reading “Winter creeps back in…”

The warm weather brings out a couple of surprises…

The December Thaw is upon us, with blue skies and temps in the 40s, at least for today, and the critters in Estabrook Park were taking full advantage of it this morning. As I hiked north along the river to meet folks by the Bier Garten for our Weekly Wildlife Walk, I spotted this contentedContinue reading “The warm weather brings out a couple of surprises…”

A little color on another grey day…

It was cold again in Estabrook Park this morning. The sun shone for a little while, a couple of separate times, but it mostly hid behind a thick layer of clouds. I didn’t see any new birds on the water, and the raptors continue to stay in hiding, but the trees and bushes around theContinue reading “A little color on another grey day…”