Tag: ducks

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From my kayak 7/18-23

The last several trips have been to the Connecticut River.

On 7/18 we planned on going to the Pompy, but the water was so low at the boat launch, we decided to try going up the Connecticut instead. We hadn’t been there for a couple of years because the banks are fairly densely populated and the Pompy is so nice, but we were pleasantly surprised on the amount of wildlife we saw.

Great blue heron. Connecticut River 7/22/21
Great blue heron landing. Connecticut River 7/22/21
Muskrat with camouflage. Ompompanoosuc River 7/22/21
Muskrat. Connecticut River 7/22/21

We have seen raptors: osprey and eagle.

Osprey on the top of a tree. Connecticut River 7/18/21
Eagle. Connecticut River 7/18/21

Herons, both great blue and green.

Green heron. Connecticut River 7/23/21
Great blue heron flying. Connecticut River 7/23/21

and ducks, crows and sandpipers.

Ducks preening. Connecticut River 7/18/21
Mallard with ducklings. Connecticut River 7/23/21
Crows. Connecticut River 7/18/21
Spotted sandpiper. Connecticut River 7/23/21

and damsel flies.

Damsel flies. Connecticut River 7/18/21
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From my kayak 7/13-21

The young birds are all around. Some are still in the nest.

Loon on nest. Grafton Pond, Grafton, NH 7/21/2020
Kingbird and nest. Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 7/19/2020

Some have just left the nest and are watched over by a parent.

Mama mallard. Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 7/19/2020
Mallard ducklings. Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 7/19/2020
Loon parent and baby. Grafton Pond, Grafton, NH 7/21/2020
Canadian geese with two different sets of goslings. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 7/18/2020

Others are off on their own.

“Where’s Mama?” Mallard duckling separated from its family. Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 7/19/2020
Young great blue heron. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/16/2020
Young green heron. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 7/18/2020
Wood ducks. Mink Brook, Hanover, NH 7/13/2020

And there are a few adults, too.

Eagle flying just overhead. Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 7/13/2020
Bald eagle. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/16/2020
Loon. Grafton Pond, Grafton, NH 7/21/2020

Dragonflies and butterflies put in their appearances too.

Tattered swallowtail butterfly on pickerel weed. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 7/18/2020
Dragonfly. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 7/18/2020
Dragonfly. Grafton Pond, Grafton, NH 7/21/2020
Damsel flies(?). Grafton Pond, Grafton, NH 7/21/2020
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From my kayak 8/13-26

We have been out eight times in the past two weeks to our usual haunts: North Hartland Lake, Grafton Pond and the Connecticut River near Wilder, VT. We have seen birds:

  • Great blue heron –North Hartland Lake 8/25/19
  • Great blue heron –North Hartland Lake 8/18/19
  • Duck swimming between me and Jane’s kayak. Connecticut River 8/19/19
  • Ducks –Connecticut River 8/19/19
  • Wood ducks — Connecticut River8/13/19
  • Young loon –Grafton Pond 8/20/19
  • Sandpiper –North Hartland Lake 8/25/19
  • 2 eagles — North Hartland Lake 8/25/19
  • Bald eagle — North Hartland Lake 8/24/19
  • Cedar waxwing — Connecticut River 8/26/19

as well as other animals and plants.

  • Deer drinking –Connecticut River 8/13/19
  • 3 painted turtles –North Hartland Lake 8/25/19
  • Painted turtle with a peeling shell. North Hartland Lake 8/24/19
  • Fishing –Grafton Pond 8/20/19
  • Purple loosestrife with 2 types of bees. North Hartland Lake 8/25/19
  • Arrowroot — North Hartland Lake 8/18/19
  • Redosier dogwood– Connecticut River 8/13/19
  • Log in the fog –Connecticut River 8/26/19
  • The some falls at the base of Quechee Gorge. –North Hartland Lake 8/25/19
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Joe’s Pond 8/9/19

I accompanied Jane, her brother, two sisters, a brother-in-law and nephew on their trip to Joe’s Pond in Danville, VT. The main pond was nearly wall to wall cottages.

Jane and her sisters on Joe’s Pond. 8/9/19

We did see a couple of groupings of loons there.

4 common loons. –Joe’s Pond, Danville, VT 8/9/19

We proceeded to the inlet, which was covered with lilies and ducks.

Duck in the lilies. –Joe’s Pond, Danville, VT 8/9/19

Heading upstream, we came across several low beaver dams which we could cross.

Jane’s family going up the inlet. –Joe’s Pond, Danville, VT 8/9/19
Rick paddles over the dam. Joe’s Pond, Danville, VT 8/9/19
Judson, Jane’s nephew.

We saw birds, bugs and wildflowers.

Black winged damselfly (ebony jewelwing). Joe’s Pond, Danville, VT 8/9/19
gull –Joe’s Pond, Danville, VT 8/9/19
Wild flowers. –Joe’s Pond, Danville, VT 8/9/19
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View from a kayak 6/23-7/8

The past few weeks we have continued to paddle the Connecticut River between Wilder and Hanover including Mink Brook, and North Hartland Lake. We have seen beaver and muskrat on both lakes,

Beaver raising its tail to splash.
North Hartland Lake, VT 6/23/18

beaver splash.
North Hartland Lake, VT 6/23/18

as well as great blue herons,

Great blue heron.
Mink Brook, Hanover, NH 7/7/18

eagles,

Immature bald eagle being chased by a kingbird.
North Hartland Lake, VT 7/8/18

dragon flies,

Dragon fly.
North Hartland Lake, VT 7/5/18

damsel flies,

Water lily with a damsel fly.
Mink Brook, Hanover, NH 7/3/18

and plenty of ducklings.

Ducklings swimming.
Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 7/3/18

Ducklings following mama.
Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 6/30/18