Lords Cove Ice Breakup

From the highway, I can see huge sheets of ice backed up against the railroad bridge.

I put in at Pilgrim Landing, stomping over a snowbank to get to the water. There are some ice floes and I start out busting through skim ice that formed in the night. The tide is coming in and will be behind me.  I wonder if any of that ice will come my way.  Most of the bigger stuff will stay out in the main river.  As I head in I make sure to check out the possible alternate take outs, just in case.  I spot two immature Bald Eagles and gawk at the scenery - clear sky, dried marsh plants and a rim of thick ice on the shoreline. It's too nice to worry about the ice until I have to.

There are a lot of Ducks, far more than I have seen in here.  Birds are definitely on the move, although I don't think they are migrating, yet.  My guess is that they are moving back to preferred areas as the ice breaks up.  A couple flocks of Canada Geese fly over, very high up.

Ring Neck Ducks

Nearing Coutes Hole,  I spot a mature Bald Eagle, which flies west to link up with a second mature Eagle.  Then, I flush 40 Buffleheads, 15 Common Mergansers, and at least 50 Ring Necks. I head around the hole to the east, flushing about a 150 Ring Necks.  The channel is choked with big floes and while it might be possible to get through, it might not possible to return as the tide moves in.  I back out and head to the west side of the hole.

The west side is open for a longer distance. I flush about 200 Ring Necks and 20 Common Mergansers before getting blocked by ice.

Male Ring Neck

I head back out, crossing the shallow Goose Bay to get to the main river.  What had looked like a rim of ice on the north side of Goose Bay is actually a sheet some 200 feet across.  I'm stretching my legs near the river when the Coast Guard comes by - a buoy tender/tug work boat.  They seem to be busting up ice sheets, but they might also be looking for buoys that got dragged off by the ice.  

Common Mergansers pretending to be a herd of Penguins

I head downriver and round Calves Island, mostly to make the trip last a bit longer.