Coyote in the Charles

Over the years I've had a lot of different critters swim across the river in front of me: deer, moose, otters, musquash, beavers, squirrels, chipmunks,...and today, for the first time, a coyote (opening photo).  He swam across the Charles River near the Dover/Natick line a little over a mile downriver from the Farm Road bridge.

I believe he was aware of my presence but he stayed focused on reaching the other side...

...where he ran up the steep embankment to a log where he felt safe enough to stop...

I suspect he's been taking advantage of recently arrived Canada geese goslings.

A little below the location of this encounter I entered Indian Brook and paddled only a short distance before being stopped by this beaver dam...

On previous occasions I've been able to paddle past this point almost as far as South Street.

Getting to spend the warmest part of this day on the river sure was an improvement over yesterday's cold and damp conditions...

 
Besides the swimming coyote the theme of today's paddle was Nesquik containers...11 of them and all full.  Just a wee bit strange...

Almost as strange as finding 23 empty mouthwash bottles on the Assabet.