I’m pretty dang good at finding mini shells but I need to narrow my focus since I don’t think I’ve ever found an ARROW DWARF TRITON before. Isn’t this a beautiful shell?
I’m so happy for Gill from England since she’s the one who found this gorgeous shell at Sanibel Lighthouse Beach. So cool! Congratshellations Gill!
Now you can see a little better how small it is. Believe it or not, it’s related to the NUTMEG.
She found it on the beach in one of the small shell lines close to the water around the tip of the island looking at the lighthouse at this view.
She also found a couple of BABYS EARS, a WENTLETRAP and a few other sweet minis to add to her “list”. Her “list” you ask? She has a competition going with her husband Andy (and a few other friends) to see who can find the most species of shells in one year. They got the idea from a movie “The Big Year” about a birding competition so they designed their competition around shells and gave it a point system. I’ve got to see this movie! I googled it after she told me about their game and the tag line is ” Everyone is searching for something”. hahaha Yes we are! Shells! Their contest ends December 31, 2014 so she said she’d let me know who wins (errrr- I’d like to take bets on the winner- hahaha). How fun!
UPDATE: January 1, 2015- I just got a note from Gill. We have a winner of the “The Big Year- Shelling Edition” ….. Gill won!
Here’s what she wrote…. ” I told you about our ‘big year’ of shell collecting. My husband had set a challenge to see which of us could collect the most varieties of shells throughout the year, starting with Sanibel and continuing when we got back to England. You said you wanted to hear who won – well I did! Yeaaahhh!!! It’s been a great excuse to spend lots of days on many different beaches and we have had a great time. Here we are on the last day of our big shell year 2014 on a very cold beach on the North Sea, England. Still managed to add a couple of last minute ones to our scores. Final totals – Andy 157 ½ me 198.”
I found a few goodies just washing in at the surf line…
That was yesterday…. and today the winds have picked up gusting over 15 mph out of the north west. The Gulf Of Mexico water is churning at Blind Pass (and all of SW Florida) so it’s stirring up those shells to hopeful wash them up at our toes in the next few days. Once it calms just a tad, the shells should be rolling in, folks! Hopefully, we’ll be getting some nice Shellentines!
Wow congrats Gill. Good eye.
Those waves look promising for lots of treasures to follow!
Enjoy!!
Mary Ann
East Granby. CT
Beautiful shell, never seen one before. Can’t wait for my visit to Sanibel at the beginning of April, this Chicago winter has been brutal!
I’m unpacking my treasures here in Tucson on St. Shellentine’s Day Eve !!
Good one Pam, that went on the Shellism Word List faster than a Lightning Whelk !!
I remember Gill and Andy on the CAYO SHELLING CRUISE and I bet ” she’ll ” find lots after this wind :)
Shellotte
PS I will post on facebook the jar of shells lit with fairy lights
That’s a very nice dwarf arrow triton! I find them on Nevis but they are quite uncommon even there. It’s such a pretty shell that it is always a thrill to find one, and they often get a bit broken, so it’s nice to find one in perfect condition.
That species occurs from North Carolina to Brazil, and over the years it’s been placed in more than one different family. I guess the anatomy of the soft parts is similar to that of the nutmeg shells.
Don’t remember seeing so many Baby’s Ears found there at once. That’s fantastic! Pam, what is the tiny shell near your fingertips? Can’t see it as well as the others. Is it a flyspeck cerith? Thanks for taking us with you!
YEs! Gail, flyspeck cerith. Gill found one too and i told her she could count that as one more point because its a different species than the dark cerith. Oh you should have seen her grin. LOL
Susan H- I guess so because it sure looks more like a hairy triton than the nutmeg to me… except the coloration- geez. But I sure have learned over the years that shell ID can be VERY tricky!
Shellotte- yes! Gill and Andy were on our cruise! Isn’t it so much fun to all meet so many other shellers all at one time?!
Mary Ann and Jennifer- Im trying to send sunshine and warmth to y’all!
We shelled Blind Pass for 4 hours today…the wind was crazy, and the water was a churnin’, but it was so much fun! We ended the day covered in sand from head to toe…pretty sure we won’t need to exfoliate our legs ever again…tomorrow, we will return! Ha!
I’ll have to add this shell to my list also. Yesterday afternoon I went to blind pass. I found a lot of minis! While I was shelling, I remembered you had been looking for different cockles last year and one of them was the dove strawberry cockle(I was finding a lot of painted egg cockles). I then found 2 of them-one was a nice dark one. Today we went to the BMSM and had Jose ID a shell that I found yesterday. He said it was a rare Circular chinese hat(1/4 inch). Gulf side didn’t have much today. Hope the shells come in tomorrow. Pat
Ps. Also found some juvie rose petal tellins
I Love the triton, what a find! I also found a pair of Baby’s Ears near the lighthouse back in December. I was beside myself with joy as they were a first for me. But each tide seems to have multiples of certain shells. Makes me wonder if there are mass die offs in shell beds at one time.
Regarding The Big Year contest – what a brilliant idea! I love it!!! It was a fantastic movie and it would be fun to have an organized shelling contest in that vein. but in the movie the guys chased around the world for the birds – a pricey quest, but imagine the thrill! Best of luck to Gill and Andy!
I found a Dwarf Arrow Triton by the Lighthouse on June 1,2015! I know the date because it was my birthday!!! Also found my first wentletraps that day as well as my first dusky cone!