3:00 snapshot #1490: Sanibel beach, etc.

[urbpan]

The beaches at Sanibel and nearby Fort Myers Beach, I noticed, are composed mostly of the surf-ground skeletons of bivalve mollusks. It ranges from unbelievably fine, to entire shells.



The Sanibel Lighthouse is a utilitarian workmanlike metal building, decorated with red ribbons.


From the beach you can see the long bridge joining the island to the mainland.


Most of the creatures one finds washed up on the beach are ocean denizens. This is a yellow-banded millipede, native to the Caribbean and recently introduced to Florida.


I'm still amazed at how close birds come to humans in Florida. In New England, a sandpiper like this would fly to the edge of your binoculars view at the first sight of you. (Tentatively identified as a willet.)


The yellow tip of the bill of this tern identifies it as a Sandwich tern, visiting for the winter (thanks to barnswallow for the IDs).


Brown pelicans are common on these beaches, but remain impressive due to their size and the grace with which they skim above the waves.