A Beach Walk in April

Hi! As the weather warms, I am trying to add a beach walk again to  my daily routine. Or if not daily, as often as possible. Much of my walking time this past year has been devoted to walking with Mo, who at age one year is at the height of his energy and stamina. Often, after he and I do our three long walks, I don't have the time or energy to walk on the beach too. And I miss it.

The beach today was glorious and well worth the effort!

Many birds. These are sanderlings, stopping by on their way to the Arctic circle where they nest.

I was walking along beachcombing, casually working my way along the tideline towards the piles of shells in the distance.

But the shells never got closer. In fact they scurried away! Birds! Not shells at all.

Sanderlings, or ''peeps'' are so funny. If you look closely you can see they hop along, in perfect unison, always on only one leg! I don't now why. I put a vid of these little birds at the end of today's post.

Only a few bits of seaglass are appearing.

Bird fencing, like the birds actually know what is their space?

A few remnants of winter remain to shore up the dune structure. Very large driftwood log, below. (I always think Ship's mast---but old telephone pole or piling is more likely, if less intriguing).

The oystercatchers are mating. They do a funny dance and posture up straight like ugly little penguins.

This pair nests to my east. They have chosen this bit of beach flotsam, to their lower left, as a nesting site!

It's much too close to the water. I hope they reconsider. [no eggs yet. eggs are laid the first week of May.]

Of piping plovers I am only seeing footprints. They're very shy at first.

As I walked long I noticed the springtime tide pools and was fondly recalling how , when very small, my kids loved these pools and even if the water was cold, they'd roll up their jeans and sail their little plastic boats in the gentle waves.

Often the boats would get swept away! Tears would erupt, and many hours spent hunting for lost beach toys would follow. I still keep an eye out for my son's beloved surfer action toy. We found the board but not the little man. I'll always wonder where he ended up.

This time , alone, I found a battered purple tugboat.

I set it in the pool and watched it too float away.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.

End of day, as wispy clouds float up from the southwest. Rain tomorrow.