Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Ducks Galore on the Assabet

With yesterday being the first full day of spring, and after enduring almost two weeks of killjoy weather, I needed to get out on the water and find some spring.  Thankfully access to the Assabet River (including a plowed out parking area) was available at Magazu's Landing in Stow. 

Despite having heard a forecast calling for sunny skies only low-hanging clouds and a napping mute swan were found...
 ...until the promised blue skies materialized later near Crow Island (opening photo).

After launching and rounding the first bend a hooded merganser and wood duck were encountered...
Apparently yesterday the Assabet River in Stow was 'the place to be' for ducks of many persuasions.

Around the third bend an immature eagle took flight...
...while across the river one of its relatives watched...

Not sure if they were interested in the numerous ducks or perhaps the many musquash that were out and about...

Heard the call of a red-winged blackbird and then spotted my first of the season...

Made a short foray up Fort Meadow Brook to its beaver dam...

Then it was back to the Assabet and upriver passage to Gleasondale.
 
The variety of ducks encountered along the way included this hooded merganser...

...wood ducks and mallards...

...an 'alterative facts' female wood duck...

...and a bufflehead...

At the end of the day the award for best 'Spring Splendor' went to this fellow...

Trash gathered up seemed to reflect some poor soul's very bad day...

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