Flotsam Fest Part 2

Today I returned to the Assabet River in Hudson and paddled down to Gleasondale Village in Stow.  My objective was to explore an isolated piece of high ground (an island of sorts) located on the north side of the river and across from Orchard Hill.  It was located at about the halfway point between Cox Street and Gleasondale.  A small and un-named stream enters the river from behind this island.  Enroute to the stream I encountered some ice...

The lowest part of the island can be seen behind the ice.
Paddling up the small stream I encountered 2 mute swans, numerous wood ducks, and a pair of hooded mergansers before reaching a beaver dam behind the island. 
Also seen today were a killdeer, a blue heron, and many red-winged blackbirds.
 
Returning to the river provided this wintry view of Orchard Hill to the south...

 

 

Clouds would occasionally block out the sun and, thanks to a busy north wind, a chilly feel would soon develop.  It served to remind that winter is back though "not" by popular demand.

 

As noted last Sunday, large amounts of flotsam still remained in this stretch of river and resulted in my boat being loaded to the gills.

Once back at Cox Street, a good sized day's catch assembled hullside...

There were 127 recyclable containers (7 redeemable) and 119 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as 2 empty plastic gasoline jugs, an empty anti-freeze container, a small cooler, and a 5-gallon plastic drywall pail which is holding 65 nip bottles.  YTD = 1138