Easter Sunday at the Beach

We had a lovely Easter Sunday outing to our local beach preserve and discovered some new and wonderous creatures! As you can see by my bundled up crew, it was anything but Springlike, but that didn't stop us :)

Violet was especially excited to sight this guy, a Mottled Sea Star (Evasterias troschelii) as she recently completed a project week for her Marine Bio class on sea stars. I'll upload her lapbook to the Marine Bio Notebook album soon.

 

Her dad was also elated when he spotted this delightful and soggy little creature, a Shaggy Mouse Nudibranch (Aeolidia papillosa).

 

We cruised around to the less windy side of the beach and were surprised and delighted to happen upon a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) fishing on the rocky shore and a whole flock (gaggle) of Black Brant geese migrating north to the Arctic Circle.

 

This was the first time we've ever seen these beautiful birds and it was a joy to hear them calling and swimming and fishing and resting up before their flight north! Truly and gift from God on Easter day :) Here's another cool site for these birds.

There were some other nice little creatures to behold under the rocks. We think they might have been Hairy Shore Crabs (Hemigrapsus oregonensis). They were only about 1/2 inch across the carapace, so it was a bit hard to tell, cute nonetheless :)

 

Other activity included lots of lifting of barnacle-covered rocks, which sadly got my dear sweet husband's hands.

And here's a mighty explorer munching on his snack, packed by himself, just so he wouldn't be hungry at the beach :)

After a while we decided it was time to go home and put the lamb roast in and get ready to celebrate Easter with my parents! A parting shot from the perch...

Continued Easter blessings to you all with love and Joy!
 
 

Comments

[Theresa]

Oh, those geese are lovely!!! And I love the nudibranch.

[Betty]

You are so fortunate to live by the water...so much to explore! Belated Easter Blessings to you and yours!

[lighting]

looks like you had a fab time. xx