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.
From my kayak 6/20-27
We have been out in our kayaks several times this week. Saturday we started out in a heavy mist, paddling out of Wilder.
On Tuesday we headed to Grafton pond. There were plenty of dragonflies and damsel flies. The goose family was near the boat launch. We only saw three loons: a single adult in the middle of the lake and a pair near the boat launch as we were taking out. We also found a turtle and some laurel and sundew.
This morning we headed back to the Connecticut and Mink Brook. We saw at least 5 families of ducks, mostly around Kilowatt park.
From my kayak 6/1 -6/12
We had a few trips in our kayaks, though the weather didn’t always cooperate.
We did get a chance to see some birds: some unusual ones, and more of the standbys.
The mallard drakes have gathered together and are molting. The baby mallards are hatching, and have to beware of hungry loons and osprey.
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
Some herons
Some loons and cormorants.
Some shore birds
Eagles
Some turtles.
Some mammals
We also saw some insects.
From my kayak Fall 2021
This fall we have spent as much time as we could in our kayaks, weather permitting. We’ve seen a few ducks of various type. It seems like there are far fewer ducks and geese than in past years.
Some other birds,
and a turtle or two.
The foliage has been spotty, a few brilliant trees, but in the Upper Valley, mostly dull.
The birds are flying south, and our kayaks have been put away for the winter.