If you carefully keep your bird records by county, be sure to use the specific hotspots around Squam Lake so that the birds will be assigned to the proper county. There are sections of the lake in Belknap, Grafton, and Carroll counties.

Widely known as the filming location for On Golden Pond, Squam Lake is a quieter summertime destination in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire that sits just south of the White Mountains and northwest of Lake Winnipesaukee. Squam Lake serves as a nesting site for loons, bald eagles, and great blue herons; it’s also home to a plethora of fish species, including trout, salmon, bass, pickerel, and perch. Dotted with about 30 islands and several unnamed islets, it drains via a channel into Little Squam Lake. There’s a sense of natural serenity here, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. Squam is surrounded by four lively Lakes Region towns, ensuring that visitors will find plenty of things to do, places to stay, and eateries to check out.