A strange bunch of deads

[urbpan]

As we walked the high tide line in Wellfleet, we couldn't help notice the large number of dead horseshoe crabs. At first I assumed some had to be molted shells of growing animals. But no, every crab I encountered was a full carcass.



It's interesting to be able to examine the full still bodies of these large arthropods, but I am still wondering why there were so many dead ones.


We also encountered the bodies of several dead ducks, specifically male common eiders.


This one is transitional plumage.


What secrets would they tell us if they could?