Tag: Upper Baker Pond.

Posted on

Back in the kayaks!

After a long winter, we are back on the water! Our first paddle was on the McDaniels Marsh. The water temperature was warm: the frogs and turtles were abundant, the geese were paired with at least one with goslings, and the red-winged blackbirds were staking out their territories.

McDaniels Marsh, Springfield, NH 5/14/22
Painted turtles on a log. McDaniels Marsh, Springfield, NH 5/14/22
Canada geese with goslings. McDaniels Marsh, Springfield, NH 5/14/22
Red-winged blackbird. McDaniels Marsh, Springfield, NH 5/14/22

Our next trip was to Upper Baker Pond near Orford, NH. When we arrived, Mt Cube had it’s top in the clouds. It was nice to paddle without the usual docks out. We didn’t see much wildlife: one pair of geese flying, a great blue heron in a tree, a red-winged blackbird. Was it too early in the year? has the avian flu decimated the bird population? were we too late in the day?…

Mt. Cube. Upper Baker Pond, 5/19/22
New leaves with a freshet. Upper Baker Pond, 5/20/22
Red-winged blackbird. Upper Baker Pond, 5/20/22
Blueberry blossoms. Upper Baker Pond, 5/20/22

The next day, Jane and I went to the Pompy. The water temperature was marginally warm, I wouldn’t want to swim in it, probably in the mid 50’s. The bushes on both sides of the river were filled with birdsong, with just enough leaves so it was hard to see the birds.

Bobolink. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 5/21/22
Catbird. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 5/21/22
Canada goose with goslings. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 5/21/22
Goslings. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 5/21/22
Female red-winged blackbird. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 5/21/22
Tree swallows. Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich, VT 5/21/22
Posted on

Paddles 5/20-23

We have had some warmer weather and the water temperatures are now above 50, so we’ve taken to the water. The quarantine rules have relaxed some, so I am traveling a bit farther afield. I drove to Squam Lake, spent the day with my niece and her husband, washed a few windows and took a short paddle.

Water’s edge. Squam Lake, NH 5/20/20

The next day, Jane and I met her brother, sister, and brother-in-law for a delightful kayak on Upper Baker Pond in Orford. We saw a pair of loons, some white flowering bushes,

Loon. Upper Baker Pond, NH. 5/21/20
Shad bush (Service Berry?) Upper Baker Pond, NH 5/21/20

and one mallard drake. Is the hen sitting on a nest?

Mallard drake. Upper Baker Pond, NH 5/21/20

We kayaked on the Connecticut River out of Wilder on Saturday. We came across a family of geese.

Canada goose family. Connecticut River, NH 5/22/20

It was finally warm enough that we heard the frogs singing.

Frog. Connecticut River, VT. 5/22/20
Spotted sandpiper. Connecticut River, VT. 5/23/20
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