Grafton Pond 7/10/18

Jane and I went to Grafton Pond on Tuesday. The loon chicks have hatched and are being tended by their parents. We saw two families of loons, one with a very young chick,

Loon parent feeding chick.
Grafton Pond, NH 7/10/18

A young chick riding on the parent’s back. Grafton Pond, NH 7/10/18
A parent loon stretching after preening while the baby looks on.
Grafton Pond, NH 7/10/18

and another with a larger and older chick.

Loon showing its leg bands, older chick nearby.
Grafton Pond, NH 7/10/18

We also found a great blue heron hiding in the bushes.

Great blue heron hiding.
Grafton Pond, NH 7/10/18

Grafton Pond 5/29

We spent the morning on Grafton Pond. We saw our usual complement of loons and geese.

Both species are thinking about nesting, as well as a hairy woodpecker.

Female hairy woodpecker.
Grafton Pond, NH 5/29/18

We also saw some turtles.
Painted turtle. Grafton Pond, NH 5/29/18

Some October pictures

We have kept paddling through most of October seeing:
loons,

Common loon –Grafton Pond, 10/3/17

a cormorant,

Double crested cormorant — Grafton Pond 10/3/17

a green heron,

Green heron –Connecticut River, 10/5/17

a chipmunk,

Chipmunk — Connecticut River 10/10/17

a wood turtle,

Wood turtle — 10/12/17

a red-winged blackbird,

Red-winged black bird — Mink brook 10/22/17

a painted lady,

Painted lady — Wilder, 10/19/17

another loon,

Loon testing his wings — Grafton Pond 10/21/17

and reflected foliage.

Foliage reflected — Connecticut River 10/22/17

I also took part in a black & white challenge.

Munchkin — Wilder, 10/15/17
Violets in October! — Wilder, 10/15/17
Mallard on Mink Brook — Mink Brook, 10/18/17

The Pompy and Grafton Pond

It was a day for green herons on the Pompy on Tuesday: we saw several and they posed nicely.

Green heron –Ompompanoosuc River, VT 7/31/17

Irritated young green heron — –Ompompanoosuc River, VT 7/31/17

Green heron reflected –Ompompanoosuc River, VT 7/31/17

We also saw great blue herons on the Pompy as well as at Grafton Pond on Wednesday.

Great blue heron –Ompompanoosuc River, VT 7/31/17

Great blue heron –Grafton Pond, NH 8/1/17

The views of Mt Cardigan is always nice.

Jane and Mt Cardigan –Grafton Pond, NH 8/1/17

Of course we saw loons at the pond: a couple that surfaced close to the kayaks and a parent with 2 chicks,
Loon –Grafton Pond, NH 8/1/17

Loon –Grafton Pond, NH 8/1/17

Loon with chicks –Grafton Pond, NH 8/1/17

and saw geese and a dog on a SUP.

Canada goose –Grafton Pond, NH 8/1/17

A dog who was not sure he wanted to be on a SUP–Grafton Pond, NH 8/1/17

The Pompy,North Hartland Lake, Grafton Pond 6/21-25

We’ve had a busy week paddling. Wednesday found us on the Pompy. We didn’t see a lot of wildlife, but it is always a pleasant paddle.

Yellow shafted flicker –Ompompanoosuc River 6/21/17

North Hartland Lake was our next outing. We saw our first great blue heron of the year as well as the usual sandpipers, a cormorant, turtles and a grackle. We were serenaded by songs birds, but didn’t see many. The yellow and blue flags were in full bloom.

Great blue heron –North Hartland Lake 6/22/17

Grackle –North Hartland Lake 6/22/17

Yellow flag –North Hartland Lake 6/22/17

Today we went to Grafton Pond. We found loons, including a young chick.

Loon parent and baby –Grafton Pond, NH 6/25/17

One of the loons tried to fly right at us, but decided the runway was too short, so stopped and dove.

Loon trying take off –Grafton Pond, NH 6/25/17

Canada goose and blue flag –Grafton Pond, NH 6/25/17

Turtle –Grafton Pond, NH 6/25/17

Butterfly on mountain laurel –Grafton Pond, NH 6/25/17