Friends of Belle Isle Marsh

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Friends of Belle Isle Marsh

Environmental Advocacy

08/22/2026

Egret TV!
This morning 52 snowy egrets, 17 great egrets, 2 great blue heron, and more! were seen in this pool at Belle Isle Marsh!

08/21/2026

Happy Birthday Luca of MassDCR’s Belle Isle Marsh & Rumney Marsh reservations! Thank you for all of your hard work, which helps make Belle Isle Marsh and Rumney Marsh reservations so welcoming! Have a great year ahead! 🎉

08/15/2026

Mummichogs, often called mud minnows or killies, are extremely hardy, abundant small fish that school in salt marshes like Belle Isle Marsh.

Some info about mummichogs: 1) They serve as vital prey for wading birds like herons. 2) They aggressively feed on mosquito larvae in shallow marsh pannes. 3) There is currently a good amount of mummichogs, herons, and mosquitos at Belle Isle Marsh!

08/14/2026

Tomorrow Morning (Sat 15 August)
MassDCR / Brookline Bird Club bird walk! 8am - ~10am. Meet at the information kiosk at MassDCR’s Belle Isle Marsh Reservation (1399 Bennington St, East Boston)

This bird walk will be led by MassDCR’s Park Interpreter Matt and Belle Isle Marsh Site Supervisor Heather. Tomorrow’s walk will start at the main reservation. After, we will make a second stop along the Morton St, Winthrop side of the marsh.

These bird walks are held year-round on the first and third Saturday of every month. This is a birding program for everyone - whether you’re new to birding and nature, an expert, or anywhere in between!

No cost. No pre-registration needed. Please leave pets at home. Some loaner binoculars available thanks to Friends of Belle Isle Marsh.

Birds in photo: least sandpipers

08/12/2026

Join the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh and Piers Park Sailing for a kayaking adventure on Friday, August 28 from 11am to 1pm!

This event is "Rain or Shine", there is NO COST, and it is open to the public.

**Pre-registration is Required.
Reserve your spot at: https://tinyurl.com/FBIM2026

Additional info: Park in the parking lot at (or bike to) the reservation on Bennington Street in East Boston. Walk along the left hand path to the observation tower. Please remember to wear sunscreen, bug spray, and bring water. Water shoes and hats recommended. Kayaks and life jackets will be provided.

Acompaña a Friends of Belle Isle Marsh y a Piers Park Sailing en una aventura en kayak el viernes 28 de agosto, de 11:00 a. m. a 1:00 p. m. Utiliza los enlaces para acceder a la hoja de inscripción y reservar tu plaza. ¡Esperamos verte allí! El evento se llevará a cabo independientemente de las condiciones meteorológicas; es gratuito y está abierto al público.

Puedes aparcar en el estacionamiento de la reserva (ubicada en Bennington Street, East Boston) o llegar en bicicleta. Sigue el sendero de la izquierda hasta llegar a la torre de observación. Te recomendamos usar protector solar, calzado para el agua y gorra o sombrero, así como llevar repelente de insectos. Se proporcionarán chalecos salvavidas.

08/08/2026

The MassDCR Belle Isle Marsh team has started their annual tractoring of the meadow at the main reservation! Maintenance and care of the marsh by the MassDCR Belle Isle team extends beyond basics like grass cutting to ensure proper habitat management.

One example: Every year the meadow gets mowed down to about 7inches, because when managed correctly, meadows provide habitat for a variety of native plants and wildlife. If left unattended, meadows will revert to forest. This practice also helps birds of prey catch meadow voles, as their talons won’t get stuck in vegetation like crow vetch.

Thank you Heather, Lucas, and Luca for taking such good care of our beloved Belle Isle sites! 💚

Fun fact: Belle Isle’s tractor is a manual!

08/05/2026

FYI there is temporary traffic control in place outside of Belle Isle Marsh Reservation for the resurfacing project on Bennington Street. There should be consistent access to the reservation during the resurfacing project.

08/02/2026

This snowy egret was quite active during yesterday morning’s MassDCR / Brookline Bird Club bird walk!

These bird walks are held year-round on the first and third Saturday of every month. Walks begin at 8am at the information kiosk in the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation parking lot (1399 Bennington St, East Boston).

This is a birding program for everyone - whether you’re new to birding and nature, an expert, or anywhere in between!

No cost. No pre-registration needed. Please leave pets at home. Some loaner binoculars available thanks to Friends of Belle Isle Marsh.

🅿️ 🚊
- There is free parking in the reservation’s parking lot
- Public Transit: Take the MBTA Blue Line to the Suffolk Downs stop. Cross at the pedestrian crossing, turn left, walk about four minutes, and the entry to the reservation will be on your right.

07/22/2026

“Morning at the Marsh”, MassDCR’s Newest public program at Belle Isle Marsh Reservation premiered this morning!

Early morning at the marsh is a special time of day, with the city waking up around you, the initial sounds of the blue line and planes overhead, as you’re surrounded by nature and wildlife.

During this morning’s program folks were amazed at how an osprey sounded as an eastern coyote travelled by it, the look of the branches of the willow as the light captured the branch’s underside, and also the barn swallow’s acrobatics as they flew about.

MassDCR plans to hold this 6-7am early morning program again next month. Date forthcoming.

📷: Thanks to our partner Mystic River Watershed Association for capturing some photos of this morning’s Morning at the Marsh program!

07/21/2026

***Reminder***
A new Belle Isle Marsh Public Program premiers tomorrow morning at 6am! Rain or Shine! ☔️ 🌤️
We’ll walk around the reservation with MassDCR Belle Isle & interpretive services staff as the world is waking up for the day. As we walk around we’ll be mindful of the sights and sounds around us, as we welcome the rest of the day ahead.

Program info:
Morning at the Marsh
22 July, Wednesday
6:00–7:00am
Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, 1399 Bennington St, East Boston

Start your day off at MassDCR’s Belle Isle Marsh Reservation! As we make our way around the reservation, we will be mindful of the sounds around us – the calls of birds, along with the subway starting its first runs of the day and airplanes going overhead; reminders that the reservation is truly an oasis in the heart of the city. We’ll keep an eye out for birds, mammals like eastern cottontail rabbits, and will also take in the beauty of the reservation’s trees and other vegetation. Binoculars suggested, some loaner binoculars will be available thanks to the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh. Insect repellant strongly recommended due to the presence of mosquitoes and ticks. Please keep pets at home. Co-sponsored by Friends of Belle Isle Marsh and Mystic River Watershed Association

Public transportation info: MBTA Blue Line to the Suffolk Downs stop. Cross at the pedestrian crossing, turn left, walk about four minutes and the reservation’s entrance will be on your right.

Address

PO Box 575
Boston, MA
02128

Telephone

+16179702474

Website

http://www.friendsofbelleislemarsh.com/

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