I’ve been kayaking several time this week, with a few different people. Jane was there most of the times, but also Anne, Barb and Robin and Adam.
We saw eagles in several places as well as other birds, butterflies and berries.
From my kayak 8/3-7
From my kayak 7/7-11
This week, our kayaks have taken us to the far reaches of Quechee Gorge, up the Pompy, and around Gilman Island into Mink Brook. We’ve seen several eagles and hawks:
I think this one is younger than the next picture. The eyes are darker and there is more white on the breast. The next one’s head is beginning to turn white and the eyes are lighter.
We’ve seen some herons, both great blue and green.
and red-winged blackbirds.
We even saw a few ducks (mostly on the Connecticut and Mink Brook).
The painted turtles can be found on all three rivers.
The damsel flies and dragon flies are flitting around.
and we even saw a strange creature moving slowly through water.
From my kayak 9/24-10/12
We have had a lovely fall. Plenty of sun, reasonable temperatures, not much wind. We saw some of the standbys: cormorants, loons, mergansers, eagles, ospreys and mallards.
This time of year, we see some more unusual birds, many passing through.
The foliage has been lovely.
Mostly from my kayak 9/5-14
It has been an interesting few weeks since my last post. My sons visited from Portland, OR. My husband had a heart attack (he is doing well). Instead of a week at Squam Lake we had planned, I was there for just 2 days. But I have been able to paddle my kayak and see some wildlife.
North Hartland Lake closed for the season on Labor Day. We went out on that Saturday and caught our last peeks at the eagles, cormorants and of course turtles.
The ducks are molting into their breeding colors.
We found herons on all 3 of the rivers we paddle.
and small birds and large.
We saw a muskrat for the first time this year on the Pompy.
and a young deer running across the playing field at Kilowatt Park.
The most unusual animal we saw was a Northern phalarope as it was passing through. It nests in the Arctic and winters to the south.
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.
The next time we were there, we saw a couple of coyotes.
They looked and acted so much like my dog Freya, it was uncanny.
We have been watching green herons, both on the Connecticut and the Pompy.
We also saw some of the more usual wildlife: cormorants, ducks, geese, a merlin and of course, painted turtles.
