Yes, it is busy. It is a very difficult and challenging time of the year to photograph once the snow is no longer on the trees, and we are left with a jumble of bare hardwood branches.
But what works for me in this photo is the early morning or late afternoon sunlight in the background which bleeds through the bare branches and reflects some in the water. There is even a hit of that warm light on the white birches. So overall I find this to be pleasant scenery.
What seems to be lacking is a strong, definite subject. If you had more reflected color and/or more of your desired feathering in the water, then the stream might be the strong subject that would yield a more effective image.
