Lower Squannacook River - 1-Mile Up & Back

With a trip to the north country fast approaching, today's ascent of the lower Squannacook River provided a nice 'wild river' preview.  It would have been very easy to believe I was in Maine or New Hampshire.
After launching into the Nashua River at Route 2A in Shirley, I paddled the short distance to its confluence with the Squannacook where I began my ascent.  Heading upriver required a substantial amount of ducking under/sliding over blowdowns and paddling over a beaver dam.  Tackling each obstruction slowly and deliberately provided simple satisfaction and helped to build this paddler's confidence in being able to find a way through (one way or the other).   
Other than an old rail line that occasionally ran close to the river, there were no signs of civilization.   This river also had the least trash of any river I've paddled around these parts.  This was amazing considering how many blowdowns and snags there were.
After paddling about a mile, I reached an area where a small pond existed...

It was mostly encircled by a ridge and had a spit and sandbar where the river entered from the northwest.  This would have been an idyllic setting for a Nipmuc encampment back when salmon made the trip upriver.  It is said that Squannacook means just that, "place for taking salmon".

Near the pond's inlet, a red-headed bird caught my eye.  I believe it is a male red-bellied woodpecker, the first one I've ever seen...

A large number of wood ducks were seen as well as several sandpipers, and a musquash.

The sandbar provided a nice spot to beach my boat and enjoy a very peaceful lunch...

Soon I was reversing my path and heading back downriver through the blowdowns.

This was the view as I neared the confluence with the Nashua...

The railroad bridge in the distance spans the Nashua River close to the confluence.  Curious as to whether trains are still using it, I landed near its base and climbed the embankment to find some very rusty rails...

The view is looking southeast towards Ayer.
On a nearby post hung the improvised trash receptacle of "Mr. Tidy Litterbug"...

This type of litterbug doesn't throw his trash on the ground but rather into a plastic bag he hangs on some object for convenience.  He just 'forgets' to bring it home with him.  Once open the bag reveals a plethora of refuse...

Did he eat all those bags of Smartfood popcorn or were they used for bait?

Back at Route 2A this photo shows the very small amount of trash found in the Squannacook...

A sparse 11 pieces of trash.

The terrestrial trash recovered from the rail bridge and the boat launch area are pictured here...

The combined total for the day was 55 pieces of trash which brokedown as follows: 23 recyclable containers (6 redeemable) and 32 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags, styrofoam, nip bottles, etc.
My YTD total stands at 2619.