Taking the canoe for a walk

With beautiful Fall days upon us, we wanted to take the boats out.  Saturday we launched the Kevlar canoe, a small plastic kayak, and Dolphin into Willimantic River.  Dolphin has not been in the water in one entire year !!   Oh such a thing as that !!  We paddled downstream looking at the river banks and for birds.  Jorge found subjects to photograph.  A cooperative Great Egret,  2 Great Blue Herons, and sandpipers.  The water level in the river is very low, creating a mudflats for sandpipers and plovers to feed.  Killdeer, Semi-Palmated Plovers,  Solitary Sandpipers, and a Spotted Sandpiper were all feasting on small muddy tidbits.  Eastern Phoebes, Chimney Swifts, Barn and Tree Swallows swooped and flitted after insects over the water.  Cedar Waxwings and a Belted Kingfisher called from the trees.

     Sunday Sue and I decided to do a longer paddling trip with the Kevlar canoe.  We set up our car shuttle and launched into the river north of the house.  Willimantic River was pretty at first with reflections of green leaves on the water.  Then there were rocks, too many rocks, and too little water, and rocks poking up out of the water in too many places.  We spent more time wading down the river guiding the canoe between and over the rocks, then we did actually paddling from inside the canoe.  Two Ospreys and Great Blue Herons flew over us as we slogged along in the river.  Eastern Phoebes and Cedar Waxwings were busy in the trees.                                                                  So much for our paddling trip.  With the help of Fuji-bicycle we retrieved our vehicles and brought everything home.
     I do NOT want Summer to end.  We need more Summer days and more days like this.  Already I saw a few red leaves on Maple trees.  

Top photo:  Laughing Gull
2nd photo  (above):   Yellow-crowned Night-Heron caught something for breakfast.
Photo to right:  Black-capped Chickadee