I think the east winds blew those PEN SHELLS I talked about tuesday back into the water so the beach was a little sparse yesterday. Speaking of sparse, a few weeks ago I found this SPARSE DOVE shell which is only 3/8 of an inch big. I’m gonna give myself a break by thinking it was a TAMPA TURRID since they both are so tiny. I could not even tell the difference between them until I put my cheater glasses on. How annoying!
I don’t even think I have many in my shell collection… or maybe I need to go through all of my TURRIDS to see if I’ve been mixing them all along. Here’s a tiny TAMPA TURRID (say that 3 times fast). See? I have a hard time even see solids and stripes any more- geez!
I found another tiny shell the other day at Blind Pass which I thought was a DWARF CERITH but I just found out (MK) it’s a WEST INDIAN FALSE CERITH. I think I found the shell because I had just come back from Barefoot Beach looking for small black SHARK’S TEETH. I still had that shark’s teeth “eye” going on because I don’t see these jet black ones very often…
Here’s a better look…
In the next photo, you’ll see a common DARK CERITH that we find on our beaches every day. I think they are so common, I look right over them most of the time so this might be on my “Most common Sanibel shells” list when I make it, Susan H. I’m starting to narrow it down a bit.
PS- Okay, and I have to tell you that Clark (he’s gonna kill me for telling you this) has a nick name for TURRIDS… He calls them “turds”! LOL He’ll say “Hey, I found a turd!”. Boys will be boys hahaha…
I hope the shelling improves since I am coming tomorrow! It’s my birthday so my husband is taking me to my favorite place on earth. I hope to meet you this trip; the last time we were there you of course weren’t.
Those are some sweet little shells! I so love the tiny ones.
That’s not only funny Pam but true. At least you can get Clark to go and he enjoys it. My husband is bored after 2 minutes. Gasp.
We are thinking of stopping by blind pass in the morning for the low tide as we make our way to the keys. The long way. Happy wife, happy life.
Leaving tomorrow, Fri. the 2nd for Florida. Coming from Bossier City, LA. We’ll get to Sanibel somewhere around Tue or Wed. Stopping other places along the way. Can’t wait. I hope the weather holds out. Do we need to bring a light wait jacket or Parka. I have my buckets & net packed.
My husband and I flew in yesterday from Houston to Orlando and are driving out to Sanibel for a shelling trip either tomorrow or the next day. We live in a small town between Houston and Galveston and I take several trips a year just to shell Galveston and bolivar peninsula. I love your website and I’m so excited to have the chance to collect some new shells! This is going to be the highlight of our vacation as I’ve been researching sanibel shelling for the last 3 months. Hope to see you out there!
Hey! I was very excited to see your pics of these (more or less) micros, Pam! Very cool shells and nice photos ! Where I shell (mostly on one of the islands in the Leeward Island chain) they don’t have the West Indian False Cerith at all (no mud flats on that island). The Dark Cerith is present there, but seems to be very rare, so it’s interesting to me that it is so common on Sanibel!
Right now I’m in Southern California, San Diego area. I know the shells here pretty well because I lived here for over a year back in the 1970s. They have only one cone species and one cowry, it’s a subtropical fauna. I guess Sanibel is subtropical too, but the water in SoCal tends to be rather chilly all year round, ranging from a bit higher than 70 down to about 50. Brrr, right?
Missing Sanibel….be there in Dec!
I also, just had Endless Sunner wrap a piece of sea glass for me…it is so Awesome! My new favorite piece of jewelry! thanks Pam for having her site listed!
I learn so much through this…. Thanks!
Oh my gosh! Can it really be September already?? Southern Michigan has enjoyed a hot, sunny summer, for the most part. The only things missing are the shells and the beautiful waters of the Gulf- feeling a little “homesick”; time to make plans for Sanibel Island :D!!!!
Where do you live in Michigan, Mary Jo? I love walking the beach here in St. Joe but Lake Michigan just has zebra mussels. And I swear that the sand here is “softer” and harder to walk on.
Love learning about all the Sanibel “specials”! Hope Tropical Storm Lee churns up some prime shelling for you in the gulf – we are still drying out here in the mid-Atlantic after Hurricane Irene!
I love the mini’s….at least you weren’t taunting us with Wentletraps. Or wait, are these harder to find then Wentles??? Oh nooooo…………………. :)