Shelllady

Shelllady

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Birds of a Feather

“It’s hard for me to put into words why I like the beach so much. Everything about it is renewing for me, almost like therapy...Beach Therapy
~Amy Dykens

As predicted, the lack of low tides during daylight has certainly slowed down the shelling for us... As you can see by this picture!


Hubby and I have spent a lot of time sitting on the beach, just enjoying the sights! We've seen lots, and lots of birds, dolphin...and the occasional sea monster again.  We think that we figured out it was manatee...they seemed to swim rather quickly, but saw another couple yesterday, and the beaver-like tail made us more certain....I think....! :) Maybe I'll be able to get a picture of one of them!!
An Osprey on the hunt...fishing!!
A Cormorant, I was told they stand there like this after a swim to dry out their wings to fly! This one stood there for a Long, Long time...posing for me!
I think this is a Willet

Reddish Egret, He was fishing too...had a great system...video  later!
Snowy Plover

Ruddy Turnstone...I think

Ibis
A Duck!! In the Gulf??
Love the Pelicans!
Love the Snowy Plover....so hard to photograph because they move SOO Fast!
Got Him!! This (I think) is the male...a lady following them told us the female is banded, we saw the baby the other day....so sweet, but of course, I didn't have my camera!!



These are the shells we've gotten over the last 3 days!! What a difference a tide makes...huh?! I don't really need any more shells anyway! It's fun to look though...something is therapeutic about it!!


 As I said before....the internet here is terrible, that's partially the reason for the lack of posting!! This post took a LONG time to add the pictures!! Oh Well...one more day here in paradise....we plan on staying here and at the beach all day...we have plenty of food...the only thing growing short is time!! :(

We will head back to Sanford tomorrow am to catch the Auto Train back home...hopefully Beryl will not be there when we get there!! Maybe I'll post one more time this evening, then I will catch you up with the videos after we get home!!  

::Hugs::

Cheri 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Tidal Pool: Life

"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun."~Unknown

We had another good evening of shelling the tidal pool....I'm afraid it won't last too much longer because the low tide is getting into the night and the tides are going to be 'less low' (does that make sense?) We got lots and lots of mini shells this time!! (Sorry about the quality of the pics, guess my focus wasn't working too well!)


Banded tulips, a mini true tulip, and Florida Cones above the apple murex
Hubby's Pear Whelk, Alphabet Cone and paper fig, those are kittens paws on the left, appropriately named don't you think?
Olives below a faded king's crown and sharks eye; fighting conchs at the left then lightning whelk minis, Horse conch minis and button shells!

We call these cat's eyes! and 4 mini pear whelks
There are so many living creatures in the tidal pools, lots of activity, everywhere!! Here are just a few pics of what we saw!
Peek-a-boo crab....now you see him
Now you don't!!
How about this for a fancy garage? see the crab?
 A live pear whelk....I put him right back, I promise!!
A live fighting conch...see his eyes sticking out the end?
Can you see the crab hiding out in this pic?
A hermit on the run!!
A live Banded tulip, has his 'door' open and running through the pool!
My favorite, a Horse Conch, or Florida Conch...his body is BRIGHT Orange!! This one is about 7 inches long!
A banded hemit!!
This guy was HUGE and was digging in the sand...video later!!
A huge starfish

 Unfortunately, while shelling in a tidal pool, some things will hide in the shells we pick up, since they are usually still underwater when we get them, we don't know they are there until I boil the shells when we get back to the condo! That is what happened here!! 
Notice how tiny he is! He was evidently tucked up in one of the shells! I felt terrible!
 While we were Chillin' on the beach this massive unusual looking boat came by...I zoomed in to get these pics....you can see how huge it is by looking at the size of the guy driving it!! It's so low in the water!!
Tonight's shelling was pretty disappointing, the tide never dropped very low before dark, so we need to regroup tomorrow and figure something else out!! But we're pretty resourceful...we'll figure something out....or maybe just RELAX and let the world go by!! :)

::Hugs::

Cheri
 
 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Happy Trails

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” 

~Edward Abbey


The shelling in the tidal pool last night was AMAZING!! There were so many things to see, pictures to take, and yes there good shells too!! Hubby won the prize by finding a huge beautiful Lightning Whelk...with no inhabitant...and an Angel Wing!! I came in to a close second with another Alphabet cone...this one was in much better shape and had beautiful color!! There was quite an array of different shells!!

Shark's eyes, Pear whelks, Paper figs, Tulips, Fighting Conchs, Apple murex, Horse conch minis....all kinds of finds!!
Olives, Augers, Scallops.....Check out the size of that Lightning whelk!!
Hubby's whelk
Top View...it's Beautimous!!
Inside
Angel Wing!
Alphabet cone
Paper Figs
Fighting Conchs...one is less than perfect!!
Top: Buttercup cockle, Left: Pear Whelk, Right: (My Favorite) Horse Conch or Florida Conch...they grow to as big as 2 Feet Long!! The biggest one here is about 3/4-1 inch!!

 I spent a lot of time taking pictures of all the activity in the tidal pool! As I said before, to me it is the best shelling! You have to learn to walk slowly so you don't kick up the sand, while also being aware that there are LOTS of living things there! I got interested in the trails left by the different things in the pool....here are just a few!!

Urchin Trail
Banded Tulip Trail
Fighting Conch Trail
2 Olives Trails
Another Olive Trail....I think he's getting dizzy!!
A Very Confused Olive!!

 The colors in the sky were amazing....the perfect end to another day in paradise!! 





I Love this Place!! :)

 More tomorrow!!

 

::Hugs::


Cheri

 

**Sorry this post looks so different...Blogger has decided to do it's own editing!!