The morning sun breaks over the ocean like a huge orange ball sending shimmers of fiery light across the waves. No-one else is on the beach but the Pelicans, a few remaining Royal Terns, a Snowy Egret and a lone Sanderling. The summer nesting season is all but over for the terns and gulls. The tide is receding, and the high-water line mark is littered with bones and feathers of the hapless young birds who were victims of predation. But the lucky ones have survived.

As I make my way to the dunes where the Brown Pelican colony remains, a long procession of pelicans takes wing and glides by heading for the surf. There are still hungry beaks to be fed. The chicks are nearly all fully feathered now and ready to fly. Unlike the previous visit where they were sitting in the summer heat rather hapless and still, now there is motion everywhere. The chicks are hopping up and down, skipping down the dunes, jumping, stretching their wings and flapping them in constant motion. They seem to be dancing in the dunes. I spot a group of three chicks discussing flight preparations. Bradford the chick says he is ready to fly. His two feathered companions seem to laugh at him and dare him to try. Bradford just lifts his wings, rises off the dune, flaps his wings, and lands about 10 feet away. His two companions are amazed. Bradford flew for the first time, just like Orville and Wilber Wright! Now look who is dancing! It won’t be long before they are all taking flights to the surf zone now.

Almost makes me feel like dancing too, except I can’t fly, yet that is. Hope you had a nice Labor Day weekend and took a rest from your labors too! Blessings.

Reflections on Broward is now "Mountain Musings"

Dancing in the dunes