And the wind began to howl…

It was a pretty nice morning in Estabrook Park, if you don’t mind the wind, and I’m happy to report that seven such folks came out to join our weekly wildlife walk. We stopped by the pond first, but all the fancy sparrows must have been hunkered down, because we didn’t see much more thanContinue reading “And the wind began to howl…”

A fine Sunday morning in Estabrook…

We had another nearly-perfect January morning in Estabrook Park today, with temps in the teens, a very light breeze, and mostly clear blue skies. The treats started early for me when I spotted this mature Cooper’s hawk even before I crossed the Oak Leaf Trail on my way into the park. I would see itContinue reading “A fine Sunday morning in Estabrook…”

A slight reprieve from the cold…

It has really warmed up since yesterday, and it was in the low twenties this morning instead of the low single digits we had yesterday morning. Plus, the breeze was pretty light and the sun was shining, so it was about as nice a morning in January that I could hope for. The critters wastedContinue reading “A slight reprieve from the cold…”

The deep freeze endures…

It cooled off again, and the temp was back down to 1°F at sunrise this morning. The breeze was the lightest it’s been since this cold snap started, however, and the sky was crystal clear again, so it was a nearly perfect morning in Estabrook Park. The common mergansers and goldeneyes are still on theContinue reading “The deep freeze endures…”

A morning full of surprises…

Wow, what a difference a day makes! Sure, it’s still cold out there, but the wind has backed off a lot, we’ve got a nice, new layer of fluffy white snow, and the sun was out in all its glory. It was a perfect morning for taking pictures in Estabrook Park, and some of theContinue reading “A morning full of surprises…”

A cold day…

Before it shut itself off, my phone reported -9°F, with windchills to -25°F, in Milwaukee at 8:00am this morning, and local schools, including UWM, have canceled classes for today. The sun was out, however, and the sky was mostly clear, so it was still a nice day for taking pictures of the critters in EstabrookContinue reading “A cold day…”

A pretty cold day…

At -3°F, it was only a little colder this morning in Estabrook Park than yesterday, and the breeze was about the same, but it lined up a lot better with the river valley, so the windchill was noticeably colder. Brrrrr! Two intrepid birders came out to join the weekly wildlife walk, I am thrilled toContinue reading “A pretty cold day…”

A pretty day, despite the cold…

Ooh, Baby, it sure was cold out this morning! At 8 am, my phone claimed it was 0°F in Milwaukee, and I believe it. It also claimed the wind speeds were in the teens, which put the windchill in the negative teens, but I am happy to report that it sure didn’t feel that badContinue reading “A pretty day, despite the cold…”

A fine day to return to Estabrook Park.

After a long but uneventful day of travel, Anne and I got home yesterday afternoon and began our adjustment to Central Standard Time. After a week in the relatively balmy Balkans, the latest cold snap in Estabrook Park and the stiff breeze that came with it took a bit of getting used to as wellContinue reading “A fine day to return to Estabrook Park.”

A pretty day after the storm…

It was colder than yesterday in Estabrook Park this morning, with temps in the mid-teens, but the breeze was much lighter, and the clouds were high, thin, and sparce, so the sun was able to take the edge off a bit. Plus, it wasn’t snowing. The hermit thrush was back, but about 150 yards southContinue reading “A pretty day after the storm…”