Tag: ducks

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From my kayak — Fall 2022

We’ve been out several time a week this fall, mostly on the Connecticut and the Pompy (we miss North Hartland Lake which is closed to repair the culvert under the parking lot), but we also have been to Lake Armington, Upper Baker Pond, Grafton Pond, Long Pond and Indian Pond.

Mt Cube from Indian Pond, Orford, NH. 10/6/22
Jane’s family paddling on Upper Baker Pond, 8/28/33
Susy on Long Pond. 10/3/22

We have seen our usual ducks and have enjoyed seeing them changing into breeding colors.

Wood duck. Connecticut River 9/7/22
Wood duck in breeding colors. Connecticut River 10/5/22
Mallards. Connecticut River 9/21/22
Mallards. Connecticut River 10/4/22

Common mergansers. Ompompanoosuc River 9/16/22
Merganser taking a bath. Ompompanoosuc River 10/4/22

We have also seen a number of other birds.

Green heron in the fog. Connecticut River 9/17/22
Loon family. Grafton Pond 9/10/22
Loon with foliage. Indian Pond, 10/6/22
Eagle. Connecticut River 9/20/22
Immature bald eagle. Ompompanoosuc River 9/25/22
Broad winged hawk. Ompompanoosuc River 9/15/22
Sparrow bathing. Connecticut River
Cardinal. Connecticut River 9/7/22

As well as a variety of turtles.

Wood turtle. Ompompanoosuc River 9/16/22
Painted turtle. Grafton Pond 9/10/22
Painted turtle. Lake Armington 9/2/22

And flowers.

Closed gentian. Connecticut River 9/7/22
Jewel weed. Ompompanoosuc River 9/4/22
Jerusalem artichoke. Ompompanoosuc River 9/16/22
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From my kayak Fall 2021

This fall we have spent as much time as we could in our kayaks, weather permitting. We’ve seen a few ducks of various type. It seems like there are far fewer ducks and geese than in past years.

Common merganser. Ompompanoosuc River 9/27/21
Common merganser lift off. Ompompanoosuc River 9/27/21
Mallards. Indian Pond 10/13/21
Wood ducks flying. Mink Brook 10/20/21

Some other birds,

Eagle. Squam Lake 10/9/21
Great blue heron. Goose Pond 9/29/21
Great blue heron flying. Mink Brook 10/7/21
Mocking bird. Connecticut River 10/6/21
Spotted sandpiper, winter plumage. Indian Pond 10/13/21

and a turtle or two.

Painted turtle. Connecticut River 10/6/21

The foliage has been spotty, a few brilliant trees, but in the Upper Valley, mostly dull.

Warm fall day. Indian Pond 10/13/21
Colors on Great Island. Squam Lake 10/9/21
Foliage. Ompompanoosuc River 10/12/21
Mink Brook foliage. Mink Brook 10/7/21
Mink Brook. 10/7/21
Autumn leaves. Indian Pond 10/13/21
Fisherman on Indian Pond. 10/13/21
Indian Pond Road. 10/13/21

The birds are flying south, and our kayaks have been put away for the winter.

Mallards flying. Mink Brook 10/20/21
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From my kayak 8/10-24

We’ve been out several times in the last couple of weeks. After my old camera went for an unfortunate swim, I’ve been getting used to my new Z50. We have seen the usual suspects: eagles, great blue herons, green herons, loons, cormorants, sandpipers, turtles and dragonflies.

Immature bald eagle. North Hartland Lake 8/15/21
Immature eagle flying. North Hartland Lake. 8/15/21
Young great blue heron. Post Pond 8/20/21
Great blue heron. Connecticut River. 8/24/21
Green heron. Connecticut River. 8/24/21
Young green heron with fish. Connecticut River. 8/24/21
Loon. Post Pond 8/20/21
Loon baby waits for its parent (and a snack). Post Pond 8/20/21
Common mergansers in a line. Squam Lake 8/11/21
Mallards. Mink Brook 8/24/21
Cormorant. Squam Lake 8/11/21
Sparrow eating berries. Connecticut River 8/16/21
Solitary sandpiper. Ompompanoosuc River 8/21/21
Painted turtle. Mink Brook 8/16/21
A red dragonfly. Squam Lake 8/11/21
The pompy. Ompompanoosuc River 8/21/21
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From my kayak 7/18-23

The last several trips have been to the Connecticut River.

On 7/18 we planned on going to the Pompy, but the water was so low at the boat launch, we decided to try going up the Connecticut instead. We hadn’t been there for a couple of years because the banks are fairly densely populated and the Pompy is so nice, but we were pleasantly surprised on the amount of wildlife we saw.

Great blue heron. Connecticut River 7/22/21
Great blue heron landing. Connecticut River 7/22/21
Muskrat with camouflage. Ompompanoosuc River 7/22/21
Muskrat. Connecticut River 7/22/21

We have seen raptors: osprey and eagle.

Osprey on the top of a tree. Connecticut River 7/18/21
Eagle. Connecticut River 7/18/21

Herons, both great blue and green.

Green heron. Connecticut River 7/23/21
Great blue heron flying. Connecticut River 7/23/21

and ducks, crows and sandpipers.

Ducks preening. Connecticut River 7/18/21
Mallard with ducklings. Connecticut River 7/23/21
Crows. Connecticut River 7/18/21
Spotted sandpiper. Connecticut River 7/23/21

and damsel flies.

Damsel flies. Connecticut River 7/18/21
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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