Yellow Prickly Cockle

Yellow Prickly Cockle

There were lots of YELLOW PRICKLY COCKLES still together scattered around the beach off West Gulf Drive access #6 yesterday. I always seem to overlook these because the ATLANTIC GIANT COCKLES catch my eye first. I’m looking closer at the bivalves (a shell with 2 halves) now since I’ve always favored univalves (snail shells like CONCHS and CONES).
Ponderous Ark

Ponderous Ark

See? I even gave this PONDEROUS ARK a second look when I normally would have passed right by it. Since the names are somewhat new to me (I would have normally named it an “ARK” shell but now I’m trying to learn the different categories too), we can learn these things together. So that means if I misidentify a shell, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Shell Collector Alan

Alan (Maine)

I think Alan favors the univalves (or gastropods) too since he is showing off a FLORIDA CONE and some OLIVES. Check out his home made shelling rake!

Sanibel Anne shelling

Sanibel Anne (Sanibel… of course!)

I found Sanibel Anne working that same pile and watched her pull out that beautiful HORSE CONCH that she’s holding in her left hand. She makes shell mirrors and candlesticks from the shells she finds. Fun!

Crab trap beach

Over 20 mph north west winds washed up this pile of STONE CRAB pots on the beach two weeks ago. No wonder there are so many PIG’S FEET on the beach. These were the same winds that blew in the excellent shelling last month. We are expecting some good north west winds today “they” say about 16 mph (I’m not seeing anything yet) but maybe that’s enough for my JUNONIA to wash up. (?)
Shell beach to sand bar

We had a little NW wind yesterday so I ran up to Blind Pass to see the shells were washing up on the Sanibel side. You can see in this picture how close that point of the sand bar on the Captiva side is to Sanibel now. Maybe we should do a pool on who gets to the closest date that when the Captiva exposed sand touches Sanibel exposed sand.

Sanibel's Blind Pass beach

Yesterday there were more shells on the Sanibel side than on the Captiva side. Like I always say ….the beach changes by the day. You never know where the shells will show up.

Snowy Egret shelling

Snowy Egret shelling

I took this next picture as I walked the entrance to the beach where there are sea grape trees lining the walkway. I had to stop to take in the beautiful palette of colors the leaves painted on the path.

Sea Grape Leaves