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::

Full Moon at the Lighthouse

I met Liz at the Lighthouse this morning, she is another friend/admin from the Shellinators facebook page! We started out with only our flashlights, a full moon and the Lighthouse Light to guide us! My camera made it look much lighter than it actually was....that is Liz there, just under the lighthouse....

There were not a lot of shells out there, but we did have a long walk, picking up a few along the way....I found a nice small Pear Whelk

and right next to it was a Shark's Eye Operculum...

and believe it or not a small Alphabet Cone...

worn and tattered, but he went in my shell bag!

Liz found a small False Angel Wing....I found out later that it was actually a pair!

She also found this really cool Albino Apple Murex!

I did manage to find a few other minis.... Like this small Pear Whelk, Baby's ear, sharks eye and Winged oyster pair...

There were so many crabs out there...of all sizes and shapes! Most were small, and alive, if just barely....we tried to save several by taking them back out to the gulf since the tide was so low....The first was this Spider Crab....

Lots of Calico Crabs....small to very large!

...and the starfish (Sea Stars) I don't know how many of them were high and dry....we both were taking them to the nearest water we could find!

My most unusual find was this watch....it was almost under a log in the water....the battery was barely working...

After the sun came up, we were able to find a few smaller minis....like these two Wentletraps...

Liz actually found one first, in the dark!

I actually found quite a few minis!

...Liz took a pic of some of her favorites from today

As you know, I always have to finish off with a Sunrise pic....or two...

These Royal Terns were enjoying the sunset with us!

Stay tuned....More adventures to come...

::Shelllady hugs::