Tag: mallard

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Ricker Pond 9/26

I joined Jane, her brother and two sons for a delightful paddle on Ricker Pond. The color was just about peak.

Reflections. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
Fall colors. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020

Jeremy took delivery of his new fishing kayak.

Jeremy in his new kayak. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
Jaimie. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
Rick. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
Jane and a loon. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020

We found a parent and young loon

Loons. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020

who dove when they spotted an eagle flying overhead.

Loons splash as they dive. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
Eagle. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
Mallard. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
An aster. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
The dam. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
Returning. Ricker Pond State Park, Groton, VT 9/26/2020
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From my kayak 8/13-8/24

We saw some unusual wildlife (for us) recently. At North Hartland Lake we came upon a bear swimming across the lake.

Black bear crossing the river. North Hartland Lake, 8/15/2020

The next time we were there, we saw a couple of coyotes.

Coyote. North Hartland Lake. 8/22/2020
Coyote digging. North Hartland Lake. 8/22/2020

They looked and acted so much like my dog Freya, it was uncanny.

Freya.

We have been watching green herons, both on the Connecticut and the Pompy.

Green heron. Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 8/24
Green heron yawning. Connecticut River 8/17/2020

We also saw some of the more usual wildlife: cormorants, ducks, geese, a merlin and of course, painted turtles.

Cormorants. North Hartland Lake, 9/15/2020
Wood duck. Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 8/17/2020
Mallard beginning to get breeding colors. Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 8/13/2020
Mallards preening. Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 8/23/2020
“Sentry” Canada goose. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 8/20/2020
Merlin. North Hartland Lake, 8/22/2020
Painted turtles on a log. North Hartland Lake, 8/15/2020
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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.

Water’s edge. Squam Lake, NH 5/20/20

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,

Loon. Upper Baker Pond, NH. 5/21/20
Shad bush (Service Berry?) Upper Baker Pond, NH 5/21/20

and one mallard drake. Is the hen sitting on a nest?

Mallard drake. Upper Baker Pond, NH 5/21/20

We kayaked on the Connecticut River out of Wilder on Saturday. We came across a family of geese.

Canada goose family. Connecticut River, NH 5/22/20

It was finally warm enough that we heard the frogs singing.

Frog. Connecticut River, VT. 5/22/20
Spotted sandpiper. Connecticut River, VT. 5/23/20
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From my kayak 9/17-10/14

It has been a beautiful fall: some rain, some sun and dropping temperatures.

Storm’s a-coming. Connecticut River, Orford, NH 9/24/19

We continued to paddle a few times a week.

Reflections. Connecticut River, Fairlee, VT 9/24/19
Rick. Lake Katherine, Piermont, NH 9/21/19
Barb with yellow tree. Squam Lake, Holderness, NH 10/13/19
Colorful trees across the cove. Squam Lake, Holderness, NH 10/12/19

We haven’t seen a lot of wildlife: a few ducks, geese, a green heron…

Mallard flying. Connecticut River, Fairlee, VT 9/24/19
Green heron. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/18/19
Bald eagle. Squam Lake, Holderness, NH 10/13/19
Loon in winter garb. Goose Pond, Canaan, NH 10/14/19
Hornet’s nest. Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 10/5/19
Chipmunk. Connecticut River, Norwich, VT 9/28/19
Geese flying. Goose Pond, Canaan, NH 10/14/19
Moose Mountain. Goose Pond, Canaan, NH 10/14/19

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. The water is now below 50 and because we don’t have wet/dry suits, we have put the kayaks away for the season.

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From my kayak 6/7-10

We had 4 days of beautiful weather– bluebird skies, air temperatures around 80ยบ, water temps in the mid to upper 50’s, so we headed for some of our favorite rivers.

We didn’t find any herons and only a few ducks and geese, but there was still a lot to see and hear. The frog sounds were so loud that it drowned out the traffic noise on the Pompy.

  • Grackle. Mink Brook, NH 6/7/19
  • Loon stretching – Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 6/7/19
  • Luna moth — Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 6/8/19
  • Large rodent (woodchuck? muskrat? beaver?) grooming. Mink Brook, Hanover, NH 6/8/19
  • Frog Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 6/9/19
  • Frog singing. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 6/9/19
  • Red-winged blackbird. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 6/9/19
  • Deer –North Hartland Lake, VT 6/10/19
  • Frog –North Hartland Lake, VT 6/10/19
  • Mallard with ducklings –North Hartland Lake, VT 6/10/19