Old Man Winter ain’t done with us yet…

I could almost hear Old Man Winter chuckling to himself as I looked out the window this morning and sipped my coffee. It was snowing, although I’m sure most folks were glad we had almost no accumulation, the clouds were thick, the wind was stiff, and the cold was pretty bitter. He ain’t done withContinue reading “Old Man Winter ain’t done with us yet…”

Buena Vista Prairie Chicken Meadow

First, thanks to all of you who came out to the Friends of Estabrook Annual Meeting last evening. We had a great turnout for such a cold day, and I’m sorry that I didn’t get to show as many pictures as I had expected, but Harold had a lot of ground to cover. Now, onContinue reading “Buena Vista Prairie Chicken Meadow”

Another thaw comes to an end…

What a fine Wisconsin-winter-weather welcome home I had this morning! When I landed at Mitchel late yesterday afternoon, I could tell it was warm out, and we saw on the news last evening that Milwaukee missed the record high temperature for yesterday’s date by one degree. And that’s a thin degree, on Herr Fahrenheit’s scale,Continue reading “Another thaw comes to an end…”

A cold and quiet start to the new year…

It was cold and cloudy this morning in Estabrook, but the wind was light, we already have a nice new coating of snow on the ground from the previous couple of days, and the snow that is coming down now hadn’t started yet. Plus, the park was nearly empty of people, and traffic noise wasContinue reading “A cold and quiet start to the new year…”

A big finish to a big year…

Well, shoot! Somehow, I forgot to finish my post yesterday and send it out to you. I even had some nice pictures for you, as you will soon see, but I must have gotten distracted. Sorry about that! Anyhoo, after the early snow yesterday morning, which was barely more than a dusting, the sun cameContinue reading “A big finish to a big year…”

All over the map…

The thick clouds that have been making gray skies all week finally drifted away overnight, so we had a beautiful, if chilly, morning in Estabrook Park. I was thrilled to see one of the mature bald eagles high over the far riverbank again, but with just one of them, I can’t tell if this isContinue reading “All over the map…”

A nice wintery start to December…

It sure was a pleasure to start out December in Estabrook Park with it looking and feeling like winter, for a change. As forecast, the air was cold and nearly still this morning, and the wind hadn’t yet blown all the snow off the branches, which really helps soak up sound. Thus, there was veryContinue reading “A nice wintery start to December…”

Now that’s a cold snap!

Brrrr! It was a tad brisk this morning in Estabrook Park. Happily, the forecast lake effect snow stayed south of us, the wind didn’t feel nearly as strong as I feared, and the sky was crystal clear. It was cold enough, for the first time this season, to freeze small puddles solid and form iceContinue reading “Now that’s a cold snap!”

Gotta remember to add a title…

This morning in Estabrook Park the weather was similar to yesterday, but warmer, a tad breezier, and a tad sunnier, sometimes. The wildlife appeared to be loving it. Before we get to that, however, take a look at these beauties, our first ever American avocets (Recurvirostra americana), taking a breather on the Lake Michigan shorelineContinue reading “Gotta remember to add a title…”

More signs of love in the air…

After seeing the towhee in Estabrook Park yesterday morning, Anne and I drove out to her mom’s place in Waterford for a family get-together. There, we were treated to a couple of sandhill cranes and a wild turkey in the surrounding fields, and a parade of ducks on the pond behind her house. The bestContinue reading “More signs of love in the air…”