From my kayak 8/19-28

We’ve paddled the usual places the past 10 days.  The mornings are getting colder and more foggy. We’ve seen great blue herons, green herons, cormorants, loons, ducks and other creatures.  Loons do fly, they just take a long runway to take off.

Jane paddles in the fog. North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/18
Great blue heron Grafton Pond, NH 8/28/18
Great blue heron taking off. Connecticut River 8/24/18
Green heron. Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 8/27/18
Cormorant drying his wings. Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 8/27/18
Loon launching. Grafton Pond, NH 8/28/18
Loons flying Grafton Pond, NH 8/28/18
Wood duck. Connecticut River 8/20/18
Mallards on a log Connecticut River 8/20/18
Troll. North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/18
Birch bark reflection. Connecticut River 8/20/18

Views from a kayak 6/16-19

The ducklings have arrived this week,

Ducklings by the benches.
Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 6/16/18

Ducklings.
Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 6/19/18

Mama with ducklings in the rough water.
Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 6/19/18

along with other birds,

Kildeer.
North Hartland Lake. 6/17/18

Northern waterthrush.
Ompompanousuc River, Norwich, VT 6/18/18

Female hooded merganser.
Ompompanousuc River, Norwich, VT 6/18/18

a variety of turtles,

Snapping turtle.
North Hartland Lake. 6/17/18

Painted turtle.
North Hartland Lake, VT 6/17/18

swimming mammals,

Swimming red squirrel.
North Hartland Lake. 6/17/18

Beaver.
Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 6/16/18

and flowers.

Blue flag.
Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 6/16/18

Yellow flag.
North Hartland Lake. 6/17, 2018

The first water lily.
North Hartland Lake, VT 6/17/18

Spring is coming

We’ve seen our first robins, red-winged black birds, cedar waxwings.

American robin, eating sumac, 2/28/17 Hartford, VT

Cedar waxwings, 3/1/17, Hartford, VT

The ice is mostly gone from the Connecticut and the waterfowl are around.

Mallard pair, 2/28/17, Connecticut River, Hartford, VT

Chipmunks have joined the red squirrels at the wood pile (one at a time)

Red squirrel –3/1/17 Hartford, VT

A week on the water: August 22-28

What we saw this week: night hawks,

Nighthawks migrating --Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16
Nighthawks migrating –Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16

great blue herons,
Great blue heron -- Ompomanoosuc River 8/27
Great blue heron — Ompomanoosuc River 8/27

Great blue heron flying low -- North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28/16
Great blue heron flying low — North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28/16

Great blue heron fishing -- North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28/16
Great blue heron fishing — North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28/16

Great Blue Heron in tree --North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/16
Great Blue Heron in tree –North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/16

green heron,

Green heron --Ompompanoosuc River, VT 8/27/16
Green heron –Ompompanoosuc River, VT 8/27/16

cormorants,

Double crested cormorant --North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28 /16
Double crested cormorant –North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28
/16
Cormorants  -- North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/16
Cormorants — North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/16

Double crested cormorants --North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28/16
Double crested cormorants –North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28/16

ducks,

Wood duck -- Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16
Wood duck — Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16
Mallards flying --Ompompanoosuc River, 8/27
Mallards flying –Ompompanoosuc River, 8/27/16

Mallard taking off --Ompompanoosus River, 8/27
Mallard taking off –Ompompanoosuc River, 8/27/16

Mallards framed --Ompompanoosus River, 8/27
Mallards framed –Ompompanoosuc River, 8/27/16

sandpipers,

Spotted Sandpiper -- North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/16
Spotted Sandpiper — North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/16

Solitary sandpiper -- North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28/16
Solitary sandpiper — North Hartland Lake, VT 8/28/16

loons,

Loon feeding baby --Grafton Pond, NH 8/23/16
Loon feeding baby –Grafton Pond, NH 8/23/16

beaver,

Beaver --Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16
Beaver –Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16

Beaver slapping his tail -- Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16
Beaver slapping his tail — Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16

chipmunks,

Chipmunk --Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16
Chipmunk –Connecticut River, Wilder,VT 8/24/16
and some songbirds.
Gold finch --North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/16
Gold finch –North Hartland Lake, VT 8/25/16

Kingbird in an alder --Ompompanoosus River, 8/27
Kingbird in an alder –Ompompanoosus River, 8/27

On the Connecticut

We spent a couple of evenings this week on the Connecticut River between Wilder and Hanover and have finally seen the duckings we hadn’t seen when we paddled earlier in the day.

Wood ducklings with mama
Wood ducklings with mama

Mama mallard on guard
Mama mallard on guard

We saw ducklings of varying ages, some families are new born, others are several weeks old.

Young mallard duckings with mom
Young mallard duckings with mom

Mallard adolescents playing.
Mallard adolescents playing.

The geese flew by.

Canada geese
Canada geese

This mallard male had a funny expression.

Mallard
Mallard