Tag: North Hartland Lake

Posted on

From my kayak 8/30-9/1

We paddled North Hartland Lake twice on their closing weekend (Labor Day). We will miss seeing the eagles, herons, kingfishers and turtles until next year.

Bald eagle. North Hartland Lake 8/30/25
Young bald eagle. North Hartland Lake 8/30/25
Migrating birds. North Hartland Lake 8/30/25
Wood ducks flying. North Hartland Lake 8/30/25
Adult bald eagle. North Hartland Lake 9/1/25
Immature bald eagle fluffing it’s feathers North Hartland Lake 9/1/25
Belted kingfisher North Hartland Lake 9/1/25
Osprey, North Hartland Lake 9/1/25
Spotted sandpiper (?). North Hartland Lake 9/1/25
Posted on

From my kayak 8/7 – 8/16/2025

Green heron. Connecticut River 8/7/25
Wood duck and painted turtle. Connecticut River 8/7/25
Mallard with web. Connecticut River 8/7/25
Immature bald eagle. North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Great blue heron, North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Belted kingfisher, North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Snapping turtle. North Hartland Lake 8/9/25
Green heron and mallards on a log. Mink Brook 8/10/25
Broad-winged hawk. Connecticut River 8/13/25
Broad-winged hawk. Connecticut River 8/13/25
Merganser. Connecticut River 8/13/25
Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 8/14/25
Green heron. Ompompanoosuc River 8/13/25
Belted kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 8/16/25
Painted turtle. North Hartland Lake 8/16/25
Song sparrow. North Hartland Lake 8/16/25
Immature eagle. North Hartland Lake 816/25
Posted on

Spring kayaking, 6/4 – 7/11/2025

After a very wet and cool May, we finally got on the water on June 4 at Upper Baker Pond. It was a nice day, Jane’s sister Suzy was with us.

Swallowtail butterflies. Upper Baker Pond, 6/4/2025
Jane and Suzy. Upper Baker Pond 6/4/25
Lady slipper. Upper Baker Pond 6/4/25
Blueberry flowers. Upper Baker Pond 6/4/25

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, 6/29/25
Adult 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, 6/29/25
Painted 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 7/4/2025
All 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 7/7/2025
Barn 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 6/12/25
Water 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 7/2/2025
Mallard testing the water. Connecticut River 6/25/2025
Osprey landing. Connecticut River 7/2/2025
Spotted sandpiper Connecticut River 7/8/25
Black locust. Connecticut River 6/17/25
Columbine. Connecticut River. 6/11/25
20 mallards on a log. Connecticut River 7/8/25
Posted on

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
Posted on

From my kayak 6/1 -6/12

We had a few trips in our kayaks, though the weather didn’t always cooperate.

Jane in the rain. North Hartland Lake. 6/3/23
Taking refuge under the highway bridge. Ompompanoosuc river 6/10/23

We did get a chance to see some birds: some unusual ones, and more of the standbys.

Black legged kittiwake Lake Fairlee 6/12/23
Black legged kittiwake Lake Fairlee 6/12/23
Immature cormorant high in a pine tree, panting. Connecticut River 6/1/23
Merganser. Ompompanoosuc River 6/10/23
Bald eagle. Lake Fairlee 6/12/23

The mallard drakes have gathered together and are molting. The baby mallards are hatching, and have to beware of hungry loons and osprey.

Mallard drake preening. Connecticut River 6/1/23
Young mallard ducklings. Connecticut River 6/6/23
Loon chasing ducklings. Connecticut River 6/6/23
Barn. Ompompanoosuc River 6/10/23