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 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 7/27/24Bald eagle adult. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Immature eagle. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Two immature eagles leaving a tree. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Immature eagle flying. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Beaver. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Beaver 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 7/24/24Canada geese. Connecticut River 7/24/24Mallard duckling and mama. Connecticut River 7/24/24Mama mallard and ducklings. Connecticut River 7/24/24Mallards on a log. Connecticut River 7/25/24Mergansers. Mink Brook 7/30/24Wood ducks. Connecticut River 7/24/24Female wood duck. Connecticut River 7/30/24Male wood duck. Connecticut River 7/30/24Cormorant. Connecticut River 7/25/24Cormorant walking on water. Connecticut River 7/25/24Hornet nest. Mink Brook 7/25/24Eastern phoebe. Connecticut River 7/25/24Kingbird. Connecticut River 7/30/24Fledgeling robin. Connecticut River 7/25/24Robin. Connecticut River 7/30/24Dog in Mink Brook. 7/30/34Underwater 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 7/28/24Baby loon. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon and chick. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon family. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24 Loon. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon calling. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon parents. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24 Gull. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Kingfisher. Lake Fairlee. 7/28/24Pink water lilies Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Pink water lily. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Water lily. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Painted turtle. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
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
The kayaks are put away for the winter, but we had several trips out in late October, a couple with Jane’s family.
Rick and Susie. Crystal Lake, Enfield, NH 10/24/2020Rick and Adam. Lake Fairlee, VT 10/18/2020Connecticut River. 10/22/20Rick and Jamie. Crystal Lake, Enfield, NH 10/24/2020
Reflections. Lake Fairlee, VT 10/18/2020
The water fowl are skittish, and harder to find.
Common merganser. Connecticut River, 10/22/2020
Hooded mergansers take off. Mink Brook 10/22/2020
Mallard. Mink Brook. 10/20/2020
Canada goose. Crystal Lake, Enfield, NH 10/24/2020
but there are other birds to be found.
Great blue heron. Mink Brook, 10/22/2020
White throated sparrow. Connecticut River, VT 10/18/2020
We have had a lovely fall. Plenty of sun, reasonable temperatures, not much wind. We saw some of the standbys: cormorants, loons, mergansers, eagles, ospreys and mallards.
Cormorant Squam Lake 10/12/2020
Common loon getting winter plumage. Squam Lake, 10/12/2020
Common merganser. Ompompanoosuc River 10/11/2020
Mallard drake. Connecticut River. 10/5/2020
Osprey. Connecticut River 9/24/20
This time of year, we see some more unusual birds, many passing through.
Pied bill grebe. Connecticut River 10/5/2020Black ducks. Connecticut River. 10/5/2020
White throated sparrow. Connecticut River, 10/14/2020
Yellow rumped warbler. Ompompanoosuc River, 10/1/2020
Red tailed hawk with a snake wrapped around its leg. Hartford, VT, 10/1/2020
The foliage has been lovely.
Leaf. Connecticut River, 10/1/2020
Jane on Mink Brook. 9/24/2020
Lower Baker Pond, 10/3/2020
Railroad bridge. Ompompanoosuc River 9/28/2020
Great Island. Squam Lake, 10/12/2020River bend. Ompompanoosuc River 10/11/2020
