Got in a couple of paddles on the Assabet River...
The Assabet proved the wildest as alongside the river there's two hungry eaglets in a nest about 50 feet up in a tall pine tree. Below the nest in a riverside field was a large group of Canada geese with their, still unable to fly, goslings . For the geese it's a worst-case scenario...
As Mrs. Trashpaddler and I paddled past the eagle nest location we witnessed an adult eagle soar up to the nest with a food delivery for the eaglets. It was the first time we'd seen such a delivery made to the nest and the food was received with great enthusiasm by the eaglets...
The adult eagle didn't stay at the nest long and soon left. Only a few minutes had passed when all hell broke loose down on the ground among the Canada geese as they closed ranks and moved closer to the river...some on land and some in the water. Amid the noisy commotion the eagle swooped down upon them but was unsuccessful in grabbing one, and flew across the river to where it perched within sight of the geese and seemed to be drying its wings...
However almost immediately the eagle began receiving abuse from a red-winged blackbird and a variety of other small birds...
The eagle's perch shows much bark having been ripped off by talons giving testament to how many attacks upon the geese may have been launched from this perch. For the Canada geese this must be an agonizing experience. If they move away from the river towards the woods they'll fall prey to fox or coyotes. If stay where they are the eagles will continue to diminish their numbers one by one.
Meanwhile just a few tenths of a mile upriver this little chipmunk found a comfy spot 15 feet up from the ground on the side of a tree...
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