Tag: great blue heron

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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 7/4-9

We visited our usual haunts this week: the Connecticut River out of Wilder, the Ompompanoosuc River and the North Hartland Lake. The wildlife did not disappoint.

The kingbirds on the Connecticut are sitting on their nests again.

Kingbird with nest. Lebanon, NH 7/5/20

The young mallards are nearly full grown and seem to enjoy snails for lunch.

Nearly grown mallards. Lebanon, NH 7/5/20
Snails for lunch. Mallards. Wilder, VT 7/7/20

We saw a couple of mammals on the Pompy.

Beaver (?). Norwich, VT 7/6/20

We rounded a corner and came across this doe only about 15 feet away.

White tailed deer. Norwich, VT 7/6/20
Butterflies on milkweed. Norwich, VT 7/6/20

North Hartland Lake presented some of its usual suspects. Both adult eagles were near the nest, but we only saw one juvenile.

Eagle parents. North Hartland, VT 7/9/20
Immature eagle with nest. North Hartland, VT 7/9/20

We also saw a couple of great blue herons.

Great blue heron. North Hartland, VT 7/9/20
Great blue heron. North Hartland, VT 7/9/20

and of course a painted turtle.

Painted turtle North Hartland, VT 7/9/20
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North Hartland Lake 7/2/2020

We were the first people at the lake this morning and it makes a difference on what we see. We started by watching a family of killdeer at the beach.

Killdeer. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/2/20

We saw at least 4 groups of deer, mostly at a distance, but one fawn swam across the river near us.

Young deer swimming. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/2/20

A great blue heron flew down the river, the first we’ve seen this year.

Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/2/20

The eagle’s nest was a center of activity. An adult was in a nearby tree, being attacked by a kingbird.

Eagle being attacked by a kingbird. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/2/20

There were two immature eagles on branches near the nest. And a second adult eagle was across the lake.

Immature bald eagle. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/2/20

The wildflowers were different than last week.

Yellow loosestrife. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/2/20

And the painted turtles were out sunning themselves.

Painted turtles on a log. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/2/20
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From my kayak 8/27-9/17

We’ve been in our kayaks often in the past few weeks and have see a lot.

Great blue herons have appeared in most the the usual spots, but doing some unusual things.

Great blue heron with pond lilies.–Ompompanoosuc River 8/27/19
Great blue heron displaying. North Hartland Lake 8/31/19

This heron landed near another heron and put on this display.

“What’s that invading my marsh?” Great blue heron –McDaniel’s Marsh 9/7/19
Great blue heron fishing from a perch. Grafton Pond 9/10/19

The heron was fishing from a branch a few feet above the water, dove into the water, missed the fish, struggled back up to the branch and ruffled his feathers to dry off.

Great blue heron drying off from a dip in the lake. Grafton Pond 9/10/19

We also saw an egret and several green herons, eagles, deer, dragonflies and butterflies, and flowers.

Egret. North Hartland Lake 8/31/19
Green heron. –Connecticut River 9/6/19
Green heron scratching — Connecticut River 9/6/19
Young eagle getting his adult feathers. Connecticut River 9/15/19
Cormorant –Connecticut River 8/26/19
Deer — North Hartland Lake 8/31/19
Dragonfly –Connecticut River 9/15/19
Butterfly on asters. Connecticut River 9/15/19
Closed gentian –Connecticut River 9/12/19
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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