urbpan: (dandelion)
urbpan ([personal profile] urbpan) wrote2016-06-26 05:14 pm

A strange bunch of deads

 photo IMGP3335_zpszay1avop.jpg
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.


 photo IMGP3318_zpsqzxrh5uh.jpg
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.

 photo IMGP3321_zpsyagm2gzp.jpg
We also encountered the bodies of several dead ducks, specifically male common eiders.

 photo IMGP3336_zps9vyg1xxa.jpg
This one is transitional plumage.

 photo IMGP3323_zps439jri3v.jpg
What secrets would they tell us if they could?