The kayaks are put away for the winter, but we had several trips out in late October, a couple with Jane’s family.
The water fowl are skittish, and harder to find.
but there are other birds to be found.
From my kayak: End of the season. 10/18-24
From my kayak 6/25-27
One of our favorite paddling spots, North Hartland Lake, is now open Wednesday-Sunday! The eagles have built a nest, but we didn’t see any evidence of eaglets.
We saw the usual painted turtles and spotted sandpipers and were treated with some deer.
The next day, on the Connecticut River, we came across a large snapping turtle sunning himself. Over the years, we have seen him a few times before, but always underwater.
The kingbirds are trying for a second clutch of eggs in at least two nests.
And the damselflies are out and about.
Today on the Ompompanoosuc, we found the family of geese, now getting their adult feathers.
We also saw a family of common mergansers.
Grafton Pond 6/18
Jane and I went to Grafton Pond last week to see the loons.
As we approached the pond, we found a family on Canadian geese on the dam.
We saw a few loons.
While investigating some frog song, I came across a couple of large brown eggs in a mud nest.
Realizing what they were, I backed away and along came a loon who lumbered up onto the nest.
From my kayak 5/28-6/15
We’ve kayaked a couple of times a week on the Connecticut River or on the Ompompanoosuc. The geese and ducks are out with their families.
Other birds are showing their colors.
The kingbirds have nested.
And the red-winged blackbirds are guarding their territory from predators.
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.
Grafton Pond, NH 5/29/18
We also saw some turtles.
