Sudbury River After the Blow

 

It was hard to believe the Sudbury River could be this calm less than 24 hours after the previous day's high winds, rain, and cold temperatures (40s F.).  I launched early on Sunday morning from Route 20 in Wayland, MA and paddled upriver towards Framingham.   Noted several herons had taken to the trees...

 

Also aloft and in the trees was this once airborne balloon or perhaps some sort of parachute...

White-tailed deer were out and about possibly to dry out...which reminded me of long ago being told by locals in Newfoundland that if I wanted to see a caribou I should venture out early in the morning after a rainstorm.  Guess the same applies to deer.  This one was soaking up some sunlight...

The deer's dark-colored winter coat has now lightened quite a bit.   

Around the next bend was this immature eagle...

...watching me like a hawk...er I mean like an eagle...

Went upriver about a half mile beyond the power lines.

The yellow flag are now blooming...

Trash of a mostly plastic nature included a truck-tire inner tube and 16 "nip" bottles...

Felt like a trapper returning with hides strapped to my boat's deck...