High Tide along the Nashua 4/17/07

With heavy rains of the recent storm many streams and rivers have flooded their banks causing several road and bridge closures. Yesterday I drove on Fitch's Bridge Road in Groton, to look for waterfowl and snipe or other shorebirds. Today the water had come up several feet making the end of the road impassable and the water still rising.

Fitch Bridge Road flooded

I did not bird for long, just snapped a few photos and glanced at a few Mallards, but once the water receeds the lower areas will retain water and attract decent numbers of ducks, geese and hopefully shorebirds with the next warm front. The rte 119 bridge (on the Pepperell/ Groton border) was still opened at noon time, but would soon be closed as rising water would flood over the road. Near the boat launch (along Rte 119) several robins, and blackbirds were feeding along the river. I heard a Rusty Blackbird calling and quickly found it walking along the water's edge and managed a few photos through my binoculars.

Rusty Blackbird feeding onlong the Nashua River

High water at the Shirley Icehouse Dam