Arriving on a warm strand after a long trek down from the frozen shores of the upper Great Lakes, I found a deep bed of shell and coral bits at Estero Beach, Florida.
Head down, intent on the myriad forms in the champagne wash of gently lapping waves; I began to notice eye and beak forms as if I was being watched myself…
Glancing up I find an elegant Snowy Egret intent on a school of very small minnows; one eye on me a couple yards away, the other on the fish.
Suspended in clear water above bright shell, the tiny translucent fish were visible to me only as an amorphous shifting shadow, the egret seemed to follow them easily as they hovered between us.
Peering back at mine own quarry, another beaky form points down the beach, I look up to see the egret making a quick dash past our close quarters…
.. to take up position again, still following the fish; as on a tableau of crunchy fluid we played our little shell game.
Beautiful!
Sun, sea, shells and birds, truly. The sounds that went with them made it even more so.
A magnificent, regal companion to share the shore!
The shells are striking ‘actors’ in the game.
I hadn’t noticed the shell faces until I was going through this series of photos, and the snail shells became bird beaks!
I feel the sunshine and the gentle breeze!!! A great way to start my week!!!
Have a good one…or two!
Beautiful photos. Its a reminder to me how much I enjoy the ocean!
I’m happy for that reminder too… Today’s ocean was an opposite, black rock shore, pounding white froth. I enjoyed it from a distance in a warm truck.
I really enjoy pleasant surprises like that one. The photos are great.
These are so wonderful and fresh. I really love them.
whew, need this warm view today…thanks!
Warm, fresh, surprising… all describe how I felt melting into an early spring day in a new land.
Thank you all!
Wow, terrific photos enhanced by a great text. I too love that super close up view of the tiny shells and could look at that for hours, but oh do I love a Snowy! They are grace itself.
Thank you, it was unusual getting so close to one. I still wonder about those yellow feet, the why and whatever for?
All great images, but that last shot eyeball to eyeball is tremendous! Great shooting!
Thanks Gunta, it was a unique experience, being so close.