A New Generation
The sun rises over the old dead bones of past generations of trees lying on the beach. The "Dog Days" of summer are officially over. Tell that to the weatherman. Anxious for the cool breezes of fall and the changing season, life goes on amidst the waning days of the summer beach life in Florida. And “go on” is the key. A new generation of Royal Terns, Laughing Gulls, Brown Pelicans and Sandwich Terns will be the wing-bearers of the next generation.
From fragile eggs, to hatchlings, to fuzzy down covered chicks, and now to fledgling young birds, it is time for the new generation to take wing. There are fewer numbers each week in the dunes and on the beach. But that is a good thing. The parents have done their duty. Fierce instincts prevail with each generation to produce young for survival of the species. Feeding and protection is a never-ending task. Nearly half of the chicks that survive to fledge will probably not make it to next year. Those that do however, will be the young immature birds who follow their parents, learn the best fishing and feeding times, techniques, places, and then return to these dunes for another season. Soon the fall migrations will start. But that is another story for another day. The good news for the tireless parents is there will be no college tuition to save for, no braces to pay for and no need to go haul the young to the next soccer game or gym practice. They have their own wings now!
When those times of life come that seem overwhelmingly stressful, when our worries mount, and our inner resources seem depleted, just: "Consider the birds of the air. They neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much greater value than they are?" (Matt 6:26) Blessings.
Old tree bones greet the morning sun on Blackrock Beach..
Sandwich Terns escort a juvenile fledgling to the beach
The "three amigos" celebrate the fledging of their young charge with a fish..
This juvenile Laughing Gull has fully fledged and eating on its own now..
The Royal Terns are protecting this young fledgling waiting to be fed still.
Fresh fish dinner coming...
Here comes Dad with the fresh fish
Brown Pelican chicks are starting to feather and growing fast.
One week later these siblings are starting to sport tail feathers..
Do these feathers make my tail too fat?
Gaspar the friendly Ghost Crab..
Everybody was Crab-Fu fighting...territorial dispute
A Ruddy Turnstone Male scans the beach sand for tidbits..they "turn over stones" looking for what is underneath, thus the name..
A Turkey Vulture is harassed by the Laughing Gull as it looks for easy picking in the dunes...
Juvenile Herring Gull...
Dog days are gone, summer is flying by like this Great Blue Heron..
Consider the birds....