Tag: great blue heron

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From my kayak late summer 7/24-8/24

We’ve been kayaking fairly often this summer, taking time out for the Bugbee games and various appointments. We’ve seen a lot, but it seems as if the bird populations are smaller, not as many kinds of birds and animals as well as fewer numbers.

We did most of our paddling on the Connecticut River (and Mink Brook) out of Wilder, VT, North Hartland Lake and the Ompompanoosuc River in Norwich, VT. with a side trip to Upper Baker Pond.

Loon and chick.
Upper Baker Pond 7/26/26
Upper Baker Pond
7/26/26
Mallards.
Upper Baker Pond 7/26/26
Sailboats at the camp
Upper Baker Pond
7/26/26

North Hartland Lake is home to many eagles, great blue herons as well as sandpipers and red winged blackbirds, song birds and an occasional deer. We used to see dozens of painted turtles every time we paddled there, but this year we have been lucky to see one.

Immature eagle diving off branch. North Hartland Lake 8/1/26
Eagle. North Hartland Lake 8/8/26
Red tailed hawk. North Hartland Lake 8/8/26
Painted turtle. North Hartland Lake 8/1/26
Great blue heron in the fog. North Hartland Lake 8/8/26
Cedar waxwing.
North Hartland Lake 8/16/26
Spotted sandpiper. North Hartland Lake 8/8/26
Deer.
North Hartland Lake 8/1/26

We usually can find ducks and herons on the Connecticut as well as other birds.

Mallard with an itch.
Connecticut River 8/9/26
Mallard with duckling.
Connecticut River 7/28/26
Male wood duck getting his breeding colors. Connecticut River 8/18/26
Great blue heron
Connecticut River 8/4/26
Mourning dove. Connecticut River 7/28/26
Green heron.
Connecticut River 8/4/26
Kingfisher. Connecticut River 8/18/23
Osprey. Connecticut River 8/18/26

The Ompompanoosuc River in Norwich is our other regular. We never know what we are going to find there. Sometimes ducks, geese, herons etc. Other times just flowers.

Water lilies Ompompanoosuc River 8/5/26
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From my kayak 6/24- 7/14

We have been out on various local lakes and rivers a couple of times a week and have seen a lot: ducks, herons, other birds, deer, beaver, and flowers etc.

Cormorants.
Connecticut River 6/23/26
Mallard family.
Connecticut River 6/23/26
Blue flag. Ompompanoosuc River 6/25/26
Not quite adult mallards.
Connecticut River 6/30/26
Cormorant on a log. Connecticut River 7/2/26
Cormorant.
Connecticut River 7/2/26
Fawn.
Connecticut River 7/2/26
Jane with wispy fog. Connecticut River 7/2/26
Molting mallard takes a stretch. Connecticut River 7/2/26
Dragonfly.
North Hartland Lake 7/3/26
Immature eagle in flight. North Hartland Lake 7/3/26
Adult bald eagle.
North Hartland Lake 7/3/26
Orchid (?)
Lake Armington 7/5/26
Sundew.
Lake Armington 7/5/26
Raft of ducks.
Connecticut River 7/8/26
Gull.
Connecticut River 7/8/26
Osprey
Connecticut River 7/8/26
Turkey vulture with the moon.
Connecticut River 7/8/26
Black eyed susans. Ompompanoosuc River 7/9/26
Dragonfly. Ompompanoosuc River 7/9/26
Mergansers. Ompompanoosuc River 7/9/26
Bald eagle flying with a fish. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
Bald eagle with a fish. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
Belted kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
Great blue heron with a fish. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
Beaver. Connecticut River 7/14/26
Song sparrow. Connecticut River 7/14/26
Common merganser family. North Hartland Lake 7/12/26
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From my kayak 9/4-10/4/2025

Green heron, Connecticut River 9/10/25
Great blue heron flying. Connecticut River 9/4/25
Angry green heron. Connecticut River 9/4/25
Young Green heron. Connecticut River 9/4/25
Mallard stretch. Connecticut River 9/4/25
Spotted sandpiper. Connecticut River 9/4/25
Painted turtle with stuff. Connecticut River 9/4/25
Bumble bee with jewel weed. Connecticut River 9/10/25
Mallards flying. Ompompanoosuc River 9/11/25
Common merganser. Ompompanoosuc River 9/11/25
Common mergansers. Ompompanoosuc River 9/11/25
Wood turtle. Ompompanoosuc River 9/11/25
Monarch with goldenrod. Ompompanoosuc River 9/11/25
Cormorant. Connecticut River 9/16/25
Mallards in the fog. Connecticut River 9/16/25
Ducks. Mink Brook 9/16/25
Female wood duck. Connecticut River 9/16/25
Cormorant flying.
Connecticut River 9/17/25
Cormorant stretch. Connecticut River 9/17/25
Cormorant, Connecticut River 9/17/25
Maple leaf reflected. Connecticut River 9/17/25
Loon baby and parent. Indian Pond 10/4/25
Loon preening. Indian Pond 10/4/25
Loon stretch with splash. Indian Pond 10/4/25
Some color. Indian Pond 10/4/25
Susie. Indian Pond 10/4/25

Jane has had her hip replacement, and is healing well. The kayaks have been put away for the winter.

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From my kayak 8/17 – 8/24

We paddled several lakes and rivers in mid August. Goose Pond had low water, still not completely full after a dam repair and a dry summer.

Low water. Goose Pond 8/17/25
Goose eating. Goose Pond 8/17/25
Canada goose. Goose Pond 8/17/25
Common loon. Goose Pond 8/17/25
Sandpiper.Goose Pond 8/17/25
Canada geese. Goose Pond 8/17/25
Bald eagle. Lake Tarleton 8/19/25
Baby loon. Lake Tarleton 8/19/25
Adult loon with fish. Lake Tarleton 8/19/25
Green heron. Connecticut River 8/21/25
Loon. Connecticut River 8/21/25
Ducks sleeping on a log. Connecticut River 8/21/25
Immature bald eagle. North Hartland Lake 8/23/25
Bald eagle. North Hartland Lake 8/23/25
Great blue heron flying. North Hartland Lake 8/23/25
Great blue heron taking off. North Hartland Lake 8/23/25
Painted turtles. North Hartland Lake 8/23/25
Great blue heron “the morning after” Ompompanoosuc River 8/24/25
“Geese over the Pompy” Ompompanoosuc River 8/24/25
Thistle seeds. Ompompanoosuc River 8/24/25
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From my kayak 8/7 – 8/16/2025

Green heron. Connecticut River 8/7/25
Wood duck and painted turtle. Connecticut River 8/7/25
Mallard with web. Connecticut River 8/7/25
Immature bald eagle. North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Great blue heron, North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Belted kingfisher, North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Snapping turtle. North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Green heron and mallards on a log. Mink Brook 8/10/25
Broad-winged hawk. Connecticut River 8/13/25
Broad-winged hawk. Connecticut River 8/13/25
Merganser. Connecticut River 8/13/25
Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 8/14/25
Green heron. Ompompanoosuc River 8/13/25
Belted kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 8/16/25
Painted turtle. North Hartland Lake 8/16/25
Song sparrow. North Hartland Lake 8/16/25
Immature eagle. North Hartland Lake 816/25