The thermometer read 13 degrees on the way out this morning. With the mid week warm up and the rain, pretty much took care of any snow. Today's hike would take me back towards the area where I found the remains of a dead eagle late last year. It gave me a purpose to head that way. Heck, what would be the likelihood of finding the federal  leg band. As I approached the area the sun was just breaking the treeline. What a beautiful sunrise. I was surprised to see how many of the feathers had decomposed in just over a month. I took my pack off and put my camera down. My plan was to start with walking in circles, moving dead straw grass in hopes of finding the silver band. I was also looking for any clues that would assist in determining how the eagle was killed. I was about 50 yards away from where the eagle last stood , there lay a leg bone with a silver band. What was the probability of that! It was an unfortunate event with the eagle. However it's interesting to learn of the eagles start at Quabbin through the leg band number. The time spent today investigating also gave me additional clues with determining ( my opinion )  how the eagle was killed.

With the mid-week warm up a raccoon had walked the shoreline looking for a meal.

And before heading back to my truck I enjoyed watching three otters play.

Jim

It was an interesting day. Left the house  early so that I could be well into the Quabbin Woods before dawn. That worked out real well with watching a beautiful sunrise. Nobody told the animals that I would be early. I didn't see but a few chickadees and one hairy woodpecker.
There were many tracks to be seen. Moose,bobcat,coyote,fox,porcupine, grouse and a few mice.
This mornings hike was just over seven miles. Today's miles reached a milstone of  600  miles hiking the trails and roads of Quabbin while carrying a camera.

I was able to get a decent pic of bobcat track. I did come across two seperate sets of bobcat tracks this morning.

 Pottapaug Pond and the north east side of the reservoir are frozen with the cold spell this week,  This morning I did watch the shorline for a while in anticipation of a predator looking for a meal.

Jim