Shelling for Wentletraps
When the high tides sweep the beach of the larger shells and take them back out to sea, the hunt for smaller shells starts again along with any type of beach treasure. If you want to find the WENTLETRAPS, you’ve got to get down and dirty by bending those knees as much as possible. This is Clark at sunset at the Lighthouse Beach finding those little beauties.
Beach crucifix
I found a few wentles too but my best find was the head bone of a catfish called a CRUCIFIX SHELL. I know it sounds a little weird but it is a sign of good luck when you find one of these. Yippee! It’s gonna be a good week.
Sanibel Willet birds
I also found myself paying closer attention to the birds around me since my calling to little miss cutie Sandy The Sanderling. I caught these WILLET birds (above) all resting on one leg right at the shore line. Do you know why birds stand on one leg? My friend Bonnie helped me on this one….. Because they are conserving their energy and reducing their heat loss. Smart, huh?
Ring-billed Gull eating a seashell
Doesn’t this guy know better than to mess around with those PEN SHELLS? He didn’t get his beak caught like the Sanderling but geez, dude, watch out!
Tooth?
Maybe he lost this tooth trying to pry that shell open. LOL Yes, I know it’s not from a bird (birds don’t have teeth, silly) but what do you think it’s from?
While we think on that, let’s take a minute to relax and enjoy this scene at sunset.
The “tooth” looks like it is the inside of a sea urchin when you clean it out. That is my guess. Love your site. I try to go to shelling wherever you tell me to go.
I have a couple of the crucifix shells — found out the hard way that you shouldn’t put them in bleach! Nothing left when I was going to take it out. needless to say, I didn’t bleach the others I have found — I display them in a glass jar on my windowsill.
oooooh- I didn’t know about the bleach! So glad I didn’t do that. I’ve found a few but they were pretty clean so I didnt even think about the bleach. This one still has some “crud” hanging on it but I don’t know why… I think thats kinda cool too… but I will not put it in bleach now. Thank you!!!
Put it outside in your garden and the ants will pick it clean in no time. Place an inverted flower pot over it so a bird won’t carry it away. Nice find!
Thanks Kim! I will try this …..again. I have tried this method without the flower pot before but a raccoon stole my prize. The flower pot…. smart! There’s not a lot of gunk on it so I’m sure Mr Raccoon won’t even bother.
Ooh….your day spent shelling looks so very beautiful!!! Just the photos I needed to see on this cold and dreary Monday morning:):)
Wonder if I can stand on one leg to save energy and stay warmer….what a good idea! LOL
;) :) :) hahaha
Be sure to send a picture of that.
Pam, you take the most beautiful photos! You really capture the essence of Sanibel, those moments when the sky and sea are magic. Thank you!
well said JoJo. I agree wholeheartedly! This blog makes my day.
Awesome photos.
Your photos are beautiful. I took a short trip to Sanibel almost two weeks ago and I miss it already. I did find plenty of beautiful seashells that should hold me over until the next time.
I love all the pink hues in the sunset, beautiful! Sigh. Why do I torture myself so? ;)
The unknown is the inside of a sea urchin. I love this blog. I send particular ones to my daughter who is also a fan of Sanibel. Thanks for this. It is a real daily pleasure.
The unknown piece is actually the connecting segment of the two halves of an Angel Wing shell! While staying at The Island Inn recently, I found one of these myself, and I borrowed one of the shell books from the Inn’s collection. I saw a photo of this Angel Wing piece in a Book called Florida Shells, by R. Tucker Abbott, PH.D.
I was on your Nov 10 shelling trip and found a crucifix ‘shell”. I hope it brings me luck as I am just retired add hope to start a new adventure in my life. I need to know if I can restore this in the muric acid like I do for regular shells.
Hope to see you on a Shellabaloo some day.
HI Cindy, omigosh, I think the muratiac acid would dissolve the whole thing. Im wondering if you could do a mild bleach solution for a short time. Maybe just a cap full of bleach to a bucket of water for an hour. then let it sit in fresh water for a day. I wish I known know it was YOU on the cruise!