Gone To The Beach: 05.02.2021

Sunday, May 2, 2021

Books and Birds

Good morning! We are welcoming May with a chilly walk down to the beach. Let's go see what the Oystercatchers are up to....

Some of you asked about their nests and the big trucks. The trucks are now gone, though the twice daily grooming continues.

These are NOT photos from this year, but other years when I had a camera for distance photos. OCs here generally hollow out their final nesting spots towards the end of April. They lay their eggs, usually 3, around May 9th. I usually can locate plover and OC nests by following their footprints in the sand. Note the tiny plover prints between the OC's big feet.

This is a final nest, before the eggs are laid.

Often birdwatchers add the small sticks and fence slats to mark the nests until the wildlife folks put out orange cones.

Now in the present, I head over the boardwalk. It has become steep over the years as the dunes regrow post hurricane.

There are new Par Ducks! I wonder who sets them out? on the right

Lots of bunny tracks; they must have been dancing under the Pink Spring Moon.

from my new nature book, at the end of the post.....

The clouds are rolling in as the wind picks up.

The beach this year is huge, it is 3/4 of a mile from my house on the dunes to waters edge.

I can see how high the Super Moon tide and gale winds are a few nights ago.

But now the tide has receded to its lowest point of the spring.

I spend about an hour, following tiny footprints but find no signs of nests. Bunny has been by also, the big tracks.

And only one solitary Oystercatcher, though his mate may be far away in her nest, above the tideline, hopefully. I am worried though, there should be four regular pairs or threesomes by now.

No gulls, they nest on the inland bay's little islands, where the bridges tie us to the mainland. No plovers, and only a few sanderlings that I actually didn't see but were captured by my camera.

Here are the fences that mark the nesting areas of the plovers and terns. Just a rope and orange flags, but most beach goers respect the territory. Only a few parents let the screeching children invade at times. [much to my horror] I can barely restrain myself from butting in.

You can see how windswept and bare the beach is. I was messaging with a Scottish beachcomber who on Earth Day was talking about picking up plastic debris. You can see we have no plastic, no driftwood, no shells, at least for now, no treasure. A light dusting of seaweed.

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Recently I cranked up my used book mojo and purchased a couple of beautiful nature books, recommended I think by blog friend in Wales, Bovey Belle.

You may recall I only buy nature books and quilt books. These are so beautiful, a real treat. Words / "spells" poetry by Robert MacFarlane, illustrations by Jackie Morris.

I haven't really yet pored through them in detail, but love the beauty of these books and words. Oddly though, I should realize!--in the smaller book very few of the plants and birds described live here on the US east coast. So they are strangers to me. I think that takes a bit away from the meaning and depth of the book, since it doesn't touch on my own world. It may as well be about zebras and anteaters.

Here are a few from the larger book, animals and plants that are more familiar here.

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Last, back at my own beach, there's been many low circling flyovers by helicopters. By the color I am guessing they are police and/ or coastguard. I don't know what they're searching for. We have had whale and dolphins sightings! How I'd love to see a whale again, it's been a few years.