Peacham and Miles

Tuesday June 25  and                                          Most Recent Posts:
Thursday June 27, 2024                               Hiking a Vermont Forest and
Moose River Campground                           New Hampshire Mountains
St Johnsbury, Vermont                       Lower Symes Pond - Fabulous Sounds

My last post was about two hikes and this one is about two ponds that I paddled in late June.  This is often my plan.  I alternate hiking with kayaking during the week and take the week-ends to do other things and avoid the week-enders.

This will finish my posts about June in Vermont.  On to July….at least before August gets here I hope

PEACHAM POND

Peacham Pond  is 28 miles away and takes about 35 minutes to get there.  The pond is bigger than some others that I paddle at 331 acres.  

The water was glassy when I started out and the size of the “pond” makes the shoreline indistinct at this distance.

I started paddling around the edge of the water as usual.  There were quite a few houses on the lake but I find I took no pictures of them.  I stuck to the sections of shore line that were undeveloped.

Once I was far enough down the shore, I paddled over to the island. 

Athough there were signs warning that nesting loons were on the island, I sadly did not see any.  

I heard bullfrogs close by and loons at some distance but saw no wildlife. 

Too many houses I guess.  I must learn to check out if there is a homeowners association for the ponds I paddle.  That’s a clue that I will find more houses and power boats than I prefer.

Can’t decide if I will return to give Peacham Pond a second chance since there are so many others to choose from.  But it was still wonderful to be on the water and it’s great exercise.

MILES POND

On Thursday of this same week, I took my kayak to Miles Pond where I had better luck.  Miles is possibly the closest pond to me, only 12 miles away.  I’ve been here before.   It’s a bit smaller than Peacham at 206 acres and also has houses but the loons were there the day I visited which was great

I zoomed in a bit across the pond to show the houses.  They are going down both long sides of the water.

I only took one house picture close up so this must have been my favorite of the pond front properties.   Or maybe it was just its paint scheme that appealed.  Definitely color coordinated – chairs, tables and all.

Paddling along the shore I can hear rushing water and sometimes can get a look.  I paddled back into this small opening.

And found this sweet talking stream.  Few things are as appealing to me as the sound of moving water.

This lake too had an island in the middle.  I wish I knew why that was so common but no Loon signs around this one.   The gray clouds are a bit concerning but no rain is predicted.  However that doesn’t always mean much.

Happily the loons were here.

I saw this pair several times during the morning but no chicks.

Miles pond has a wild end which was where I was headed.   The sides have homes all along but the wildness starts before you get near the end which is swampy. 

The Great Blue Heron stood as still as a statue.   I had downloaded Merlin and had it on as I paddled.  I was surprised at how many birds were here beyond the ones I could see or whose calls and songs I recognized.

I heard the Red Winged Blackbird before I saw him so I was on the look out.  I was on the look out for others whose songs I recognized like the Kingfisher and those I did not like the Tree Swallows that Merlin identified for me.  The kingfisher was too fast and the tree swallows were literally zooming all around, up and down, back and forth.  Both were impossible to photograph but it was wonderful to see them.

I heard other birds I recognized but didn’t see like the Red Eyed Vireo, the Cedar Waxwing, the Goldfinch, the Robin, the Eastern Phoebe and the Song Sparrow.  Merlin told me there were others whose songs I did not recognize like Yellow Warbler, the Least Flycatcher, the Warbling Vireo whom I’d never even heard of.

It was a very good day for hearing birds and seeing a few.    And I’m obviously not the only one listening for running water.   In the distance of this and the photo above you can see the Beaver beavers too have built a house on the pond.

Looks like a two room cottage.   I wish I’d seen the builders.  Maybe it’s a big family.

I paddled on many more ponds in July so they will be in upcoming posts.  It is my favorite thing to do here where there are SO many and the trails are SO muddy with all the rain.