November 8, 2020: A November Day on Waukewan

It didn't feel much like November, but yesterday sure seemed like a perfect day to be on the water.  So I loaded up the kayak and took a paddle around Lake Waukewan.  It was a brilliant day:  bright, warm, a moderate southwest wind, and almost no one out on the lake beside the birds.

Chapman Island in Lake Waukewan

There were several flocks of Common Goldeneye on Waukewan, and they'd fly around from cove to cove searching for the best fishing spots.  They make the most interesting whistle when they fly, and between that and their conspicuous white and black coloring, they are easy to identify even from a distance.

Common Goldeneye in flight.

The gold eye and white face patch are distinguishing too.

I also saw three single loons (I couldn't tell if they were juveniles or adults), a few Common Mergansers, and several pairs of mallards.

Three Common Mergansers huddle under the Goldeneyes' flight path.

After circling the lake I paddled down the canal all the way to Main Street and Frog Rock Tavern.

The end of the canal before it goes under Main Street and on to the Mill Falls.

The Waukewan canal is quite a wonder of construction for circa 1818.

The 0.2 mile canal is lined with granite and has lasted 200 years.

Houses on Water Street (left) and High Street (right) line the canal

There was a slow but noticeable current in the canal.

On Friday, another fabulous November Day, Linda and I visited a very close-by conservation area we hadn't been to before, the Kelley-Drake Conservation Area in New Hampton.  

Lake Pemigewasset from the Kelly-Drake Conservation Area.

This is a beautiful piece of protected land that abuts the western shore of Lake Pemigewasset, less than two miles from Lake Wicwas.  We walked three miles of trails and the first stop was at the homestead of the very first settlers in New Hampton, arriving in 1775 and spending the first winter in a tent before developing their homestead.

One of several cellar holes.

The Lake Trail took us to the shore of Lake Pemigewasset; the Ridge Trail brought us through a tremendous stand of mature hemlock and pine - not old growth of course, because everything around here was cut at least once, but still very impressive trees.  There are also wonderful fields around the homestead that are being maintained, full of wildflowers and very old apples trees.

Milkweed seed pod

Add in a visit to the Drake Cemetery, and you can easily spend a couple of hours and walk three or four miles if you're so inclined.  I highly recommend a visit if you haven't been there yet.

Back at Lake Wicwas I've only seen mallards and wood ducks migrating so far, and I haven't seen the loons since before last week's snow.  We'll keep a watch out.  I did see the deer family come to visit again early one morning, but this time they were heading right into Linda's garden, and that's about the only time it isn't fun to have deer around.  Fortunately the local deer are not acclimated to humans and the slightest motion sends them prancing on their way back to the safety of the forest!

Mom and junior first.

With the straggler hurrying to catch up.

I still love to see them!