More randoms from Belle Isle

                                                           Black & White Warbler

                                                      Black-throated Green Warbler

                                                          First of the year catbird

                                                            Glossy Ibis in flight

                                            Male Goldfinch almost in full breeding plumage

                                                      Tree Swallows on the new box

                                                    Male Rose-brested Grosbeak in the yard

                            It's that time of year again and that means....Willets standing on things

                                                                  Yellow Warber

                                             Rose-breasted at sunset marsh in the background

Warbling Vireo

The Warbling Vireo has returned to its tree in the parking lot at Belle Isle. The little guy was singing his heart out on this terrible crappy day.

More from Belle Isle

                                                         Baby Meadow Vole's in the meadow at Belle Isle 

                       Glossy Ibis in flight, one of about 18 that have been hanging around

                                     Male Goldfinch breeding plumage, gray morning Belle Isle

                       Killdeer in flight, breeding / nest at the Morton Street lot of Belle Isle

                      New Tree Swallow condo in the meadow at Belle Isle, folks are moving in

                                                          First time home owners

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Palm Warbler - Plum Island 

                                          Ruby-crowned Kinglet , in the yard Plum Island

Belle Isle

                                                              Tree Swallow

                                                            Savannah Sparrow

random yard birds

                                          Great Horned Owl at the Wing Island Banding station

Oystercatchers & Tree Swallows

So a number of Tree Swallows have moved into the boxes I put out at Belle Isle, very excited about this.

I stopped in to check on my favorite family of Oystercatchers after missing them the week prior. This time they were in their normal spot !

                                                     White- throated Sparrow

Mining adventures

Exploring some mining areas both locally and out of state. This location in  Newbury, was the first mine in Massachusetts. Now overgrown caves in conservation areas, we could only locate one section of the mine, we could not find the other area in the thick forest.

                                                     Caves blasted out of the rock face.

                                                          Casey excavating a mining hole

                                                       Kirkland looking for specimens 

                                                     Serpentine, one of the minerals found at the Devil's Den

 Casey and I took a short adventure to Maine. We mined an old Mica mine in the state forest.  This specimen contains; Garnet, Black Tourmaline,  Quartz and Smoky Quartz. Casey and I dug through some of the blast dumps ( areas dynamited when the mines were open) also we excavated areas some new locations. This area has large Quartz deposits, along with lots of Mica and various types of Tourmaline. 

                                  Matrix with a Black Tourmaline growing through it.