Our next trip was to the North Hartland Lake. Because of government cutbacks, the boat launch is only open on weekends and holidays from 9-6. We miss not being able to go on weekdays, early when it is still foggy and the animals are more apt to be around. That being said, we still see flowers, eagles, herons, flycatchers, kildeers and turtles there.
Adult bald eagles. North Hartland Lake, 6/29/25Adult bald eagle. North Hartland Lake. 6/8/25.Immature bald eagle. North Hartland Lake. 6/8/25. Immature bald eagle. North Hartland Lake, 6/29/25 Red tailed hawk. North Hartland Lake. 6/8/25. Lupin. North Hartland Lake. 6/8/25.Flycatcher. North Hartland Lake, 6/29/25 Kildeer. North Hartland Lake, 6/29/25Painted turtle. North Hartland Lake, 6/29/25 Great blue heron caught a fish. North Hartland Lake 7/4/2025 He orients the fish for swallowing. North Hartland Lake 7/4/2025All swallowed! North Hartland Lake 7/4/2025 F-35 flyby for July 4th. North Hartland Lake 7/4/2025
One of our favorite spots is the “Pompy” we often see a variety of ducks, as well as a lot of flowers and small birds.
Gadwall (?) Ompompanousuc River 7/7/2025Barn swallow on bridge. Ompompanousuc River 6/12/25 Green Heron. Ompompanousuc River 7/7/2025 Kingbird. Ompompanousuc River 6/12/25 Dragonfly. Ompompanousuc River 7/7/2025 forget-me-not. Ompompanousuc River 6/12/25Water lily Ompompanousuc River 7/7/2025
The place we return to most is the Connecticut River out of Wilder, and Mink Brook. We find the most variety: from eagles, to herons, to a variety of ducks and small birds as well as mammals, insects and plants. We never know what we will find.
Mallard with ducklings. Connecticut River 6/17/25 Mallard ducklings eating water bugs. Connecticut River 6/17/25 Mallard “bachelor” group on a log. Connecticut River 6/19/2025 Dragonfly Connecticut River 6/19/2025 Great blue heron. Connecticut River 6/19/2025 Great blue heron. Connecticut River 6/21/2025 Kingbird. Connecticut River 6/21/2025 Mama mallards with many ducklings. Connecticut River 6/21/2025 Muskrat. Connecticut River 7/8/25 Squirrel swimming. Connecticut River 6/21/2025 Mama merganser acting as decoy Connecticut River 6/21/2025 Baby merganser hiding. Connecticut River 6/21/2025 Mallard with older ducklings. Connecticut River 6/25/2025 Wood duck with ducklings. Connecticut River 6/25/2025 Wood duck with ducklings. Connecticut River 7/2/2025Mallard testing the water. Connecticut River 6/25/2025 Osprey landing. Connecticut River 7/2/2025Spotted sandpiper Connecticut River 7/8/25 Black locust. Connecticut River 6/17/25Columbine. Connecticut River. 6/11/2520 mallards on a log. Connecticut River 7/8/25
The end of the summer has come. Many mornings are foggy, the leaves are changing color, and we are using coverings on our legs to keep warm. We paddled several times on the Connecticut and the Pompy and once on Indian Pond, seeing the usual suspects.
Mallards in fog. Connecticut River 9/4/24Mallard on a log. Connecticut River 9/24/24Ducks on a log, Mink Brook 9/11/24Mallard on a log. Connecticut River 9/17/24Mallards. Connecticut River 9/21/24Mallard. Ompompanoosuc River 9/19/24Mallard flying. Ompompanoosuc 9/5/24 Wood duck taking off. Mink Brook 9/11/24Male wood ducks. Mink Brook 9/11/24Mallard and green heron share a log. Mink Brook, 9/17/24Green heron– stare down. Mink Brook 9/17/24 Green heron. Connecticut River 9/11/24Green heron. Mink Brook 9/24/24 Bald eagle. Mink Brook 9/24/24Bald eagles. Connecticut River 9/17/24Peregrin falcon. Ompompanoosuc River 9/5/24White throated sparrow. Ompompanoosuc River 9/19/24Cedar waxwing. Ompompanoosuc River 9/5/24 Kingfisher. Indian Pond 9/8/24Hay bales from the setback. Ompomanoosuc River 9/5/24 Web. Mink Brook 9/17/24Not an owlet (cat tail seeds) Ompompanoosuc River 9/19/24Leaf reflected. Connecticut River 9/12/24
We have been out several times in the last few weeks. North Hartland Lake is now open for boating, after being closed for more than year after last year’s flooding.
Remains of last year’s flooding. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Bald eagle adult. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Immature eagle. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Two immature eagles leaving a tree. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Immature eagle flying. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Beaver. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Beaver splash. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
The Connecticut River to Mink Brook is a favorite. It is easy to get to, and almost always has things to see (and there are places to pee).
Canada goose at the boat launch. Connecticut River 7/24/24Canada geese. Connecticut River 7/24/24Mallard duckling and mama. Connecticut River 7/24/24Mama mallard and ducklings. Connecticut River 7/24/24Mallards on a log. Connecticut River 7/25/24Mergansers. Mink Brook 7/30/24Wood ducks. Connecticut River 7/24/24Female wood duck. Connecticut River 7/30/24Male wood duck. Connecticut River 7/30/24Cormorant. Connecticut River 7/25/24Cormorant walking on water. Connecticut River 7/25/24Hornet nest. Mink Brook 7/25/24Eastern phoebe. Connecticut River 7/25/24Kingbird. Connecticut River 7/30/24Fledgeling robin. Connecticut River 7/25/24Robin. Connecticut River 7/30/24Dog in Mink Brook. 7/30/34Underwater water lily. Connecticut River 7/24/24
The Ompompanoosuc River is another favorite.
Song sparrow with lunch for the family. Ompompanoosuc River 7/20/24 Mergansers taking off. Ompompanoosuc. River 7/20/24 Young merganser. Ompompanoosuc River 7/20/24
We joined Jane’s brother and sister-in-law on Lake Fairlee and saw loons and pink water lilies.
Loon and chick. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Baby loon. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon and chick. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon family. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24 Loon. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon calling. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon parents. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24 Gull. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Kingfisher. Lake Fairlee. 7/28/24Pink water lilies Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Pink water lily. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Water lily. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Painted turtle. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
We have been out in our kayaks several times this week. Saturday we started out in a heavy mist, paddling out of Wilder.
Ducklings. Connecticut River 6/22/23Mostly butts. Ducklings on a log. Connecticut River 6/22/23Loon. Connecticut River 6/22/23Loon. Connecticut River 6/22/24Bald eagle. Connecticut River 6/22/23
On Tuesday we headed to Grafton pond. There were plenty of dragonflies and damsel flies. The goose family was near the boat launch. We only saw three loons: a single adult in the middle of the lake and a pair near the boat launch as we were taking out. We also found a turtle and some laurel and sundew.
After a long winter and a short spring photographing the dogs at Kilowatt, Jane and I put our kayaks in the water. We have been to our usual spots (the Connecticut River out of Wilder, and the Pompy) as well as trips to Upper Baker Pond and MacDaniel’s Marsh. Unfortunately, the North Hartland Lake is still closed from the flooding last July.
Ompompanousuc River 6/12/24
The ducks and geese have little ones.
Canada goose family. McDaniels Marsh, 5/23/24
Canada geese families. Ompompanousuc River 6/1/24
The heron is coming! Mallard family. Connecticut River 6/11/24
People are coming! Wood duck family. Ompompanousuc River 6/5/24
Common merganser family. Ompompanousuc River 6/12/24
We have seen other birds:
Common loon. McDaniel’s Marsh 5/23/24 Double crested cormorant McDaniel’s Marsh 5/23/24Spotted sand piper. Connecticut River 5/26/24Great blue heron. Ompompanousuc River 6/12/24Great blue heron Connecticut River 6/11/24Green heron. Ompompanousuc River 6/5/24Osprey. Upper Baker Pond 6/2/24
