Oliver Mill Park, Middleborough, MA

Herring In The River

The Spring migration of the herring from Mount Hope Bay up the Taunton and Nemasket Rivers to Lake Assawompsett and other ponds to spawn announces by the sea gulls who follow them, always ready for a meal. This migration of herring has always governed any changes considered on the Nemasket River. The fish were generally used as food or fertilizer, or lobster bait, but there is a record of them being used as a payment of services.

Below: 2024 Video    More for 2024 coming soon.

New Epic Show Now Available Here

 

Below: 2023 Video

 

Below: March 21, 2023

 

Gooseberry Island

Gooseberry Island is the town of Westport’s southernmost point, and is part of the Horseneck Beach State

 

“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it’s to sail or to watch — we are going back from where we came.”

Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park

Gathering a few last rays before hibernating. Reliant on warmth from its surroundings, the painted turtle is active only during the day when it basks for hours on logs or rocks. During winter, the turtle hibernates, usually in the mud at the bottom of water bodies.

Did You Know?

Is the mantis “praying” or “preying”?

 

Just let them come

Sometimes I am just to lazy to leave the back patio. So, I just wait for them to come to us. The lingering light was rapidly falling tonight, but not before a Deer wandered nearby.  The  night sky stood an inky canopy of darkness when it came back later on its journey home, a bit to dark for a good picture though.

 

Challenge Yourself

Grab the kids, put down the cell phones, pick up your camera and for a moment, sit still and just look around. A photographer can bring life what you thought was just your mundane back yard. As you can see, we just love the Cardinals.

 

 

 

 

Plymouth Eclipse With Jackson

What better place to spend the day, Plymouth, MA, waterfront. Especially on the “Great American Eclipse”, day.  April 2024 will be the next one. I hope crickets will chirp and streetlights pop on during this one.  Jackson, where were you on August 21, 2017 ?

There is no science in this world like physics. Nothing comes close to the precision with which physics enables you to understand the world around you. It’s the laws of physics that allow us to say exactly what time the sun is going to rise. What time the eclipse is going to begin. What time the eclipse is going to end.  “Neil deGrasse Tyson”

If the sun were just a little bit bigger or the moon a bit farther away, total solar eclipses may never occur. But they do, and it turns out this celestial phenomenon that has changed human history, and our perspective of the universe, may be a sheer coincidence.  So until 2024,  REMEMBER: Looking directly at the sun, even when it is partially covered by the moon, can cause serious eye damage or blindness. NEVER look at a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection.

 

 

 

Oliver Mill and Water Snakes

Earth has been around for 4.5 billion years. For 700 million years it was Pummeled by asteroids. She has gone though 5 major extinctions, some say we are experiencing the sixth as I write this blog. But all and all, today was a good day for me. How ’bout you?

It’s funny how sometimes the people we remember the least make the greatest impression on us.

Another great day at Oliver Mill Park Middleboro, MA. The only thing missing was the grandchildren.  Met some folks from New England Herpetological  Society, hope I got it right. They were handling a few water snakes. Very well informed on a subject that I just happened to be quiet fond of myself. Remember the quote by Professor Barnhardt to Mr. Carpenter in The Day The Earth Stood Still  ” It isn’t faith that makes good science, Mr. Klaatu, it’s curiosity. Sit down, please. There are several thousand questions I’d like to ask you. ” That’s how I felt talking to these men. Below are two water snakes of different size. Further down, Red Wing Black bird, and Goose with young. For more great stuff from Oliver Mill, visit the Categories links on right side of page. Or click on links below:  Also, below, the Videos from today at Oliver Mill with the water snakes.  And of course, just for the heck of it, below, shows the kids with a  Python, if not mistaken. Marla Isaac, from New England Reptile & Raptor Exhibits came to Brendon’s Birthday party many years ago, Brendon is now 21.  Some images below can be enlarged by clicking. 

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Nature Mapping & The Love of Nature

Do you have any young Scientists in your home. I do. Nature Mapping or Species Mapping has become a wonderful family project for us. Using field glasses, infra-red cameras, trail cams and even microscopes will inspire your young Scientists and the ceiling is limitless. Below, my granddaughter, the aspiring veterinarian. I have just as much fun as they do.

My older granddaughter, photographing red wing black birds at Oliver Mill in Middleboro, MA