It's About the Little Things!

I went back to the Lighthouse on Sanibel this early morning, solo this time. As usual it was a beautiful morning....there were a lot fewer people out as early as I went which is always a plus. I saw lots of life there, the dolphins were playing again as the sun was coming up, but I wasn't close enough to get a picture :( But I got to see them which is always fun.  One of my favorite birds here is a Skimmer....it's beautiful and has an uneven beak, the bottom is longer than the top because they fly just a few inches above the water with the bottom of his beak actually in the water! 

(These are obviously Googled pictures)

I love these guys and don't see them very often, this morning there must have been 2 dozen of them out there, all gracefully flying inches off the Gulf! I must have taken 20 pictures trying to catch them in action, and could not get one in good focus because they are SOOO fast....so here are the best I got, you can get the idea from them I think....

I found a couple of different kinds crabs out there this morning, 2 I think (hope) I saved by putting them back in the water...

a Purse Crab

This Common Spider Crab, I rescued from a bird!

He was being pecked so I moved him into the water, and I think I ran across him walking around out there on my way back by....we're gonna go with that anyway!! ;)

I also found these Calico Crabs getting acquainted with each other...They didn't need saving as they were right on the water line...;)

I found so many of these Burrowing Brittle Stars way up on the sand....took a few pics and videos as I was taking them back down to the water... I love these guys!

Why they are called Brittle stars, I have no idea, they are anything but brittle!!!

I saw a few more live Lightning Whelks...

The shelling was so interesting, there were minis and micro minis all over the place...That requires doing the Sanibel stoop, if you're not a squatter! I did a LOT of Stooping this morning!

I found Wentles!!

and lots of other micro minis!!

Another Crested Tellin....bigger than I've seen before....

a BEAUTIFUL Gaudy Nautica...

and of course a nice Sharks eye!

....and several more smaller shells...

As I have said many times....the therapy was awesome!!!

Enjoy your day! Stay tuned!

::Hugs::