This little Horseshoe Crab shell that we saw on Coast Guard Beach the other day was no bigger than a quarter. It was tiny!
“For the horseshoe to grow larger, it must molt and shed its shell. These “molts” can sometimes be found near tidal flats, left by the juvenile crabs who live there for their first year or two.”
Fascinating, don’t you think?
Wild Care in Eastham on Cape Cod is a remarkable place in Eastham on Cape Cod. Their mission is:
“To help sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife through Wildlife Rehabilitation; to reduce the number of animals impacted by human activity through Educational Outreach; and to help protect the species and the ecosystems they represent through Advocacy and Conservation.”
Yesterday they had their annual “Baby Shower” for all of the little “wild ones” that they care for. It was so much fun! People brought things from paper towels to food to laundry detergent to gift cards for the center. I took this photograph at 10:30 and it was only the first 1/2 hour. Wow!
This is a photograph of the little Eastern Screech Owl named “Up-Up” that was brought to them in May. It cannot fly so it will be there permanently and used for Educational Outreach programs in the schools and organizations.
What an adorable little guy, don’t you think?
I saw these 2 pretty snail shells on one of the trails at Fort Hill the other day. I thought perhaps a bird had dropped them there after eating them for lunch. Their coloring was very distinctive.
A few days later I saw some more of these shells and then they started moving! I then realized that they were indeed snail shells with the snails still inside!
Morris Island in Chatham is an awesome hike that leads you all along the beaches facing South Beach with Monomoy Island in the far distance. Phil and I headed out early, with our binoculars, hoping to do some birding.
As we meandered along I saw this thing flapping in the breeze. I had no clue what it was… maybe a discarded paper bag?
As we got closer we could see that it was a seal! It was flubbing along through the beach grass at a very slow rate heading toward the water. All if a sudden it turned and went back up to the tall grasses. I guess it would wait until high tide to get out to the ocean again.
He gave me a nice smile as we walked by. Cute little guy, huh? Actually, he was quite large!
