Look of Winter, Feel of Spring

Went to the water yesterday not knowing if I'd find it liquid or solid.  Reaching the tip of Egg Rock's ice tongue, and with my boat floating at the junction of the Assabet, Concord, and Sudbury rivers, I was happy to see open water in all directions.
 
While things may have looked wintry, there was the feel of spring.  It was warm, already plus 50 degrees F. and weather forecasters predicted it would get even warmer when the sun appeared.  I should note, however, that the water temperature is around 40 degrees F. and my attire keeps that fact in mind.

Gangs of robins, such as this guy...

 ...were everywhere.  An occasional bluebird, small woodpecker, or Cardinal were spotted as well.  Ducks included mallards, wood ducks, one pair of buffleheads, and this merganser...

 
I first ascended the Assabet intending to paddle as far as Spencer Brook...

...and then decided to go a little further to Route 2, and then why not Nashoba Brook?...and then how about Pine Street?...then past this backboard...

 ...perhaps meant for river otters, to my eventual turnaround 4.5 miles up from Egg Rock.  That's where the sun emerged and my return trip would see the temperature get close to 60 degrees F.  Periodically, though, I'd feel a brief waft of much cooler air, which I'm guessing emanated from the snow-covered woods.   
 
The Main Street bridge in West Concord never looked better...

Once back at Egg Rock and finding such splendid conditions, how could I not go down the Concord to the Old North Bridge?...

...and then to Great Meadows Landing...and then to Saw Mill Brook where a pair of mute swans continued downriver...

...while I turned about and began heading to the takeout.  Ended up paddling 13 miles and drove less distance (12 miles) to do it which doesn't  happen very often.

Trash was on the light side considering the distance covered...