Out for a Spin on the beach!!

Hubby decided to go out to the beach with me this morning!!! It's still negative low tides and we have had rip tides the last couple of days....hoping it would stir us up some shells! He doesn't like going out in the dark, and the lowest tide was to be around 9:30...so all the stars aligned and we gave it a try!! Obviously we weren't the only ones out there taking a 'spin' at the beach! :D

This is a live Apple Murex 'taking a spin' toward a Live Horse Conch, Ark & Cockle!

Here is a live Ark shell 'taking a spin' on the beach!

The weather was Beautiful....and the sky was too, Sanibel Sunrises and Sunsets don't disappoint!!

There were a lot of Live shells out there....especially Scallops...notice the little black/bluish spots along the curves of the shell....those are his eyes!! 

These guys were all over the beach....at the high tide line, low tide line and in the water....they're so funny....they periodically 'Chatter' like those old timey windup teeth...and they'll spit water too! You can't help but giggle at them....

Here's a short video...I tried to catch them, but couldn't be in just the right place at the right time...(there's a  longer one (1 min) at the end of this blog post just for fun....

You can see them opening and closing, 'chattering and spitting'!!

There were also lots of live Sea Urchins...

This is a fairy unusual thing to find on these beaches...it's a Skate Case....Baby Skates are in here and hatch through a slit in the end....

One nickname for them is Mermaids Purse.....

I held this up to the light and could see he was in there so I tried to get a picture of it and returned it to the Gulf....You can barely see some red from the light shining through at the bottom...needed a brighter light to get a good pic!

Hubby seemed to enjoy the walk and the hunt....

I found a nice Olive...a "Sheila Shell" we call them, (I save them for our friend Sheila!)

Believe it or not I actually picked up a Fighting Conch!! I don't usually save them as I have so many....but this one was a bright Orange and I couldn't resist....thats a neon red True Tulip with it! Pictures just don't do them justice!!!

On the left are my finds, on the right are hubby's. We didn't get a whole lot, but we spent some time together, got some beach therapy and saw some cool things!! Always the best!!

Stay tuned!!

::Shelllady Hugs::

PS...Here's a little longer video of the Sea Urchin Chatter! Listen....you can hear them!! Enjoy!!

 

Walkin' with the Willets

 It's time once again for some Beach Therapy! I decided I would do better at getting out early for the sunrises...AND hopefully catch some sunsets also! 

Cheri and I have already started our walk and talk, and this evening the dolphin were slowly feeding....so fun to watch!

I even caught a tail flip!! This was all in slow motion, and so graceful!!

a couple of times!!

The Reddish and Snowy Egret stood back and just watched!!

The sky was beautiful and so calming....just what I needed!!

I enjoyed it so much I got up early the next morning to head back to the lighthouse....

Of course, the tides are the driving force, the lowest tides are in the morning, and as we approach the time change, that is still dark....for now.

 I was greeted with smiles, and lots of life....Like these Live Calico Scallops...notice the rows of 'eyes' along the bottom of his shell....

The tidal pools were out, and I think that is my favorite type of shelling.....

There were little areas just filled with Dosinia....I love searching through these areas....

This Blue Crab wasn't as happy to see me, and let me know right away he wanted me to Social Distance!! 

I found a live Atlantic Winged Oyster...

and LOTS of Jellies!

This was beside the tidal pool.....it means the possibility of a complete Alphabet cone....for now, not!

I found this Huge Horse Conch and left him for someone else to enjoy....

He was just under the sand in the tidal pool, as I lifted him out, I saw something orange out of the corner of my eye....I reached back in and found this Beauty!

A deep orange True Tulip! This one I kept!! :)

I did find a nice Angel Wing....

I've seen lots of these Calico Crabs, but I don't remember ever finding one actually in the water, and have wondered if they did go underwater! Here's proof....he was walking around enjoying the tidal pool too....He didn't seem to mind that I was there also!! Love these guys!!

As the sun came up, the birds started appearing....The skimmers were there....I have tried and tried to catch a pic of these guys....and with it being so dark it's nearly impossible!!! Finally got one!!

The bottom of their bill is longer than the top and they fly just off the surface 'skimming' their beak in the water....I think they are just awesome!!! I googled a pic for you to see....

I only see them at sunrise or sunset so it's too dark to get a great pic!! 

As the sun rose, these 3 Willets decided to escort me down the beach....they went up and back with me, either in front of me or beside me the whole time!!

It was pretty cloudy so I didn't get a full sun sunset....this was just as beautiful to me with a little sun peeking through the clouds!

It just don't get no better than That!!!  

Stay tuned!!

::Shelllady Hugs::

Birds, Scallops and Crabs oh my!

This post will have a couple of day trips on it because I have neglected my posting.  As it has been lately, the beaches are amazing, the weather is wonderful, the shells....not so much.  But you know me, the beach walks are my favorite and much needed therapy and my trip is quickly coming to an end....

Team Cheri continues to hit the beaches early, in the dark, mainly because of the cool things that are out there....Tuesday was Tellin day! We didn't find much else, but as we were heading back, just after sunrise, Cheri noticed a few tellins...the more she looked the more she saw! It was amazing!! We both filled up our scoops with Tellins...they are actually called Alternate Tellins...

I love them because they make beautiful flowers....I couldn't believe how many there were!

Wednesday was Scallop day..... as we were walking the beach, we noticed many live scallops on the high tide line, 

I had to take a video...these guys are so cool...notice the row of eyes along their shell on the top and bottom....

Cheri knew it was long time before they would see water so she began to put them back in the gulf first it was a few here and there, then it got ridiculous....there were SO Many! I joined in and she was filling bags and I was filling my scoop and putting them back in.....

It felt like there were hundreds of them out there!!!

Of course, I always have to get a shot of the sunrise....I love this glow!

Today was Crab day....the beach had so many Flame box Crabs...they are the coolest looking things, and some of these were really small!.....

Aren't they amazing?! They were a lot of them out there...I won't bore you with too many pics, but I couldn't resist taking their picture!

I did see one small calico crab out there with them.....

The Pelicans and Skimmers were out there too....obviously it was breakfast time!

I just love these guys! Notice how he looks like he has a bowl haircut!! :D

In one area, we ran across a HUGE school of fish....notice the dark area in the water...the water was crystal clear and you could see there were hundreds of them in there!

and here came a couple of dolphin....!! I just knew we were in for a show! Of course, I didn't get it....but he did one fast pass toward the shoreline....

Then just slowly followed them along the shore....

We were hoping to find a few Flats on the walk....we found several partials....

I finally did find one with a small chip out of it....

Cheri got one too!

I did find a nice Shark's Eye....

a cute little Bittersweet...

a piece of a Lions Paw...

and Cheri found a Junonia Cob

and a couple of cute minis...a true tulip and Bright orange Scallop

as I said, my trip is rapidly coming to an end, hopefully I will have another couple of adventures to post before it does!!

Stay tuned....

::Shelllady Hugs::