Tag: green heron

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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, summer 2022

Jane and I have been out in our kayaks a 3-4 times a week all summer, mostly on the Connecticut River out of Wilder, VT; the Ompompanoosuc River in Norwich, VT; or North Hartland Lake in Hartland, VT. We also made trips to Goose Pond, Grafton Pond, Squam Lake, and Lake Tarleton.

We’ve seen the usual wildlife.

Ducks

Wood ducks. Ompompanoosuc River 8/13/22
Wood ducks hiding near the shore. Connecticut River 7/27/22
A pile of common mergansers sleeping on a rock. Ompompanoosuc River 8/13/22
Momma mallard with young duckling. Connecticut River 7/8/22

Some herons

Green heron. Connecticut River 8/21/22
Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 7/31/22
Great blue heron in a pine tree. North Hartland Lake 7/29/22

Some loons and cormorants.

Fish for breakfast. Adult loon feeding its chick. Grafton Pond. 8/5/22
Cormorant drying its wings. Connecticut River. 8/16/22

Some shore birds

Sandpiper. Connecticut River 8/20/22
Ring-billed gull. Goose Pond 8/3/22
Belted kingfisher. Ompompanoosuc River 7/30/22

Eagles

Bald eagle diving. North Hartland Lake 8/7/22

Some turtles.

Painted turtle. Grafton Pond 8/5/22

Some mammals

Muskrat with leaves. North Hartland Lake 7/31/22
Doe behind the pickerel weeds. North Hartland Lake 7/29/22
Paraglider. Connecticut River 8/20/22

We also saw some insects.

Hornet on a lily pad. Connecticut River 8/21/22
Hornets’ nest. Connecticut River 8/10/22.
Monarch butterfly on Joe Pye weed. North Hartland Lake 7/31/22
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From my kayak 8/24-9/19

It has been a while since I posted; we had internet problems. We have continued to go kayaking 3-4 times a week mostly at our usual haunts: the Connecticut River north of Wilder, the Ompompanoosuc River, North Hartland Lake before it closed for the season, as well as Grafton Pond and Reservoir Pond in New Hampshire. We have seen eagles,

Eagle with fish. North Hartland Lake 8/25/21
Immature eagle. North Hartland Lake. 8/25/21

herons, both great blue and green,

Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 8/25/21
Great blue heron. Connecticut River 8/24/21
Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 9/4/21
Great blue heron. Connecticut River 9/5/21
Green heron. Connecticut River 9/17/21
Green heron. Connecticut River 9/1/21
Green heron eating a fish. Mink Brook 8/24/21

loons,

Loon and chick. Grafton Pond 8/31/21
Loon stretch. Connecticut River 9/17/21

other birds,

Turkey vultures. Ompompanoosuc River 9/19/21
Cormorant. North Hartland Lake 9/4/21
Spotted sandpiper. Connecticut River 9/5/21
Waterthrush. Reservoir Pond,Lyme, NH, 9/14/21

some turtles,

Wood turtle. Ompompanoosuc River. 9/19/21
Painted turtles. North Hartland Lake 9/4/21

and some other interesting things.

Duck feather. Connecticut River 9/18/21
Waterfall with purple asters. Connecticut River 9/11/21
Jane’s sister Susy and her granddaughter, Emily. Ompompanoosuc River 8/27/21
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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