Wildlife
Kayaking is an outdoor activity. Yes, kids, you'll have to put down your game controllers and go outside. Out there is what us older folks call nature. Nature can actually be quite beautiful and interesting, and you don't have to worry about your screen resolution and refresh rate - both are infinity. So here is a short list of flora and fauna ( plants and animals ) that you might see in freshwater environments:
Birds
Fishes
Turtles, Frogs & Snakes
Mammals
Bugs
Plants
Salt Water
All of the birds listed above can also be found in saltwater environs. The list of saltwater fishes is too long to even start. Insects and amphibians have poor tolerance for saltwater and are not found there, but many other types make up for that. Likewise, seals and dolphins may be found in our bays and inlets.
This is by no means an exhaustive listing, just a few representative types that you are likely to see on almost any trip. I'm going to be lazy here, and filch a lot of material from Wikipedia. I'm keeping this all informal and unscientific; I'm not even going to bother with Latin names. However, if there is something you want to know more about, I will place Wikipedia links.
Muskrat
Muskrats are common across the state. While considerably bigger than plain old rats, they are nowhere near the size of beavers, which can get to 50 pounds. Muskrats have tails that are slightly flattened from side to side, unlike beavers which have broad flat tails. Both animals build conical houses in the water, but only beavers build dams.
-- Wikipedia
More: Muskrat & Beaver ...
Water Lilies are found in all still and slow-flowing freshwaters. One thing that I have noticed about them is that on any lake or pond, you will always find white ones, and usually also pink or yellow ones, but never both. The flowers begin in summer and last well into fall.
More: Water Lilies ...
Harbor Seal
Harbor seals are not uncommon in the winter, but kayaking is, so don't expect to encounter them when you are out for a paddle.
More: Seals & Dolphins ...
This is a listing of some of the tiny critters that you might find. I'm not including all the invisible biting nasties that you find around the water. That's what bug spray is for. Above is the horrible Greenhead fly - the bane of New Jersey summers. When one of these bites you, you know it.
More: Bugs ...