Tag: loon

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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 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 9/27-10/24

Jane. Connecticut River. 10/21/24

We got out a few times in October, before the weather turned too cold. We saw some of our usual suspects: Common mergansers and mallards, loons, blackbirds and kingfishers, a hawk or two, a painted turtle and a beaver.

Loon. Kettle Pond 9/27/24
Common mergansers. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24
Common mergansers. Squam Lake 10/13/24
Mallard flying. Ompompanoosuc River, 10/3/24
Flock of mallards. Connecticut River 10/2/24
Common loon. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24
Common loon. Long Pond, 10/6/24
Red winged blackbirds. Ompompanoosuc River, 10/3/24
Kingfisher Connecticut River 10/2/24
Hawk. Ompompanoosuc River, 10/3/24
Young ring-billed gull. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24
Beaver. Kettle Pond 9/27/24
Painted turtle. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24

We also found a few interesting things: rocks that look like elephants, a large black ball with a handle, a log that looks like a wolf. The foliage turned colors and the leaves fell. The mornings were cold and the valley was full of fog.

Rock that looks like an elephant . Kettle Pond 9/27/24
Connecticut River. 10/21/24
The wolf log. Squam Lake 10/13/24
Mt. Cardigan. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24
Kettle Pond 9/27/24
Color on the point. Squam Lake 10/13/24
Long Pond, 10/6/24
Paddle to Great Island. Squam Lake 10/13/24
Sun thru the fog. Connecticut River 10/2/24
Rowing in the fog. Connecticut River 10/2/24
Jane in the fog. Connecticut River 10/2/24

Most of the birds have flown, and the kayaks have been put away for the winter. It was a good season.

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From my kayak 7/20-30

We have been out several times in the last few weeks. North Hartland Lake is now open for boating, after being closed for more than year after last year’s flooding.

Remains of last year’s flooding. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
Bald eagle adult. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
Immature eagle. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
Two immature eagles leaving a tree. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
Immature eagle flying. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
Kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
Beaver. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
Beaver splash. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24

The Connecticut River to Mink Brook is a favorite. It is easy to get to, and almost always has things to see (and there are places to pee).

Canada goose at the boat launch. Connecticut River 7/24/24
Canada geese. Connecticut River 7/24/24
Mallard duckling and mama. Connecticut River 7/24/24
Mama mallard and ducklings. Connecticut River 7/24/24
Mallards on a log. Connecticut River 7/25/24
Mergansers. Mink Brook 7/30/24
Wood ducks. Connecticut River 7/24/24
Female wood duck. Connecticut River 7/30/24
Male wood duck. Connecticut River 7/30/24
Cormorant. Connecticut River 7/25/24
Cormorant walking on water. Connecticut River 7/25/24
Hornet nest. Mink Brook 7/25/24
Eastern phoebe. Connecticut River 7/25/24
Kingbird. Connecticut River 7/30/24
Fledgeling robin. Connecticut River 7/25/24
Robin.
Connecticut River 7/30/24
Dog in Mink Brook. 7/30/34
Underwater water lily. Connecticut River 7/24/24

The Ompompanoosuc River is another favorite.

Song sparrow with lunch for the family. Ompompanoosuc River 7/20/24
Mergansers taking off. Ompompanoosuc. River 7/20/24
Young merganser. Ompompanoosuc River 7/20/24

We joined Jane’s brother and sister-in-law on Lake Fairlee and saw loons and pink water lilies.

Loon and chick. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Baby loon. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Loon and chick. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Loon family. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Loon. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Loon calling. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Loon parents. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Gull. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Kingfisher. Lake Fairlee. 7/28/24
Pink water lilies
Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Pink water lily.
Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Water lily.
Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
Painted turtle. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
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From my kayak 7/25-8/1

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 8/1/23
Great blue heron. Grafton Pond 8/1/23
Great blue heron on top of a pine. Ompompanoosuc River 7/26/23
Turkey vulture. Ompompanoosuc River 7/26/23
The sentry. Ompompanoosuc River. 7/26/23
Hooded mergansers. Connecticut River 7/25/23
Cardinal. Mink Brook 7/25/2023
Wood ducks. Connecticut River 7/25/23
Painted turtle on a log. Grafton Pond 8/1/23
Dragonfly. Ompompanoosuc River 7/26/23
Pond lilies. Grafton Pond 8/1/23
Roots. Grafton Pond 8/1/23