LAST SATURDAY-Part Three

(Leaving for New England tomorrow to visit family and friends and to enjoy crisp Autumn air and, I hope, colorful foliage.)

More. 

Sunrise reflection in storm clouds.

Incoming Tide

Soundside Grasses

Shore Grasses

Flight

LAST SATURDAY - Part Two

More images from that magical Saturday morning at Navarre Beach - Soundside.

The Gathering

Sanderlings

 Short-billed Dowitchers

Wilson's Plover

Semipalmated Plover

Sanderling

LAST SATURDAY-Part One

Saturday was my last opportunity to take pictures with the Audubon birders who have been counting shorebirds these past many weeks. On Thursday, I head to the Northeast to see family and friends and will miss the next several Sat. meetings. But the experience has been wonderful and this Saturday was just gorgeous. A storm was coming in off the Gulf, but on the Sound side of Navarre Beach, the clouds where still wispy enough to put on a sunrise show. The light was amazing, alternating between golden and gray as clouds ran across the sun.

We had a very special visitor who stopped by on its migratory trip to Guatemala. A small group of American Avocets were resting in the shallow waters of the Sound. They were so beautiful. I got as close to them as possible, but I wish I could have gotten even closer to see more details of this pretty bird. The morning was full of shorebirds and it kept me happily snapping away.  A splendid last Saturday. Hope you enjoy.

Sunrise over the Sound

Sunrise reflections through storm clouds and Great Blue Heron.

American Avocets and Willets

Their mostly white plumage, black stripes and curving bills made them easily identifiable to my birding friends. They were all very excited, as this is not a usual occurrence in these parts. 

AUTUMN GARDEN

Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower.

Albert Camus

Purple Fountain Grass

Compact Fountain Grass

New Growth on Sago Palm. Notice the spent seed pod.

New Growth, Sago Palm

Lacy Tree Philodendron

LAST SUNSET OF SUMMER

When summer gathers up her robes of glory,

And, like a dream, glides away.

~ Sarah Helen Whitman

BEACH FLORA

I'm always amazed at the beautiful flowers that bloom in the sterile white sand at the beach, surviving lack of rain, brutal sun and ocean winds. But survive they do and add delicate beauty to an already lovely landscape.

Beach purslane

FLIGHT OF THE TERN

The Forster's Tern is a quick flyer and I was lucky to get a few pictures of it as if searched for fish. Yeah for that continuous shoot button. 

Spotting...

Swooping...

Drat! Maybe next time.

MORE MORNING

"Take only pictures, leave only footprints."

A few more pictures from my morning in Navarre.

When I arrived that morning, my friend, Great Blue Heron (GB to those of us who know him well) was deep into his morning meditation.

Then he set out for his slow, morning stroll, patrolling the shore.

GB decided to give the dame with the camera a challenge and turned into the sunrise. But, unwittingly, he provided me with a lovely silhouette.

Tired of having wet feet, GB flew to his favorite perch on the roof of the pavilion.

And being a good coastal denizen, GB left the picture taking to me and left only footprints.

Don't want GB to get the impression that he's the only shorebird I photograph. (His ego is beginning to be a problem.) So here is a lovely mourning dove.

MORNING

Made another of those pre-dawn visits to the beach. Here are some photos of what I got to enjoy. I may be in danger of becoming a morning person!-----Tempting, but nah.

I wasn't sure as I drove to the beach that there would be much of a sunrise. The sky was filled with dark bands of clouds. But in the end, it was the clouds that were the stars of the morning.

Sunrise over the Sound

There was an eerie yellow-orange glow to the sky as the sun made an appearance.

The clouds lit up as the sun rose higher in the sky.

Looking west, the light was lovely.

Sand Dunes to the west.

As I drove home, the Gulf waters were deeply colored against the bright blue of the sky and the clouds. A lovely morning.

MORNING VISITORS

I used to love night best but the older I get the more treasures and hope and joy I find in mornings.  ~Terri Guillemets

It was a beautiful morning. First, I saw it at a reasonable hour. Second, the light was amazing. Third, I discovered two morning visitors as I took my morning coffee and camera out to enjoy a little quiet before the day shifted into high gear. 

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret

Praying Mantis

RANDOMNESS

Just some random photos of my morning on Navarre Beach.

Walkover to the Gulf

Sign of the end of summer--abandoned Life Guard Station

I guess this sign was just a suggestion!

At anchor in the Intracoastal Waterway

'Gone Fishin' with a twist

BEFORE THE DAWN

"The grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere . . . "

~John Muir

Not being a morning person, I've very few sunrise pictures. But yesterday I joined some friends at the beach for sunrise picture taking, bird counting and breakfast. (They count shorebirds for the Audubon Society from about 5:30 to 7:30 a.m.) Um, its DARK at 5 a.m. Really dark. But, I got my sorry body out of bed and joined them. I arrived just in time to see the sun, still below the horizon  light up the clouds.

Unfortunately, that was as good as it got. There was a thick cloud cover along the horizon and the lovely colors soon disappeared. 

The morning was cool with lovely soft breezes. So welcomed, so enjoyed. And gradually, the morning got underway. 

I was actually surprised to see how many people were at the beach at this hour of the day. Sunrise worshipers and fishermen and people just enjoying the peace and tranquility before the arrival of beach umbrellas, coolers and sand pails.