Horseshoe crabs and semipalmated sandpipers
In May 2019 we headed to Slaughter Beach DE on full moon. Height of crab activity. Unfortunately we got there on a falling tide... horseshoe crabs are most active at high tide.
We hung out on the beach, then visited the DuPont Nature Center up the road where we found live horseshoe crabs, young ones, and eggs in the nature center's aquariums, along with diamondbacked terrapins, oyster toadfish and black sea bass.
Outside a number of birders with Serious NASA level scopes were eyeing the sandbar, where horseshoe crabs were waiting for the next high tide, various seabirds were poling around for lunch, and oystercatchers and skimmers were working the area. Oystercatchers and skimmers look similar, but have very different approaches to lunch. The skimmer has a longer lower beak, and "unzips" the water, flying right over the surface with its long bill trailing in the water, waiting to snap up anything it touches. Oystercatchers stroll along the sand, poking into it like a large sandpiper.
A young bald eagle landed... its white head still showing "dusty brown" splotching because it had not yet reached maturity. Very young bald eagles are brown, with white splotching all over.
The beach was devoid of crabs (except for one expired one) but gazillions of semipalmated sandpipers, about the size of sparrows. The sanderlings common along Assateague's shores are larger (robin sized). A few laughing and other gulls flew over.
Water too cold for real mermaiding, but got some shots at the edge of the water.
We hung out on the beach, then visited the DuPont Nature Center up the road where we found live horseshoe crabs, young ones, and eggs in the nature center's aquariums, along with diamondbacked terrapins, oyster toadfish and black sea bass.
Outside a number of birders with Serious NASA level scopes were eyeing the sandbar, where horseshoe crabs were waiting for the next high tide, various seabirds were poling around for lunch, and oystercatchers and skimmers were working the area. Oystercatchers and skimmers look similar, but have very different approaches to lunch. The skimmer has a longer lower beak, and "unzips" the water, flying right over the surface with its long bill trailing in the water, waiting to snap up anything it touches. Oystercatchers stroll along the sand, poking into it like a large sandpiper.
A young bald eagle landed... its white head still showing "dusty brown" splotching because it had not yet reached maturity. Very young bald eagles are brown, with white splotching all over.
The beach was devoid of crabs (except for one expired one) but gazillions of semipalmated sandpipers, about the size of sparrows. The sanderlings common along Assateague's shores are larger (robin sized). A few laughing and other gulls flew over.
Water too cold for real mermaiding, but got some shots at the edge of the water.