Train Watching Eagle

As the last of the early morning fog dissipated this past Friday, I paddled away from the Route 116 bridge in Sunderland, MA and headed up a very low Connecticut River.  The waters around the islands were particularly shallow.  Second Island, being in the middle of the river, basked in the sunshine...

Third Island had a pair of ospreys at its south end and this eagle at the north end...

The crook of a dead tree cradled a nest...

In addition to being an avid paddler, I'm also a railfan and couldn't resist paddling a bit further to the double-track railroad bridge providing access to Pan-Am Railway's East Deerfield freight yard...

My plan was to stop below the bridge in hopes a train might grace the structure.  I didn't have to wait long as the yard switcher began pulling a cut of cars towards the Montague side...


While the switcher crossed and recrossed the bridge several times working the yard's east end, I found a spot on shore for my lunch break.  No sooner had I done so than a west bound road freight (ED-9) joined the switcher on the bridge...

It was about this time that I noticed a nearby tree hosting another observer of the action...
...a bald eagle watching from a loftier view...


Following my good fortune, I paddled back downriver while enjoying this view of Mt. Toby...
...on an absolutely beautiful late September day.

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