Category Archives: Kayak Birding

Muggy Mid-day Paddle

Like most of the East, and it seems, most of the world, we have been enduring a long stretch of hot and humid conditions with sparse precipitation. While the river is low, paddling seemed like a nice option to get a little workout and perhaps see some birds.

As I was getting kayak ready, I noticed this Monarch working one of our flower bushes.

It has been a good year for Monarchs

Several young song sparrows chipped away at me as I got the gear together.

Our local Great Blue Heron was downstream fishing.

While upstream, this moma Mallard shepherded her three youngsters,

We have watched this brood go from about a dozen fluffballs to the three nearly-grown youngsters.

I saw a larger bird fly into some undergrowth and after some maneuvering and stealth, I spotted this neat Green Heron. It gave me an interesting challenge of balancing the boat, the paddle, and the camera as it played hard to get.

But the master of “catch me if you can” seems to be the Belted Kingfisher who is noisy, flashy, and usually just out of camera range. I followed this one for a quarter mile, shooting and missing, but finally …

Birding by boat is not just about trying for photos. I got really close to several Grey Catbirds, deep in the honeysuckle, and watched an Eastern Phoebe singing away high on a dead branch. It iwas a peaceful way to enjoy a humid Vermont mid-day.

Kayak Birding

Five years ago, when I would kayak early in the morning, I’d strap on my iPod and crank workout tunes and paddle hard up and down  the placid waters of our local Wrightsville Reservoir.  I was sort of oblivious to my surroundings as I worked on technique and speed.  That was before I was a birder.

Yesterday, I let the birds provide the music — and did they ever.  I wore my binoculars, covered with a plastic bag, and carried my camera in a dry bag in the cockpit and set out on a quiet, fog-shrouded journey.  Four Canada Geese came honking in and landed with a splash quite near me — we seemed to be the only critters on the water.

Heading north on the reservoir with the still air punctuated by the songs of Ovenbirds and White-throated Sparrows .

Heading north on the reservoir with the still air punctuated by the songs of Ovenbirds and White-throated Sparrows .

I’m not great at bird call identification but had dozens to chose from as I cruised along — I think I had 25 species in the first 15 minutes.  Kayaks let you cruise up close to the shore and approach some birds rather closely.  I was gliding toward a perched Belted Kingfisher for a photo but made the same mistake I can make on land: I moved too quickly raising the camera and spooked him.

Up ahead, a Common Merganser was feeding in the shallows.  I approached her slowly, hardly paddling, and she seemed undisturbed, but just easing away from this big approaching object.  Here’s a shot I took from the kayak.

It's a tough life being a small migratory bird. Studies estimate that half of all adult Ovenbirds die each year. The oldest known Ovenbird was seven years old.

It’s a tough life being a small migratory bird. Studies estimate that half of all adult Ovenbirds die each year. The oldest known Ovenbird was seven years old.

Merg1W

The North Branch River runs into the reservoir on the north end resulting in a short stretch of quiet water with narrow banks and overhanging trees.  It was easy to cruise up to warblers and sparrows — I got some great looks at a Mourning Warbler.

Returning, I spooked two beavers out for an early sapling breakfast and approaching the takeout ramp, saw a gull that seemed out of place.  It let me get pretty close so it was either used to people or not feeling well.  I snapped a few shots and let it be.

A Ring-billed Gull on the shore, perhaps waiting for me to feed it.

A Ring-billed Gull on the shore, perhaps waiting for me to feed it.

It was a great paddle and I logged 35 species, getting a mild exercise session in while enjoying a perfect Vermont morning.  It was the first, but won’t be the last, birding by kayak outing of the year.  Nice way to multi-task.