Changes On and Off the Water

 

Got out on the Nashua River from the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge in Harvard on this past Monday (photo above).  Water level was high from the weekend's rain events.

Getting to and from the boat launch required crossing the CSX Worcester Line railroad tracks at the bottom of Still River Depot Road.  The rails are going to be upgraded with 136 lb/yd continuous-welded-rail which has been laid alongside the old and lighter rail still currently in use...

When the upgrade is complete trains that formerly moved at 10 mph will be able to go 25 mph as they travel through the valley.

Noticed this old rail driven into the ground still bearing the name of the location...

In my previous visits I'd never noticed the lettering.

This afternoon I got out on the Assabet River in Stow, MA where June's theme of cloudy skies continued...

There was no sign of the eaglet at the Assabet River eagle nest.  The adult eagle was near the nest...

...but no sign of the eaglet...until he was eventually found to be on a limb a few feet above the nest where he showed-off his mighty wingspan...

Will he fledge by the 4th of July?

Trash couldn't have been more disparate with a 1.5 mile stretch of the Nashua producing this mess...

...which included 101 miniature alcohol bottles.

In contrast a 3.5 mile section of the Assabet produced only this...

...which included 1 miniature alcohol bottle along with this 5 in 1 highlighter...