Playing Catch-up!

 As usually happens, I haven't been keeping you up to date! There really is not a lot to report, but I have seen a few interesting things that you might enjoy. I haven't found much but I do have some favorites...

I finally got that Flat (ZigZag Scallop) I told you I wanted to find on the last post...

Isn't that a beauty? The colors are amazing!...as are the colors in this amazing Sharks eye...

A first for me...I believe it's called a Bolingi Olive!e I'm not an Olive fan, but this one is so unusual...and is a gorgeous color, so I think I'll keep it! ;)

We are getting North winds this week and rip currents which are bringing in the Sea Urchins by the droves....I've spent a lot of time putting these and Sea Stars back in the gulf...I love these guys when they're live!

Liz and I went out one morning just before sunrise...and found this guy burying himself in the sand! Not exactly what you want to see in the dark!! Don't know if it is a sea snake or a land snake....

here is his head sticking up out of a hole further down....

as usual, the sunrise was gorgeous....

Liz found this nice whelk that was occupied by a grumpy looking Hermit Crab...

and this HUGE live Sand dollar on dry land....We put him back in the Gulf after his photo op...

There wasn't much out there to take home, but I did find a sharks eye trying to hide...

We've had pretty strong winds and rip tide warnings, and much cooler temperatures that started on Monday....I just had to get out there this morning to see what there is to see.... The beach was 'littered' with all kinds of stuff, lots of urchins, scallops (both sides) starfish, live angel wings...and all kinds of stuff....

I love looking through all this...you never know what treasures you might find...or just something interesting! Near the center are two live Angel wings, very large! Unfortunately, one of them is broken up pretty badly...

Here's another live one I found and put back into the water....

There was also a tiny Octopus floating along the edge, I'm afraid he has already died! :(

I ran into a lady that I had met on the beach before, Sue, she actually follows my blog!!!!...we visited a bit as we explored the tidal pool, she picked up two of these nice True Tulips while we chatted....

I found this really nice Atlantic Pearl Oyster...

You can't tell by the picture, but it has a nice 'mother of pearl' on the inside, it's beautiful!

I found this too....will need one of you experts to verify my research, I believe it's a Variable Dwarf Olive....that's my assumption from the books...what do you think??

I have never seen one before! 

This is a HUGE string of Lightning Whelk casing...it appeared to be empty, so hopefully all those tiny guys are out in the gulf growing up!

I did spend a little bit of time looking for minis and found a few, including Wentletraps, Key-hole Limpets, shark's eyes, apple murex etc...

I also saw a Skimmer! Up close and personal! He was solo with several Royal Terns, and he looks like he posed just for me!! Notice how the bottom of his beak is longer than the top...he flies along just off of the surface of the water and drags that lower beak in the water....I have pictures of them in flight in an earlier post! I love these guys!

When I turned around I saw this guy in the tidal pool!! How interesting is he?? I looked and looked in my books trying to identify him, but couldn't find anything similar....anyone out there have an idea? 

I'm not sure I would want to see him in the dark either!! I would probably have nightmares! ;)

Liz and I are going on another adventure tomorrow, hopefully I'll have some cool stuff to post! 

Stay Tuned!!

I'll leave you with some beautiful Sunset pics and a video of a cute little Spider Crab I found in a tidal pool....Enjoy!!

::Shelllady Hugs::

Highlights from This Week's Adventures

I have been lax on my posts lately so I decided to post some favorites from this week's Walk and Talk Adventures.  

I am continually trying to learn all I can about my local area, and saw this growing in a courtyard leading up to one of the grocery stores on Sanibel...If I'm not mistaken, those are Bananas or Plantains?!! How cool is that?!...and check out the 'flower' at the base!! I go into this area nearly everyday, either hiding shells or shopping...This hangs fairly high up, obviously I haven't been as observant as I thought!! I just really thought it was interesting!

I love the birds on Sanibel, and Cheri is a self proclamed 'Bird-Nerd' and keeps me educated about them, this guy is one of my favorites, a Reddish Egret, though they are not always red! He does this wonderful little dance while he feeds in the shallow water....

This is a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron...isn't he beautiful?? This was one of the first time I have seen one of these!

and who doesn't love a Pelican?! This one was on the roof of the pier watching us as we were walking beneath it!!

This tiny little crab, came out with both claws drawn as we slowly walked by him, can you see him?

This is an egg casing for a tulip...

another casing for a Kings Crown....

These egg cases are 'fastened' onto a large rock

This is one of my favorite shells..a Wentletrap

I did find a nice sized Flat Scallop,

...Check out the size of this Tellin!!! They are usually much smaller and daintier!

Cheri and I hit the jackpot on this trip I counted over 80 of them when I got home.....They were everywhere!!....the two smaller ones in this pic are called Crested Tellins

 I thought the way the water washed away this tree trunk was interesting....Look how high the water has gotten on this one!!!

This is all that is left of this tree....hours and hours of the Gulf just slowly washing it away!

Cheri found a live Quahog clam, I don't think I've ever seen one....this guy was sticking out of the shell when she picked it up, he had nearly drawn himself back into his shell by the time I got the picture!

Can you tell what this is?? It is covered in slipper shells, barnacles and all kinds of things....

It's a Florida Fighting Conch!! (we call them Fighters)

Can you see it??

Jackpot!!! A beautiful small Alphabet Cone! I can't tell you how long it's been since I found one of these!

...This was my day...I found 2 more!!!

Cheri found this guy just sitting by the edge of the water!!!! A beautiful small Scotch Bonnet!!! It's perfect!!!

I would say this was a Good Day!!! 

Cheri and I ran across this ferocious little Blue Crab in a tidal pool....we had to keep our eye on him....he was ready to fight....even with only one claw!!!

That's enough for now....I will try to update more often while we are here in paradise! 

Happy 4th of July, I hope you were able to celebrate with your families!!!

Stay Tuned!

::Shelllady Hugs::