Like many other shellers, my first memories of shelling were being mesmerized with the colors of COQUINAS. “Butterfly” shells. I can get lost for hours in a small stretch of beach sorting through pink, yellow, red, orange, purple and striped COQUINAS. This is exactly what happened last night at Sanibel’s Gulfside City Park. Something happens to the rest of the world. I’m not sure where it goes but it disappears when I see these little beauties as I wonder how each one can look like they’ve been hand painted by thousands of different artists.
The only thing that can snap me out of my world of seashell wonder is another extraordinary event… like an OSPREY plopping down his dinner feast on the same stretch of beach.
It’s not often an OSPREY will get so close to us on the beach with his meal but I think this fish was about to wiggle its way out of the grips of this hungry predator. I’m assuming Mr Osprey had to land his catch on the beach to get a better grip so he wouldn’t lose this tasty dinner. Whatever the reason, Clark and I were thrilled to see this OSPREY show and I figured you might want to see it too! Enjoy the quick OSPREY show…
Coquinas make me happy. Thanks Pam!
Thank you for the great pick-me-up!! New England has colored leaves, but nothing compares to those Sanibel seashells. Thank you, Pam! Wish I were there… One of these days I’ll be on one of your Shellabaloos!!
You should enter the osprey picture in a photo contest!
Coquinas are great! We have a related species up here in NY, and they can be yellow or orange or sort of purple, or white, but not as many different colors as the more southern species you have on Sanibel.
I was astonished to find a few “Coquina” on the Jersey Shore this summer. The waters I grew up in, Long Island Sound, had nothing of the kind.
I wonder how far up they go? I still hope to keep moving further south, never back north, but now I can’t use my search for Coquina as my major excuse.
The ocean beaches (south shore beaches) of Long Island, NY, are as far north as “the northern coquina” goes. You won’t find them living on Long Island Sound, they only like the ocean.
Here is an image of a few (both whole and empty) that I found on the Rockaway Penninsula, NYC, a couple of weeks ago. There were lots and lots of them washed up after a small rainstorm:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Donax_fossor_2014.jpg
In July 2005 my friend Kevin Czaja found the northern coquina/ Donax species at Eastons Beach (aka “First Beach”) in Newport, Rhode Island. I don’t know if they have been seen again (not many people looking for shells up there these days). Years ago we only used to see these guys in NY every once in a while and not all year round. That has changed over the years, and they are getting bigger too. A possible example of a species extending its range northward due to climate change perhaps.
Very interesting — it would be good to publish that bit of information.
I used to think that coquinas were seasonal here- meaning finding live colonies up and down the beach. But now every time I’m convince of a theory, I’m proven wrong by the ever fickle Mother Nature. I think it’s what keeps us engrossed! :)
My latest guess about Coquina…
around the time of the highest tides the little guys get stuck out in the sun for a long time. By the time the tides comes back, some of them don’t survive. I’ve found oodles of beauties along the high wrack lines just after.
P.S. I love the BLUE ones, and PLAID. Seriously, plaid.
Oh Pam. As much as I’m a sheller I’m a birder too so thank you big time for that
Mary Ann
East Granby. CT
We have Coquinas(Puerto Penasco) but ours are mostly various pink.
such a happy day when we get your emails. I look at sites often to get a pickup.
I’m coming next year – Hell or high water…Can’t stand it any more.
Janet/AZ
I, too, always tell myself not to pick up any more coquinas and then find myself lost amongst them and loving it! It’s their butterfly happiness that hooks me. And the variety of stunning colors. I especially love to walk on the beach when each wave dumps hundreds of them and they quickly begin digging into the sand. I can watch that show over and over and over again!
They make me think of butterflys too! One day, I plan to make something with Coquina shells in the shape of butterflys. One day, when the world stops spinning so fast. :)
I love the different colors of the coquinas too-they are hard to resist! I was cybershelling on the 2nd picture and saw what I think is a sparse dove shell. Did you pick it up? Love your videos and you posts. Happy shelling. Pat
Thanks for the osprey pictures. We all love to see birds AND shells!!!
Tomorrow can’t come soon enough! Feet in the sand!!!
I had some coquinas and didn’t know it,but now I also know they come in lots of colors si I can search for all the different ones when I get to gods waiting room another great post from my favorite shell people pam and clark. sincerely r.g. stein
Loving the coquinas! Can’t wait to get there in a few months and start the shelling games!
I too love coquinas but find them the hardest shells to clean. I always look for where flocks of shorebirds have been feeding and there a lots of just eaten coquinos. Last year I put all of them on a tray covered with dry sand and left then in the sun for a few days. It seemed to dry up all of the bits of flesh left in them and then it was easier to bush out with an old toothbrush.
I have had great success boiling Coquina.
One time I totally spaced and soaked them in bleach. The hinges dissolved of course. Kinda funny.
Good idea with the sand MEM. I had that same problem so I try to only collect the perfectly cleaned ones now so I don’t have to work so hard cleaning them.
I love coguinas and we still find them here in NJ but I NEVER pick up live ones.
Regarding the Osprey: when I was at Island Inn in May 2013. there was an Osprey always in the big tree by the beach next to Kimball Lodge. When one of the guests who was surf fishing all week finally landed a big Snook, the Osprey dived down to try to get it while the man was trying to get the fish off his hook and set the fish free! A very exciting event. Several of us on the beach tried to help and we finally succeeded in getting the fish free and back in the water. A great memory.
Such a fun story cindy! :)
Loved the osprey video!
Awww you are making me so jealous. I am determined now to get there one day.