Beach-combing Bonanza

Despite the threatening weather, Beach Therapy on this past Friday was really, really good . . . look closely, there's the juvenile reddish egret wading in the foreground . . . look very closely, you can see a flock of brown pelicans heading north just below the horizon (on the left) . . .

It's always thrilling to find a whole whelk shell . . . this small (1.75") Lightning Whelk has very strong dark brown markings . . .

This is the first whole (double-shelled) Atlantic cockle I've ever found; it's small, but it was still an exciting find!

I do have, somewhere in my shoe box sized pile of "misc. clam shells", another one of these Lightning Venus clam shells, but I don't believe the markings are this distinct.

I found two pieces of aqua sea glass; this was the larger piece, approx. 1.25" wide.

Another first  ~  a Jujube Topsnail !

Not a first, but a second . . . a very small Thick-lipped Drill . . .

It was a very good day for finding whelk pieces . . .  my shell bag runneth over!

Coral and a Touch of Cobalt

I enjoyed a couple more trips to the beach this week…good thing I go in the morning, because the 3 pm summer showers are hitting like clockwork these days…

I'm starting to find several disc dosinia shells each visit…but so far this is the only rusty colored one I've found…the rust color is from prolonged exposure to the air...

The sunrise on Mon. wasn't overly "fancy" but they're still always impressive to see…

This is the largest piece of coral I've found so far…it's approx. 1 1/2" wide, and it's Northern cup coral.

A heart from nature…a well worn piece of shell...

Cobalt blue sea glass is supposed to be "rare" (red, orange, and yellow are "very rare")…

this piece is small (½" wide), but I was thrilled all the same!

I find a few whelk "bones" -- as I call them -- usually, but only 1-2 have a more lovely, graceful shape overall...

…On the inlet side of the beach, a lone snowy egret seemed to be meditating…

While nearby, this large, battered knobbed whelk "bone" silently rested its weary soul.