Category: animals

Kayaking in Saratoga

This trip was killing two birds with one stone. I needed to go to this location to get a part for a roof rack. It has been hard to get every part I needed since the start of COVID. I have been hearing there is a worldwide metal shortage and of course many companies do not have all their workers back so production is slow. I went to Mountainman’s Saratoga kayaking location to get the last part and have it installed. I wanted to find a place in the area to kayak after I made that long trek and low and behold there was a kayak launch on the same grounds as Mountainman.

Location

This kayak launch is owned by Kayak Shak. My understanding is they own the property the other neighbouring businesses on the water are on. The address is 251 County Route 67 (or Stafford Bridge Road) Saratoga Springs, NY. You can get there without going the town of Saratoga. The way my GPS sent me was through a rural area. The cost for someone with their own kayak was $10. If you are renting a single kayak or paddle board (SUP) the coast is $25 dollars for three hours. They have another deal for renting for a longer period of time. They do not allow dogs, so leave them at home. This business advertises they have paddle board (SUP) yoga on Saturday mornings.

It is two miles I was told to Saratoga Lake from this boat launch. I believe they said you could paddle up the creek in the opposite direction 5 miles. I decided to go to Saratoga Lake.

On Saratoga Lake despite houses along it the water seems to be very clean. You can see a good distance to the bottom.

I did not take many pictures on my trip out to the lake. The sky got dark and my goal was to get to the next bridge, close to the lake before the storm came through. I made it under the bridge justo in time and hung out there until it was over with some fishermen.

Heading back towards where I started- about 2 miles away.
dHeading back from the lake into Fish Creek. That is the bridge I hid under on my trip out.
A tour boat that must have originated on Saratoga Lake. It came up Fish Creek a little ways then turned back.

There are some marinas in different spots. One marina has a campground with RVs/campers viewable from the water.

Wildlife

Since a lot of the land on one side is marshy and not developed you can observe gulls, geese and Great Blue Herons along the way. As always do not get too close. I have a long lens and crop the photos quite a bit.

There were several Great Blue Herons in the area.
Seagull observing the heron’s fishing technique.
Wearing an ankle bracelet? Was this Canadian Goose being monitored for offences? During COVID he is here illegally. The border is still closed.
Almost back.
Those who rent their boat get to take off from this beach.
If you bring your own you have to paddle to the end of the boats and go around them. Basically you are going under the bridge.
Heading back behind the boats.
Where those who own their boat can take their kayak out of the water.
I have seen Adirondack chairs painted many different solid colours. I like this multi-coloured one. It goes well with the kayak and SUP colours.
Where those who own their own boat pay $10 to launch or those who want to rent go to get their gear for a few hours.
You may need to reserve in advance. They do get a lot of people renting kayaks at this location.
Harvest and Hearth Wood Fired Artisan Pizza.
Gluten free pizza made with cauliflower crust from Harvest and Hearth Wood Fired Artisan Pizza.

After my trip it was dinner time. I decided to look at the menu of the pizza place on the same grounds as the boat launch, Harvest and Hearth Wood Fired Artisian Pizza, and they indeed had gluten free options. Any pizza on their menu can be ordered with a gluten-free (cauliflower) crust. I ordered the Epiphany. This pizza had kalamata olives, fire roasted peppers, red onions, organic rosemary, mozzarella and goat cheese. If you are lactose intolerant you may need to ask if it can be made with just the goat cheese. It was very delicious! Their hours are Tuesday- Saturday 4:30-9. To learn more about this pizza place go to the link for it down at the bottom.

During the week in the afternoon there were not many boats or jets skis out until you got close to the lake. Most of my trip I saw fellow kayakers and those on paddleboards.

I like this location for several reasons. Firstly, what is available on the grounds is convenient. You have a shop that sells paddling supplies, a pizza place, the boat launch, restrooms, and a park. If you have friends who want to go but don’t have their own kayak, they can rent. Also you can go two directions. So it makes for two different trip choices. In addition, the chance to view wildlife is always a plus to me. During the week it is fairly quiet with few motorboats. The short of it is I would return to this location.

Get out and experience nature. Get some exercise along the way. It will help you maintain your health.

Mountainman Outdoor Supply is the largest dealer in paddlesports in New York State from what I understand. https://www.mountainmanoutdoors.com/store-locations.html

To learn more about the wood fired pizza: https://www.harvestandhearth.com

To reserve a kayak or SUP at Kayak Shak: https://www.kayakshak.com/?utm_source=Saratoga.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=microsite&utm_campaign=Saratoga.com

Lake Wononscopomuc

What is the deepest lake in the state of Connecticut? It’s Lake Wononscopomuc (also known as Lakeville Lake). It reaches a depth of 102 feet. In a Native American Language it is said to mean something approximating “a marshy area at the bend of a lake”. This is one lake I kayaked recently. It is one I highly recommend.

As the sign says no alcohol or dogs. This is the town park.
Location

This 348 acre lake is located in the Lakeville section of Salisbury, Connecticut. It is in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. You can get there by taking Route 44 east from Millerton N.Y. or west from Norfolk, Ct. From Route 44 you take route 41 south for .1 mile and turn right onto Ethan Allen Street. Follow it to the town park and boat launch.

Fees

Residents get free access. All I did was kayak, so the charge was $10. It was a really nice town park. Since this is the only public access the fee was worth it to me.

Park Amenities

This park covers a lot of land with a beach, wooded area with picnic tables and outdoor grills, a children’s playground, dressing rooms, toilets, boat rentals, and a concession stand, besides the boat launch.

This park rents sailboats, kayaks, etc.

This lake is surrounded mostly by private residences with large lots. Most of the houses are set far back from the shore.

A very hazy day. I had some nice sailboat pictures, but it turns out all of them appeared to be occupied by kids. I don’t want to show images of kids up close unless it is a more public event like a parade. You can see the some of the town park behind this sailboat.

It was very hazy the day I went. It was supposed to be sunny all day, but the air smelled of smoke and I heard it was from the wildfires out west.

Wildlife

I heard an eagle could be seen along this lake. I looked for a nest, but did not see one. Instead I saw multiple great blue herons, ducks, and even what appeared to be a green heron.

I believe this is a green heron. It is much smaller than a great blue heron.
Lake Traffic

I did not see a motorboat or jet ski. I saw conflicting information online on wether they were allowed. I did see multiple sailboats and kayakers. The sailboats were operated by children who appeared to be teen or pre-teen in age. I traveled around the lake close to the shore, so I got the full distance.

I enjoyed this lake for many reasons. For one it was a quiet trip. In addition, I was able to view wildlife. It was the first time I saw a green heron. The parking lot and boat launch were nice as well. I would not mind returning to this lake in the future as it has other nice amenities I did not taken advantage of. Also there are some restaurants in Lakeville very close to the town park.

Get out and enjoy nature. You may experience something new.

Pet Mural

How do you make you business eye catching? One way is by painting a mural related to your business on your building. I found this on the way to meet someone. This is a pet dare care/ hotel. Most of the images are dogs, so I am guessing that is what most of their clients are. This is in Connecticut.

Look around you as you are travelling through life. You never know what you may spot.

Coxsackie Owls

A town in Connecticut has dogs, Saugerties, N.Y. has butterflies, but what do they have in Coxsackie, NY? Owls! Owls are on display in town and will be auctioned off in late September to benefit local charities.

It goes to reason that Coxsackie would choose owls for a fund raiser. The town name originates with Native Americans. The area was originally inhabited by the Mohicans(Mahicans), part of the Algonquin nation. Original meaning of the town name was said to relate to owls. Two possible translations of Coxsackie in its previous spellings were “Hoot of the Owl” and “Place of the Owls.”

I like the way they had signs for each of the owls with the name, artist, and sponsor on it.
Location

Where can you find these owls? There appears to be someone 9W and I found some along different parts of Mansion Street and on other streets in the waterfront area. Mansion Street in Coxsackie along with 9W appear to be the main business streets. Although I would try to pick up a map locally to try to locate them all. There are many more than the ones I pictured.

If you are traveling along the NYS Thruway and want to break to stretch your legs and get a bite, pull off on Exit 21B. Punch in under intersections Mansion Street and 9W on your GPS. That should get you there. There are many owls around Coxsackie. Go out and have a peek. If you like one, bid on it. It supports local causes. Get out and enjoy your surroundings!

For more information:

http://www.coxsackieowls.com

Or their Facebook page: What a Hoot by search or:

https://www.facebook.com/HootoftheOwl

Wildlife near the Hudson River

I went kayaking again starting on a creek that empties into the Hudson River. The river is thriving more than in the past and there are a lot of different kinds of birds and other critters to see along its banks.

This creek has a lot of heron.
Off towards the river
I have no idea what this eagle brought up from the creek.
They were holding onto something.
A juvenile eagle came looking to snatch away whatever the adult caught.
Another adult came to chase the younger one away.
There are a lot of herons in or near the river.
I did not see whom this osprey was trying to impress, but he kept flying around me with the fish. I’m sure it was not me, but he still gave me the opportunity to get some shots off.
Heron flying over the river.

Get out and enjoy nature! It is amazing what is just outside your door.

New Life- Gosling

I went to a cemetery that has a couple of ponds. Last year the geese and ducks there had many babies. This year I only saw one so far. It had two adults guarding it like secret service protection. It made me wonder if there were other babies, but predators snatched them. Time will tell.

I was hoping to catch this one riding on a parent’s back, but no such luck. It swam across the pond behind one parent and guarded from the rear by the other.
This little one walked an swam well on its own an also was eating grass or other items in the grass.

Many find Canadian geese bothersome. However, you have to admit their young are cute. Go out an enjoy nature!

First Kayak Trip of the Year

The weather cooperated. It was time to take my first run of the year. I went to a body of water that empties into the Hudson River. Lots of men fish along it in various spots.

There is an abundance of wildlife along this body of water. Eagles from various local nests come here for sticks , mud, and grass. They also pop in for some fish. Many nests have eaglets this year and most are not quite ready to fly, so the parents use this location as there go to home supply store and supermarket.

First, I saw Great Blue Herons nesting. There were actually several herons on this creek. Some may have been stopping by or lived here. There was a nest above this nest in the same tree. There is also a pile of sticks near the bottom of this tree on the water that looks like a huge nest.

An eagle flew over me while on my way towards the river. I wish I had seen him approaching. Maybe next time. There is a nest on private land where this body of water meets the river. I had a view from my kayak and saw one eaglet and one adult. Being closer to the river I could not get a steady picture with my kayak moving around so much.

All of these photos were taken at quite a distance away with a zoom and heavily cropped.

At the end of my trip one of the fishermen came over and helped me load my kayak back onto my car. Something that is typical at this small boat launch area from what I have heard. It was a good thing. My arms were tired at the end of this trip.

Get out an enjoy nature and stay safe.

Lake Eagles

I see one of the parents perched by this lake on my way to work. On the way home I stop by sometimes to get a glimpse. It looks like this nest may have the latest born eaglets in the area. I am guessing these are less than 2 weeks old.

Proud parent on babysitting duty.
Sibling conversation
Sticking his tongue out at me or was it pleading for food?
Is that a hawk? This was the day before the other pictures when the sky was more clear.

Get out an enjoy nature! Stay safe!

Growing Older

The owlets are growing up. One can see more colouring like that of an adult great horned owl. It is interesting to have this opportunity to view these youngsters. Get out and enjoy nature. It’s a perfect way to social distance and get exercise at the same time.

The eyes of the owlet on the left appear a little off. Is it just me?
I wonder what they were talking about.
Watching me leave.
Singing a song or pleading for food?
Sleepy mom at one point was in the tree.
A very windy day and the branches were moving about. In this photo you can see the two owlets hunkering down.

Winking Owl, Stealth Owl

I had to stop by after work. The weather has not cooperated, but I can not do anything about that. No drama today. The crows did a fly by , but did not see the parent.

It looks like one owl was winking at me. I am sure it had something in his eye though. The parent tries to be stealth around the nest. It did not work today. It has no problem being photographed away from the nest.

Yes, one seemed to be winking at me. It had one eye closed for a few shots.
The owlets are starting to get feathers it appears and I see what appears to be ears more prominently.
Parent is trying to be stealth. It did not work too well at this moment.

Get out and enjoy nature. It is the perfect socially distant activity.