Sanibel is still drenched after a big storm ran through here the past few days with 40 mph wind gusts coming from the south.  In the picture above, you can see how far the sand and grasses got pushed up from the gulf waters rising with the high tide to cover the boardwalk.
Unfortunately, I didn’t collect many shells left in the storm’s wake today. The beach was pretty stripped from any gastropods (OLIVES, MUREXES, WHELKS, CONCHS, etc) and only a scattering of bivalves. No worries, the shells will be coming since we have 12 mph west winds right now (yes!) and we are supposed to get gusts up to 25 mph soon.
So in the meantime, while we wait for the gulf winds to bring our goodies… I’ve been working all summer on another identification page. This page is for all the other SEA LIFE, BIRD AND BEACH BLING that we don’t consider to be seashells but you still want to identify and some times collect. You can see I just added a new tab on top of this post right beside SEASHELL IDENTIFICATION.
Drum roll, please! I am proud to present you with my new page …
SEA LIFE AND BEACH BLING IDENTIFICATION!Â
SAND DOLLARS and STARFISH are not technically seashells so I opted not to add them to my Seashell Identification page on the top tab of my blog. But it got me thinking about where I could show all of the other wonderful things that I’ve found washed up on the our beaches of Sanibel, Captiva and the other beaches we have visited… like the EGG CASINGS…
And all the crabs we see…
We are finding more and more fossils to identify too…
An how could we forget about those beautiful live creatures in or by the sea. Got those too!
Whatever I have find on the islands and in the water, I try to identify so we can learn together…
So click on any of these images to see all of the information on Sea Life & Beach Bling Identification page. Remember, I did not categorize anything scientifically. This is the way I see them together as a beachcomber. I know I have a few things in the wrong category from a science view but who would look under “Mollusks” for a NUDIBRANCH if you wanted to identify it by remembering what that weird thing was you saw at the beach? Just like the Seashell Identification Page, click on any of the picture IDs and it will take you to more information.
So now we’ll just wait for the goodies to roll in and hopefully you’ll have time to browse through my new page of photos. Maybe you’ll find something this week or your on next visit that this page will help you answer some of your beach combing questions. I’ll keep you posted but for now….. Enjoy!
Nice job, Pam! Great photos and easy to use. I’m back on the island now, so I’ll see you on the beach. Fingers crossed for some good shelling soon!!
So jealous! Wish I could be there with you lucky dogs when the shells come rolling in. Happy shelling!
Sea Life and Beach Bling ID Page- terrific addition to the website; love what you come up with! That WAS a puffer fish that I saw :D !
Another awesome post! I have adored your blog for a long time now, but now I am adoring it for an entirely different reason! I am starting a photography business & had NO idea how hard creating a blog/website is! I am ready to throw my computer against a wall!
Love the beach bling guide! Great job. Would be neat to have a beach plant section too, and you could include a photo of the cool-looking nickernut pod, which is where the “sea pearls” come from.
Bird! I got a photo of that but haven’t posted yet! LOL there’s one down by the lighthouse. Oh so many cool things on the beach and so little time. I will one day work on that beach plant section too but that will be a while- i run right by them to get to water most of the time- heehee.
Maya- I don’t have a printable card yet but there will be more to come!
Thanks you guys for your nice comments. I’ve been dying to show yall this new I.D. guide page!
Wonderful pictures! Each one would make a gorgeous poster on its own. Nicely done!
Awesome job with the ID pages, Pam!! Just saw the shell ones now in the top navigation bar. Well, I guess I forget names fast anyway, but I want to know at least the names of the few varieties I score here in RI. Do you offer the pages as printables or plan to??
Nicely done as usual Pam…I love the new ID pages.
Shells should be here soon.
Wonderful! i just learned that those little crabs i watch scurry away at my beach are wait for it….GHOST CRABS!!
i love the new pages. Thanks!
Awesome Pam-that was a lot of effort. I have it bookmarked for future references.
Pam, well done on the guide that is exciting.Great job!
And here I was wondering what you were doing while it was raining!!! The pages are incredible. Well done!!
Save some shells for me, I’m dragging the whole family down for a week on Saturday. Yes, THIS Saturday!!!!
This is a REMARKABLE resource. I think many people are going to love it. One critter I saw at Sanibel (and I didn’t have my photo at the time, rats!) was a Sea Pansy, one of the most spectacular invertebrates I have ever seen.
I love the new additions!!! Awesome! Sherri
The photos are wonderful it makes me wish I was there.
Wonderful! I’m always seeing things that I’ve never encountered before and this kind of information is so helpful! I find your shell identification fantastic!
Pam you are simply the BEST! These new bling pages are fascinating and fun – thank you for all your hard work! Keep the shell “porn” coming!
Fantastic, Pam! Your photos are gorgeous, you make everything look so beautiful.
Thank you, Miss Pam, for this blog and for adding more interesting things. The beach isn’t just sand and water and sea shells — the whole experience includes the wildlife, the plants, and even the aromas and sounds of the wind and the waves rolling into shore. You write so well, and complement your words with photos and video, and that makes it easy for all of your blog followers to imagine themselves back on the islands, even if it’s just for a few minutes a day. Please don’t ever stop. We’ll all go thru some serious withdrawal! :)
Love the anticipation of great shelling. The new pages and pictures are terrific! A slice of Heaven about our Paradise of Sanibel! Thank you!!!
Pam, help! I’ve sent 2 E mails requesting info about ordering Shellabration posters to no avail. Any ideas? I’ve got to have a couple!! Thanks once again for all the beauty and info you send into our lives.
Hi! Can’t stop looking at the I.d. pages! It’s like reading a good book! Thanks Pam!
we got back from sanibel a few days ago and i found a skates egg case, a crucifix shell, 2 peices of a junonia, and TONS mor3e shells