Sunday, April 15, 2012

Assabet River 'Round Orchard Hill

Temperatures in the 50's greeted this paddler early this morning upon launching into the Assabet River in Hudson at Cox Street.  The trip downriver to Gleasondale Dam was a slow one as there was quite a bit of trash along the way.  Things were nice and quiet until about 9:15 when gunfire erupted at the nearby shooting range.  Once started it never subsided and could be heard all the way around Orchard Hill.
Surprisingly, the wildlife seem used to it and wood ducks, painted turtles, Canada geese, red-winged blackbirds, and red-tailed hawks went about their usual business.  This turkey seemed particularly unconcerned...

Beavers were sleeping in after what looks like some recent hard work...



That's a good sized tree perhaps 16 to 18" in diameter.  Nearby, work has already started on two more big ones...


Perhaps Mr. Beaver is going to build a log cabin?

My trash haul for the day was substantial for such a short (1.8 mile) stretch of river...

There were 108 recyclable containers (30 redeemable) and 79 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as nip bottles, plastic bags, styrofoam, and plastic toys.  Today's 187 would be combined with these 15 picked up yesterday, while biking on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail...

 YTD = 1852


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