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 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
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 10/4/22Common 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 9/20/22Immature bald eagle. Ompompanoosuc River 9/25/22
