Saturday, July 31, 2021

Nips and Nests

 


Started this past week with an early Monday morning visit to the Assabet River eagles' nest where both eaglets were found staying close to the nest...


That's the fledged one above the nest while the unfledged eaglet is out of view behind the nest.

Later the fledged eaglet returned to his own tree where wings were extended to seemingly catch the breeze...


Nearby and within sight of the nest several river otters were hanging out.  Fumbling with my camera resulted in only one image being captured...


Water levels have dropped considerably with the Fort Meadow Brook box-culvert almost passable...


At Gleasondale the Route 62 bridge project continues...


On Wednesday I paddled the Sudbury River between Little Farms Rd and Saxonville where another nest neighborhood exists in a cut-off section of the river.  The nests appear to have ospreys and great blue herons in close proximity...

...like the old expression two's company...three's a crowd.

Paddled up to the downriver end of the Saxonville Mills where the river was shallow and moving at a good clip...

Saw my first Cardinal flower of the season...

...reminding me that summer is beginning to wane...even though I'd prefer it wouldn't.

Finished the week with a Friday morning paddle in the Nashua River's Oxbow NWR northern end.  Launched from the Bill Ashe Boat Launch in Devens, across the river from Catacoonamug Brook.  Paddled about 2.5 miles upriver...

...to where the light at the end of a tunnel drew me in...
...to where an unnamed brook falls into the river...



Trash was light on one Monday...

 ...and a bit heavier on Wednesday with sheets of plastic found draped on tree limbs...

...with Friday's haul including 70 nip bottles (from that 2.5 mile stretch of river)...

One of the more effective trash traps on the Nashua...


The oddest find of the week was this elaborate piece of glassware...

Perhaps Cheech and Chong were canoeing in the vicinity.


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