Yesterday we made our annual pilgrimage to the Eshqua Bog, a fen in Hartland, VT. The showy lady slippers were in full bloom.
We also saw other flowers.
Eshqua Bog 6/23/2020
Grafton Pond 6/18
Jane and I went to Grafton Pond last week to see the loons.
As we approached the pond, we found a family on Canadian geese on the dam.
We saw a few loons.
While investigating some frog song, I came across a couple of large brown eggs in a mud nest.
Realizing what they were, I backed away and along came a loon who lumbered up onto the nest.
From my kayak 5/28-6/15
We’ve kayaked a couple of times a week on the Connecticut River or on the Ompompanoosuc. The geese and ducks are out with their families.
Other birds are showing their colors.
The kingbirds have nested.
And the red-winged blackbirds are guarding their territory from predators.
McDaniels Marsh 5/25
We had a good day at McDaniels. A little chilly and windy, but the wildlife viewing was excellent. The highlight of the day was seeing an American bittern, a lifer for me.
The blackbirds were plentiful,
as were the Canadian geese.
We even saw a loon pair.
The frogs were singing mating calls,
and the osprey was watching it all.
Paddles 5/20-23
We have had some warmer weather and the water temperatures are now above 50, so we’ve taken to the water. The quarantine rules have relaxed some, so I am traveling a bit farther afield. I drove to Squam Lake, spent the day with my niece and her husband, washed a few windows and took a short paddle.
The next day, Jane and I met her brother, sister, and brother-in-law for a delightful kayak on Upper Baker Pond in Orford. We saw a pair of loons, some white flowering bushes,
and one mallard drake. Is the hen sitting on a nest?
We kayaked on the Connecticut River out of Wilder on Saturday. We came across a family of geese.
It was finally warm enough that we heard the frogs singing.
