Merganser – Nancy's Corner

October 25, 2020

From my kayak: End of the season. 10/18-24

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 10/24/2020

Rick and Adam. Lake Fairlee, VT 10/18/2020

Connecticut River. 10/22/20

Rick 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

Immature eagle. Ompompanoosuc River 10/20/2020

Loon. Crystal Lake, Enfield, NH 10/24/2020

October 4, 2016

Sept. 26 – Oct.4

Fall has come.

Red trees --Ompompanoosuc River 10/4/16 — Red trees –Ompompanoosuc River 10/4/16

Duck hunting season has started and the ducks seem to know it. For the most part, they are more skittish and more adept at hiding, but there were a few exceptions. A female merganser let us get quite close and even followed us when we paddled downriver.

Merganser -- Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/26/16 — Merganser — Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/26/16

Merganser -- Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/26/16 — Merganser — Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/26/16

Merganser -- Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/26/16 — Merganser — Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/26/16

Merganser -- Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/26/16 — Merganser — Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/26/16

Wood ducks --Connecticut River , NH 10/3/16 — Wood ducks –Connecticut River , NH 10/3/16

Mallards taking flight. Connecticut River, NH, 10/3/16

Mallard splashing --Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 10/3/16 — Mallard splashing –Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 10/3/16

We also saw a great blue heron,

Great blue heron --Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 10/4/16 — Great blue heron –Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 10/4/16

a cormorant,

Cormorant -- Connecticut River, NH 10/3/16 — Cormorant — Connecticut River, NH 10/3/16

and some song birds.

July 29-Aug 4

We paddled a few times this week, mostly on the Connecticut River between Wilder and Hanover, but also the North Hartland Lake. We saw beaver,

Beaver -- Connecticut River — Beaver — Connecticut River

Getting ready for a warning splash

Splash

cormorants,

Cormorant --Connecticut River — Cormorant –Connecticut River

mergansers,

Mergansers --North Hartland Lake — Mergansers –North Hartland Lake

great blue herons,

Great blue heron fishing --North Hartland Lake — Great blue heron fishing –North Hartland Lake

Great blue heron caught something

an indigo bunting,

Indigo bunting -- North Hartland Lake — Indigo bunting — North Hartland Lake

kingfishers,

Kingfisher --North Hartland Lake — Kingfisher –North Hartland Lake

a yellowthroat,

Yellowthroat --North Hartland Lake — Yellowthroat –North Hartland Lake

damsel flies,

Damsel flies --Connecticut River — Damsel flies –Connecticut River

merlins,

Merlins --Connecticut River — Merlins –Connecticut River

and lots of mallards and wood ducks.

Duck stretch --Connecticut River — Duck stretch –Connecticut River

Ducklings had a successful snail hunt --Connecticut River — Ducklings had a successful snail hunt –Connecticut River

Mallard reflection --Connecticut River — Mallard reflection –Connecticut River

Mallard preening --Connecticut River — Mallard preening –Connecticut River

Wood duck --Connecticut River — Wood duck –Connecticut River

On Tuesday, our friends Diane Langley and Mardrey Swenson (and Gemma) came with us.

Gemma isn't sure she wants to be in the kayak with Mardrey Swenson --Connecticut River. — Gemma isn’t sure she wants to be in the kayak with Mardrey Swenson –Connecticut River.

Diane Langley -- Connecticut River — Diane Langley — Connecticut River

Merganser and Jack-in-the-pulpit