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It was a long harsh winter in Upstate New York. So when spring finally arrived, it was reason to celebrate. I took five day trips up there n April and May to collect from Middle Devonian sites. One was with the Mid-Hudson Gem and Mineral Society and my girlfriend, Valerie. The rest were solo ventures. It is a long three and a half hour trip from the Hudson Valley, but incredibally scenic through forested hills and gorgeous farm country. Time to crank up the tunes on the old Ipod. Three of the sites are near Hamilton. One is near Morrisville and one is near North Brookfield. All are in Madison County. Four different formations were collected from; the Skaneateles, the Moscow, the Upper Ludlowville, and the Oatkacreek Formation which is a member of the Marcellus Shale. All are part of the Hamilton Group. Biodiversity of the fossil assemblage is one of the chief attractions, as well as the remarkable preservation. Though each site had species in common with other sites, abundance of particular species would vary considerably. Here is a sample of what was found. These are partial Phacops rana trilobites including thorax/pygidiums and cephalons: Here is a cephalon of Dipleura dekayi, a large burrowing trilobite over three inches across: These are Greenops trilobites: These are Bembexia sulcomarginata, a gastropod: These are Retispira leta, a Bellerophron gastropod: This is a Spyroceras, a straight-shelled nautiloid: These are Grammysia arculata, a bivalve: These are Grammysia bisculata, another bivalve: