This and That

I have a few pics I've taken during my beach walks and a video that I thought was fun so I thought I'd share....I LOVE the birds, and unfortunately I may not be completely accurate when I call them out, I will do my best, but if I'm wrong....don't hesitate to tell me right! I'll learn it...hopefully!!!

I went for a fairly long walk and saw these photo ops and just couldn't resist....this Great Blue Heron was 'fishing' off this rock....there were fish out there, I could see them breaking the surface....how he was going to get them, I have NO idea! But he was definitely paying attention!! 

 

A little further down the beach I saw this regal looking Osprey ....

See him way up there at the top?? He started noticing I was getting closer....

Started to get nervous, so I was hoping to catch him as he leaped off.....too bad I wasn't just a little further to the left to catch that wing and a little closer to catch that face!

The Gulf has been fairly calm this week, so the shells and treasures have been few and far between....but as I've said 1000 times, the walk is still the best!

Last night we had a cold front blow through and it began to stir the Gulf up a bit and I had to go check things out this morning as we were coming off high tide....

I did find some nice size Dosinia scattered around the lighthouse, which is one of my favorites for painting on....

I managed to fill up my net!

After taking these back to the car I walked a little further down the beach and saw this perfect Alphabet cone partially buried in a bunch of other shells....and caught this Gaudy Nautica and Worm shell rolling past it!!

Where the waves were rolling in (The gulf was still pretty rough) there were bunches of shells.....you'd get a quick look, then you'd have to wait for 3 or 4 or 5 waves to pass before you got another look!! I could've filled my net up with Fighting Conchs and Banded tulips!! All in good shape! But I've become a bit of a shell snob, and already have an abundance of those so I passed. I spent a couple of hours in the same area, until I finally quit....I know I was missing some goodies...but what fun!

I saw at least 4 good sized Lightning Whelks...Live.

I only pulled this one up....here's another with just his 'tail' sticking up....

see it? Just up from dead center of this pic....BTW you don't want to step on one of these, Hubby and I have both done it (obviously accidentally) and it is very sharp and will cut right into your foot!!

I really enjoyed it out there today....and came home with a few treasures...

2 Olives, a beautiful bright orange Fightining Conch, the Alphabet cone leaning on a Sunray Venus pair, a small lightning whelk, a nice dark baby Lace Murex and Apple murex, 2 worm shells, a tiny Horse Conch (candy Corn) and 2 Sharks eyes.

and lots of shells to paint!!

I also took a video of these guys this week....Sanderlings or Sandpipers???? I'm not sure....anyway, check them out, most are on one foot...(the other is tucked up) instead of putting it down to run away they just hopped on one foot!!! I got so tickled by these guys!!!

Enjoy!!

Stay Tuned!

::Shelllady Hugs::