New Lodge in the Mattebasset

There is wind in the weather prediction although the worst of it will come after sundown.  I put in on the Mattebasset, one of my favorites for windy days as much of the river is down in a forested valley and a good enough trip can be done without getting out in the open marsh areas.  The sky is a colorful overcast and the temperature is in the mid 60's. About half of the trees are changing color.

I head upstream.  It is the time of year when lots of leaves are floating in the water.  There is a current, but my usual measure of speed - the shoreline passing by, is replaced with my progress against the leaves.  The land based measurement, which is more useful when one is going to some place, is replaced by a water measurement - speed on a moving surface.  I flush 2 Wood Ducks and 2 Mallards and spot 2 chubby medium sized Hawks (probably Broad Wings) during my hour of upstream paddling. I turn back at the first gravel bar requiring a wade.  It is not much further to a short portage at the railroad trestle, which doesn't seem necessary today.  

I pass my start and continue on to the lower end.  The wild rice, still standing, has dropped its grain.  I keep my eyes peeled for beaver sign, but there is nothing as far as the ruins of the Point Lodge, which has been abandoned for several months.  About a quarter mile on, I spot a freshly maintained scent mound.  The beaver have stomped the ground all around it.  I'm not sure where the lodge might be, but there is no sign of feeding or gnawing on any of the trees.  

the new Tepee Lodge 3

I find a new lodge next to the remains of the Tepee Lodge.  This will be Tepee Lodge 3 (#2 was a short lived lodge on the other side of the original),  It is small, but new since my last trip, and it shows a lot of recent work.  

Continuing down, I hear a soft rustling noise, probably a swamp plant hung up on the bow of the canoe.  I run over some swamp veg to drag it loose, but the sound continues.  Then, I realize that the sound is up ahead in the trees near the confluence with the Coginchaug.  The noise turns out to be the calling of hundreds of Red Wing Blackbirds collecting in the trees. 

Red Wing Blackbirds