After a winter of walking with the dogs, we are looking forward to getting back in the kayaks.
On Tuesday, Jane and I went out to Grafton Pond. It was the only day this week that didn’t have a windy afternoon. We saw a few loons, some geese and a turtle, and enjoyed a lovely paddle. It was good to be back on the water.
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.
The ducks are molting into their breeding colors.
We found herons on all 3 of the rivers we paddle.
and small birds and large.
We saw a muskrat for the first time this year on the Pompy.
and a young deer running across the playing field at Kilowatt Park.
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.
We saw some unusual wildlife (for us) recently. At North Hartland Lake we came upon a bear swimming across the lake.
The next time we were there, we saw a couple of coyotes.
They looked and acted so much like my dog Freya, it was uncanny.
We have been watching green herons, both on the Connecticut and the Pompy.
We also saw some of the more usual wildlife: cormorants, ducks, geese, a merlin and of course, painted turtles.
We visited our usual haunts this week: the Connecticut River out of Wilder, the Ompompanoosuc River and the North Hartland Lake. The wildlife did not disappoint.
The kingbirds on the Connecticut are sitting on their nests again.
The young mallards are nearly full grown and seem to enjoy snails for lunch.
We saw a couple of mammals on the Pompy.
We rounded a corner and came across this doe only about 15 feet away.
North Hartland Lake presented some of its usual suspects. Both adult eagles were near the nest, but we only saw one juvenile.
We also saw a couple of great blue herons.
and of course a painted turtle.
We were the first people at the lake this morning and it makes a difference on what we see. We started by watching a family of killdeer at the beach.
We saw at least 4 groups of deer, mostly at a distance, but one fawn swam across the river near us.
A great blue heron flew down the river, the first we’ve seen this year.
The eagle’s nest was a center of activity. An adult was in a nearby tree, being attacked by a kingbird.
There were two immature eagles on branches near the nest. And a second adult eagle was across the lake.
The wildflowers were different than last week.
And the painted turtles were out sunning themselves.
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