Connecticut River 9/2

We paddled the Connecticut from Wilder to the Ledyard Bridge this morning and found a family of wood ducks that tolerated 2 ladies in their kayaks watching them doing their duck business for 20 minutes or more.

Wood duck family
Wood duck family

Wood ducks preening
Wood ducks preening

Sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry

Mama wood duck and young
Mama wood duck and young

In the setbacks near the bridge, there is a nice view of the Montshire Museum, a pretty little waterfall, some geese and ducks.

Montshire Museum
Montshire Museum

Waterfall near the Montshire.
Waterfall near the Montshire.
"Quack," said the mallard
“Quack,” said the mallard
Canada geese
Canada geese

A green heron played tag with us on the way back to the boat launch.

Green heron on a dead pine
Green heron on a dead pine

Green heron hiding
Green heron hiding
Green heron
Green heron

North Hartland Lake 8/30

North Hartland Lake again lived up to our expectations: We saw herons, cormorants, and turtles.

Great blue heron preening
Great blue heron preening

Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Cormorants
Cormorants
Turtle
Turtle

We will be sorry when it closes for the season on September 13.

Wildlife odds and ends 8/17-20

We paddled the Connecticut and North Hartland Lake this week and saw a variety of wildlife.

3 turtles in different sizes-- North Hartland
3 turtles in different sizes– North Hartland
Turtle -- North Hartland, VT
Turtle — North Hartland, VT
Spider's web -- Lebanon, NH
Spider’s web — Lebanon, NH
Turkey in the front yard
Turkey in the front yard
Green heron -- Connecticut River, Hartford, VT
Green heron — Connecticut River, Hartford, VT

The ducklings are getting older and some are starting to fly.

Ducklings -- Lebanon, NH
Ducklings — Lebanon, NH

Merganser -- Lebanon, NH
Merganser — Lebanon, NH
Mergansers taking off
Mergansers taking off

Wood duck taking off
Wood duck taking off

Great blue heron taking off --  North Hartland
Great blue heron taking off —
North Hartland

La Platte River 8/18

On Sunday, Jane and I rode up to Shelburne, VT to go kayaking with Elaine. We put in at Shelburne Bay and headed up the LaPlatte River.

Shelburne Bay
Shelburne Bay

Tree arching over the river
Tree arching over the river

The river was full of wildlife. We saw several types of ducks, herons, osprey, cedar waxwings

Wood ducks
Wood ducks

Osprey with a fish for baby
Osprey with a fish for baby
Baby osprey
Baby osprey
Great blue heron in tree
Great blue heron in tree
Common egret
Common egret
Cedar waxwing
Cedar waxwing
Cardinal flower
Cardinal flower

There were points that it was difficult to navigate the fallen logs,

Elaine navigating a snag
Elaine navigating a snag

but we all had a good time.