The northeast side of the reservoir made for a nice hike this morning. The sunrise added to the day. Wind was almost nonexistent until the sun came up. Then it got breezy at times. No photo opportunities this morning. I did see where an otter came out of the water and ventured into the hardwoods with coyote tracks following it. While sitting on the shoreline I did spot one distant eagle and several seagulls. On the hike back two mature bald eagles flew  out of a white pine not too far in front of me. I readied the camera in anticipation of a close pic with them flying. Both eagles soared just inside the wood line which prevented any pics.
A few years back I had the opportunity with participating in a spring eagle banding project on Wachusett Reservoir. I will dig the pics out and share in the next couple of days.

A  pic from this morning.
Jim

There was some confusion with the eagle leg band number identification that was communicated earlier. The band  below belonged to a immature eagle banded on May 23,2012 in the Gate 43 area. The eagle weighed 4.5 lbs and had 1 sibling.

 

Jim

 

Was I surprised to see the temperature at 30 degrees this morning. Put my camera , hiking equipment snack and water together and out the door at 6:00 AM. I headed to another east side gate that I haven't hiked in a month or so. I figured it would of been traveled heavy with the holidays and all. I couldn't be more wrong. Since the snow Saturday night only two hikers waked in about a mile and turned around. Where there tracks ended , critter tracks started. In my five mile hike I crossed over eight or ten different deer tracks. Most were traveling in groups of two, three porcupine, one fox, four or five coyote  and one I wasn't certain maybe an otter.
I had the place to myself with comfortable temperatures and little wind .
Well the frequency of hiking with the holidays has come to the end with today's hike.  I manged to get out seven times over the last two weeks. Unfortunately ( Thankful For A Job) back to the grind tomorrow. Will have to wait till weekends to hike.
With the cold front comimg in tonight will freeze up most open water
Happy New Year
Jim

I am guessing an otter or possum with tail. Will research later

This morning it was fourteen degrees . Hoping to get a few photo ops I headed to Quabbin Park. What was suppose to be a partly cloudy start to the day was completely overcast and dismal, Several deer were bedded in some small pines on the ride in.. I hiked a short distance in Gate 53 with no mammal or bird activity. Had it been a sunny day I was equipped to spend the morning hiking. I left the park around nine and did catch the glimpse of a immature eagle sitting in a oak tree overseeing the water.

Nice Way To End 2012

 

Happy New Year

Absolutely a beautiful morning hiking. With 4/5 inches of fresh soft snow  sure made for quite walking . As soon as I crossed the yellow gate a fresh set of coyote tracks were in the road. With the woods so quite and light wind in my face, the anticipation a photo op was high. Walking was easy and QUITE As I worked my way to the reservoir. I crossed over several different deer tracks ,  one porcupine track and two additional coyote tracks. Just about to the shoreline  when a bald eagle flew out of a hardwood tree then headed for open water. Otters had already came through leaving there tell tail sign. A few mergansers were visible in a small area of open water. I sat and ate my morning snack hoping to maybe see another eagle. Not to be this morning, Hiking back to the truck three deer walked over my foot tracks in the snow. Nut hatchers were abundant in the hardwood trees.
Jim

Does Not Get Better Than This

Otter tracks sliding down to the reservoir