Posts

Posted on

From my kayak late summer 7/24-8/24

We’ve been kayaking fairly often this summer, taking time out for the Bugbee games and various appointments. We’ve seen a lot, but it seems as if the bird populations are smaller, not as many kinds of birds and animals as well as fewer numbers.

We did most of our paddling on the Connecticut River (and Mink Brook) out of Wilder, VT, North Hartland Lake and the Ompompanoosuc River in Norwich, VT. with a side trip to Upper Baker Pond.

Loon and chick.
Upper Baker Pond 7/26/26
Upper Baker Pond
7/26/26
Mallards.
Upper Baker Pond 7/26/26
Sailboats at the camp
Upper Baker Pond
7/26/26

North Hartland Lake is home to many eagles, great blue herons as well as sandpipers and red winged blackbirds, song birds and an occasional deer. We used to see dozens of painted turtles every time we paddled there, but this year we have been lucky to see one.

Immature eagle diving off branch. North Hartland Lake 8/1/26
Eagle. North Hartland Lake 8/8/26
Red tailed hawk. North Hartland Lake 8/8/26
Painted turtle. North Hartland Lake 8/1/26
Great blue heron in the fog. North Hartland Lake 8/8/26
Cedar waxwing.
North Hartland Lake 8/16/26
Spotted sandpiper. North Hartland Lake 8/8/26
Deer.
North Hartland Lake 8/1/26

We usually can find ducks and herons on the Connecticut as well as other birds.

Mallard with an itch.
Connecticut River 8/9/26
Mallard with duckling.
Connecticut River 7/28/26
Male wood duck getting his breeding colors. Connecticut River 8/18/26
Great blue heron
Connecticut River 8/4/26
Mourning dove. Connecticut River 7/28/26
Green heron.
Connecticut River 8/4/26
Kingfisher. Connecticut River 8/18/23
Osprey. Connecticut River 8/18/26

The Ompompanoosuc River in Norwich is our other regular. We never know what we are going to find there. Sometimes ducks, geese, herons etc. Other times just flowers.

Water lilies Ompompanoosuc River 8/5/26
Posted on

Pine Needle Point Reunion 2026

About 50 descendants of my father and his two brothers gathered at Pine Needle Point, Holderness NH in mid July. On Saturday, we were welcomed by the committee who organized the event.

The Reunion committee.

Sunday dawned with quite a wind, a perfect day for experienced sailors to have races.

Eric and Jake racing

On the next day’s agenda was a swim to Great Island about a half mile from the point. One of nice rewards was picking blueberries on the island.

Great Island swim take off

Siduri, Kai and Phil pick blueberries.

In the afternoon we had a watercolor experience with 23 people creating a watercolor painting.

Watercolor experience

There was even time for a swim.

Ripley and Peter swimming

The evening wrapped up with a talent show.

Barb at the talent show

The next day’s main event was Renny’s treasure hunt. Everyone there was divided into teams. Each team was given a puzzle which lead to a place somewhere on the property where there was a phrase hidden. The team then returned to the “tsar” with the phrase to get the next puzzle.

Renny (the tsar) gives explanation to a team for the treasure hunt
The third place winners

A fun time was had by all.

Posted on

From my kayak 6/24- 7/14

We have been out on various local lakes and rivers a couple of times a week and have seen a lot: ducks, herons, other birds, deer, beaver, and flowers etc.

Cormorants.
Connecticut River 6/23/26
Mallard family.
Connecticut River 6/23/26
Blue flag. Ompompanoosuc River 6/25/26
Not quite adult mallards.
Connecticut River 6/30/26
Cormorant on a log. Connecticut River 7/2/26
Cormorant.
Connecticut River 7/2/26
Fawn.
Connecticut River 7/2/26
Jane with wispy fog. Connecticut River 7/2/26
Molting mallard takes a stretch. Connecticut River 7/2/26
Dragonfly.
North Hartland Lake 7/3/26
Immature eagle in flight. North Hartland Lake 7/3/26
Adult bald eagle.
North Hartland Lake 7/3/26
Orchid (?)
Lake Armington 7/5/26
Sundew.
Lake Armington 7/5/26
Raft of ducks.
Connecticut River 7/8/26
Gull.
Connecticut River 7/8/26
Osprey
Connecticut River 7/8/26
Turkey vulture with the moon.
Connecticut River 7/8/26
Black eyed susans. Ompompanoosuc River 7/9/26
Dragonfly. Ompompanoosuc River 7/9/26
Mergansers. Ompompanoosuc River 7/9/26
Bald eagle flying with a fish. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
Bald eagle with a fish. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
Belted kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
Great blue heron with a fish. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
Beaver. Connecticut River 7/14/26
Song sparrow. Connecticut River 7/14/26
Common merganser family. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
Posted on

Springtime from my kayak.

We were late starting kayaking this year, what with rain, cold water temperatures and doctors’ appointments, but on May 23 we made it to McDaniels Marsh. It was a chilly morning. We were hoping to see the frogs that Jane had seen a few days earlier when it was up to around 80 F, but it was too cold for them.

Spotted sandpiper. McDaniels Marsh 5/23/26
Yellow legs.
McDaniels Marsh 5/23/26
Red winged blackbird. McDaniels Marsh 5/23/26
Canada geese. McDaniels Marsh 5/23/26

We did go out on North Hartland Lake, the Connecticut and the Pompy a few times in June. In mid May we saw a large family of mallards from the shore and again a few weeks later from the kayak.

Mallard ducklings. Connecticut River 5/18/26
Mallards. Connecticut River 6/8/2026
Ducklings preening.
Connecticut River 6/10/26
Mallard and ducklings.
Connecticut River 6/17/26
Canada geese with goslings
Connecticut River 6/17/26
Red columbine.
Connecticut River 6/8/26
Yellow Warbler. Connecticut River 6/8/26
Hooded merganser with chick. Ompompanoosuc River. 6/5/2026
Hooded merganser and chick.
Ompompanoosuc River 6/5/26
Tree swallow. Ompompanoosuc River. 6/5/26
Painted turtles.
North Hartland Lake 6/13/26
Posted on

Eshqua Bog

Jane and I took our annual pilgrimage to Eshqua Bog in Hartland this week. The showy lady slippers were in full bloom.

Pair of showy lady slippers. Eshqua Bog, 6/16/26
  • Showy lady slippers. Eshqua Bog, 6/16/26
  • White showy lady slippers. Eshqua Bog, 6/16/26
  • Showy lady slipper. Eshqua Bog, 6/16/26
  • Showy lady slipper. Eshqua Bog, 6/16/26
  • Ruffed grouse on the road. 6/16/26