An Egg Rock Eagle

Took advantage of some relatively mild conditions today and paddled the Assabet River between Egg Rock and Westvale.  Water level at the inscribed stone looked adequate.  After going about a half mile or so I encountered a mature bald eagle in a tree near Dove Rock...

He moved to another perch in a taller tree just above Willow Island...

...from where he watched me paddle past.

I continued upriver to Concord Junction where a commuter train crossed over the Assabet...

Just upstream from the bridge is a relatively new Public Boat Landing/Picnic Area on the river's east shore...

A light rain began falling after I passed under the Pine Street Bridge and became steadier as I reached my turnaround point in Westvale.  Heading back downriver I wondered if I'd see the eagle again. 

Once I passed Dove Rock he came into view briefly before taking flight and disappearing further downriver...

 
I began wondering whether eagles were around these parts back in Henry David Thoreau's time.  He often mentioned hawks and fish hawks (osprey), but I don't recall him writing of eagles in his Concord surroundings.  As I approached the Assabet's confluence with the Sudbury River it occurred to me how great it would be if the eagle was now perched in the Egg Rock area...and much to my surprise he was...

Note the eagle in the top left of the photo.  Here he is zoomed...

Suspect he had a duck dinner on his mind.  A cup of hot cocoa was on mine.

Some trash, of a mostly plastic nature, removed from the river...