Saturday, May 24, 2014

A Showery Sudbury River


During this morning's rain showers I launched from the Lincoln Canoe Launch and headed upriver on the Sudbury.  Lee's Bridge provided a last dry moment before beginning my ascent (photo at left).  As is often the case on a cloudy/showery day, wildlife were found to be out and about.
In addition to the numerous red-winged blackbirds, Canada geese, and mallards were many eastern kingbirds...
...this lone egret...
...a Cardinal pair...
...a great blue heron...
...a curious beaver...
...some Canada geese goslings...

...and red-tailed hawk holding what appears to be a chipmunk in its talons...
...several crows were preventing the hawk from enjoying a peaceful meal.


A brief stop was made to admire Pantry Brook gently falling into the Sudbury...

Just before reaching the upper point of my route, I veered to the left and paddled under the old and abandoned 4-arch bridge...

Several times today I was reminded of this passage from the journal (July 9, 1851) of Henry David Thoreau:
"...What can be more impressive than to look up a noble river just at evening, one, perchance, which you have never explored, and behold its placid waters reflecting the woods and sky, lapsing inaudibly toward the ocean; to behold it as a lake, but know it as a river, tempting the beholder to explore it and his own destiny at once?"


The day's modest trash haul...
There were 20 recyclable containers (6 redeemable) and 14 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic, Styrofoam, and a wastebasket.  YTD = 2429

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