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
We haven’t be out much this month what with appointments, bad weather and being down with a respiratory infection, but when we did go out, we enjoyed what we saw. We went to North Hartland Lake several times, seeing eagles, herons, turtles as well as some other birds, animals and plants. Unfortunately, the recreation area is now closed for the season.
Cormorant. North Hartland Lake 8/3/24Humming bird, North Hartland Lake 8/3/24Common merganser. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Mergansers watching for eagles(?) North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Egret, North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Painted turtle. North Hartland Lake 8/3/24Painted turtles. North Hartland Lake 8/1
3/24Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 8/3/24Great blue heron landing near the dam. North Hartland Lake 8/13/24Great blue heron landing in a tree. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24
Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Great blue heron by the dam. North Hartland Lake, 8/29/24Yellow flowers,North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Red leaves. North Hartland Lake 8/13/24Immature eagle stretching. North Hartland Lake, 8/29/24Eagle changing directions. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Immature eagle flying over me. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Immature eagle flying. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24 Immature eagles. North Hartland Lake 8/13/24Adult eagle. North Hartland Lake, 8/29/24
We also paddled out of Wilder a few times and the Pompy.
Mallards at the boat launch. Connecticut River 8/25/24Turtlehead. Connecticut River 8/28/24Osprey diving. Connecticut River 8/23/24 Foggy morning in Wilder. Connecticut River 8/23/24Kingfisher, Mink Brook 8/15/24 Bittern. Ompompanoosuc River, 8/22/24Mallards. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24Green heron. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24Butterfly on Jeruselam artichoke. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24Hawkweed (?) going to seed. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24Joe Pye weed. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24
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
I guess it is past time to post. The kayaks have been put away for the winter, but we did have some fine paddles in the late summer and fall.
Bald eagle. Lake Tarleton 8/23/23Osprey on top of a tree. Connecticut River 9/3/23Osprey taking flight. Osmore Pond. 8/6/23Osprey eating a fish. Osmore Pond. 8/6Kingfisher. Ompompanoosuc River 9/1/23Great Blue Heron. Ompompanoosuc River 9/1/23Green heron pretending he is a stick. Ompompanoosu River. 8/12/23Green heron. Connecticut River, 8/3/23Cedar waxwing. Ompompanoosuc River 9/1/23Phoebe fledgling. Connecticut River 8/29/23Spotted sandpiper. Connecticut River, 8/3/23Loon. Lake Tarleton 8/23/23Jane and Suzy. Lake Tarleton 8/23/23Ducks. Connecticut River 8/14/23Merganser and mallard keeping company. Ompompanoosu River. 8/12/23Loon. Osmore Pond. 8/6Emily, Rick and Russ. Osmore Pond. 8/6closed gentian. Connecticut River 9/3/23Eagle near the on top of a tree, with wings spread. Connecticut River 9/5/23Sand piper. Connecticut River 9/3/23Wood ducks flying. Connecticut River 9/3/23Wood ducks on a log. Connecticut River 9/27/23 Wood duck Connecticut River 9/5/23Wood duck. Connecticut River 10/5/23
Mallards. Connecticut River 9/27/23Cormorants. Connecticut River 10/5Hairy woodpecker Connecticut River 9/5/23Great blue heron. Long Pond 10/4/23Dew covered web. Connecticut River 9/5/23Wood turtle. Ompompanoosuc River9/14/23Kayakers. Connecticut River 9/28/23
Rick, Suzy and Jane. Long Pond 10/4/23Moon over the trees. Long Pond 10/4/23
We have not been out kayaking much this summer thanks to predicted thunder showers, flooding and various appointments. One of our favorite locations, North Hartland Lake, has been closed for the rest of the summer because of the floods in mid July. But we have managed a few outings.
Mt Cardigan. Grafton Pond 8/1/23
Loon. Grafton Pond 8/1/23
Great blue heron. Grafton Pond 8/1/23Great blue heron. Grafton Pond 8/1/23Great blue heron on top of a pine. Ompompanoosuc River 7/26/23Turkey vulture. Ompompanoosuc River 7/26/23
The sentry. Ompompanoosuc River. 7/26/23Hooded mergansers. Connecticut River 7/25/23Cardinal. Mink Brook 7/25/2023Wood ducks. Connecticut River 7/25/23Painted turtle on a log. Grafton Pond 8/1/23Dragonfly. Ompompanoosuc River 7/26/23Pond lilies. Grafton Pond 8/1/23Roots. Grafton Pond 8/1/23
