Revere

February 1st dawned another warm and beautiful day in New England!  I walked at Revere Beach and also checked out Belle Isle Marsh Reservation.

I added a couple birds to my year list as there were several rafts of White-Winged Scoters just off shore with at least one Black Scoter among them.  I was hoping to see either a Glaucous Gull or an Iceland Gull, but I guess I'd need a more experienced birder to point one out to me.  Once I am at the beach, the gulls all start to look alike to me.  I did photograph a Great Black-Backed Gull that I found had a leg band once I saw it on the computer.  I've submitted a report and will provide an update if I hear back.

White-Winged Scoter

Great Black-Backed Gull (with leg bands)

Ring-Billed Gull, grooming

When I gave up on finding a "good" gull, I turned my attention to the shells in the sand.

This one had something interesting inside it.

These are my favorite.  They look like a snail shell.  I love the spiral.
(ID=Northern Moon Snail)

I loved the light shining through this mussel shell.

Northern Moon Snail

Again

I didn't have much time to spend at Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, but I did have a nice close view of a hawk on the path out to the observation tower.  Thanks to two other birders in the tower, I also enjoyed a distant view of the local Snowy Owl.

Red-Tailed Hawk (juvenile)