Team Cheri got back together for a long walk and talk and some beach therapy....this is my favorite walk, Bowmans toward Blind Pass. It changes so much between each of my trips down here, and it's great for therapy. We knew that there was a possibility of some rain, but we decided to go for it anyway. The colors in the sunrise was amazing, these pictures don't do it justice...
The red tide was obviously present here, worst I've gotten into since I've been back. Unfortunately there were dead fish present, of so many varieties! This Cheri found this baby Cowfish...
There were 'normal everyday' shells, and big pieces of broken Whelks all along the shoreline....I was picking up a few surf clams to bring home to paint...and low and behold......a Scotch Bonnet!
It was just sitting there waiting for me!
SCORE!!
Cheri found a Pear Whelk egg casing that she tossed back into the Gulf
and this nice Sharks Eye....
We were kind of keeping an eye on the clouds around us....
and of course we were a long way from the car.....
We picked up the pace a bit heading back, Cheri collected balloons, fishing line/net and ribbon tied around the trees in the water...she nearly filled a bag full of stuff she had to cut off of the limbs....
When we got about 10 minutes from the car, our time ran out....the bottom fell out and soaked us both....!! That's okay, it was still a great day....and I got a rain Bonnet!! ;) I picked up a few more surf clams, large scallops and buttercups to paint...
and, as you know, I can't resist the orange and the Biggest Jingle, a nice piece of coral and Cheri picked up a tellin for me...
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!!!
Team Cheri went out early this morning to catch the low tides....It was a beautiful morning....obviously other folks had the same idea!!
There was activity all over the place! Birds were everywhere.... Pelicans in their early morning 'squads'....
Snowy Egrets fighting over a shrimp I tossed out....
a Reddish Egret and her baby (we assume)
another juvenile Reddish Egret posed for me...he hasn't gotten his Reddish yet...
The Dolphin were even jumping....
and of course, a beautiful sunrise!
I found a cool 'freak' Lightning Whelk...
Cheri found a nice colored Florida Cone...
I snagged a pure white Nutmeg and a couple of my Dad's favorites...Sharks eyes
and an Olive with a nice point!
We saw another Live Lightning whelk in the clear, clear water....
and Cheri spotted this ugly worm....don't know what kind.....not our favorite thing, but interesting!
I managed to pick up quite a few Dosina for painting....
and a few more keepers....
and The wentle queen, Cheri found quite a few Wentletraps, I found a couple myself! We got a lot of minis and some Babys Ears...Love those minis!! (the penny is there to show size!
'Don't get no better than this!' Was a great morning! Stay tuned! ::Hugs::
