Tag: muskrat

Posted on

Mostly from my kayak 9/5-14

It has been an interesting few weeks since my last post. My sons visited from Portland, OR. My husband had a heart attack (he is doing well). Instead of a week at Squam Lake we had planned, I was there for just 2 days. But I have been able to paddle my kayak and see some wildlife.

North Hartland Lake closed for the season on Labor Day. We went out on that Saturday and caught our last peeks at the eagles, cormorants and of course turtles.

Cormorant on the boom at North Hartland Lake. 9/5/20
Immature eagle and its parents. North Hartland Lake, VT 9/5/20

Painted turtle. North Hartland Lake, VT 9/5/20

The ducks are molting into their breeding colors.

Wood ducks. Mink Brook, Hanover, NH 9/13/2020

We found herons on all 3 of the rivers we paddle.

Green heron. Mink Brook, Hanover, NH 9/13/2020
Green heron. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/10/20
Great blue heron. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/10/20

and small birds and large.

Phoebe with web. Mink Brook, Hanover, NH 9/13/2020
Broad winged hawk. Ompompanoosuc River, 9/8/20

We saw a muskrat for the first time this year on the Pompy.

Muskrat. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/10/20

and a young deer running across the playing field at Kilowatt Park.

Deer. Kilowatt Park, Wilder, VT 9/14/20

The most unusual animal we saw was a Northern phalarope as it was passing through. It nests in the Arctic and winters to the south.

Northern phalarope. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/10/20
Northern phalarope. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 9/10/20
Posted on

From my kayak 6/22-7/11

We have spent several days a week in our kayaks for the past few weeks. We have just seen a few ducks and geese this year, but a wide variety of other wildlife.

Birds

  • Loon. Upper Baker Pond, NH 6/22/19
  • Loon family with newborn chicks. Lake Armington, NH 6/22/19
  • Loon with baby. Grafton Pond 7/2/19
  • Loon by Ledyard bridge. Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 7/10/19
  • Sandpiper chick. North Hartland Lake 6/23/19
  • Belted kingfisher fledgling. North Hartland Lake, VT 7/4/19
  • Kingbird nestlings. Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 7/10/19
  • Bath time. catbird, Connecticut River Wilder, VT 7/11/19
  • Red-winged Blackbird on a cattail. Ompompanoosuc River 7/5/19
  • Spotted sandpiper. North Hartland Lake 7/4/19
  • Bald eagle. North Hartland Lake 6/23/19

Mammals

  • Beaver. North Hartland Lake 7/4/19
  • Muskrat. Connecticut River 7/7/19
  • Deer down by the river. Ompompanoosuc River 7/8/19

Other animals

  • Painted turtle. Mink Brook, NH 7/7/19
  • Swallowtail butterflies. Upper Baker Pond, 6/22/19
  • Pond lily with dragon fly and 2 damsel flies. Squam Lake, NH 7/9/19

People

  • Jane under the arch. Connecticut River, Norwich, VT 7/1/19
  • Jane and Rick on Lake Armington, 6/22/19

And a couple of other things not from a kayak.

Milkweed flower. Hartford, VT 7/6/19
Sunset after a storm. Hartford, VT 7/6/19
Posted on

Eagles here and there (and other stuff) 6/15-19

We have seen eagles everywhere we paddled this week, as well as other interesting stuff.

  • Eagle. Connecticut River, Wilder 6/13/19
  • Female wood duck leading us (and the eagle) away from her babies. Connecticut River, Wilder 6/13/19
  • Snake swimming. Connecticut River. 6/13/19
  • Eagle tangled in some debris. North Hartland Lake 6/15/19
  • Beaver. North Hartland Lake 6/15/19
  • Rebecca and Susan paddling. Squam Lake 6/18/19
  • Immature eagle. Squam Lake 6/18/19
  • Blueberry flowers. Squam Lake 6/18/19
  • 2 young muskrats. Mink Brook, 6/17/19
  • Blue flag. Connecticut River, Wilder 6/17/19
Posted on

North Hartland, Connecticut River and my backyard. 7/7-21

This week we paddled our usual spots: the Connecticut from Wilder and North Hartland Lake.

Reflections of the East Wilder boat launch.
Connecticut River, Lebanon, NH 7/21/18

We spent some time watching a great blue heron fishing,

Great blue heron in tree. North Hartland Lake, 7/20/18

Great blue heron fishing
North Hartland Lake, 7/20/18

Great blue heron preparing to swallow a fish.
North Hartland Lake, 7/20/18

Great blue heron trying to swallow a large fish.
North Hartland Lake, 7/20/18

a cormorant,

Mardrey watching the cormorant
Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 7/21/18

a couple of muskrats,

Muskrat
Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 7/21/18

a swallowtail butterfly.

Swallowtail on milkweed.
Wilder, VT 7/19/18

and some flowers.

Virginia raspberry with a green insect.
Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 7/21/18

Orange day lily.
Hartford, VT 7/20/18

Posted on

Connecticut River and North Hartland Lake 7/14-15

On Saturday, Jane and I headed to the Connecticut River in Wilder. We started in a light rain, which stopped by the time we got to Mink Brook and cleared by the time we returned to Wilder.

The ducklings are growing. One family is nearly adult sized.

Ducks
Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 7/14/18

We watched a couple of muskrats snacking, sitting on a log, then leaving to get some more goodies.

2 muskrats.
Connecticut River, Hanover, NH 7/14/18

Mallard.
Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 7/14/18

We returned to the Wilder boat launch to find a family of young ducklings settling in for a nap.

Time for a nap. Mallard ducklings.
Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 7/14/18

Sunday, we went to North Hartland Lake.

Jane Svetaka spots a great blue heron.
North Hartland Lake, NH 7/15/18

Great blue Heron
North Hartland Lake, VT 7/15/18

Pickerel weed
North Hartland Lake, VT 7/15/18

Song sparrow
North Hartland Lake, NH 7/15/18

Spotted sandpiper.
North Hartland Lake, NH 7/15/18