Some photos

I don't have too much to say today, so I figured I would just put up a couple of photographs taken while walking on one of my turtle patrols. I used to make my walking patrols at right about sunrise, which provided many photo opportunities.  This year, I'm doing the patrols later in the day - I'm not seeing the gorgeous sunrises, but I'm also extending my route. Using the bicycle, I'm getting in many more miles per day and hopefully I will come across a nesting sea turtle.

A UTV from Padre Island National Seashore

with a biotech and volunteer pass by while

engaged in a Turtle Patrol North.

Some American Avocets (Recurvirostra 

americana) a plover and a sandpiper at the shoreline

on North Padre Island.

Turtle Patrol

Yes, I know, I am horrible at coming up with titles.  On the blog, on my photographs, on everything.

Another turtle patrol today.  It started with a massive horsefly attack, progressed to a walk through an extremely stinky section of beach near Bob Hall Pier, and then settled down to a standard patrol.  There were a number of vehicles on the beach involved in picking up and emptying trash cans.  Here is one of them, from the City of Corpus Christi.

 There is never a shortage of birds to be seen during the patrols, here I'm passing mile marker 250 with a Great Blue Heron while a gull makes a fly-by.

 This truck is emptying trash cans.

 Behind the truck is a UTV from the National Seashore, involved in a Turtle Patrol North.

There are times when I am really disappointed in people

This is a photograph that I took while walking down the beach on North Padre Island.  Vehicles are always getting stuck in the sand, and the owners of the vehicles usually get themselves out; either by themselves or with the help of others. I am originally from New York City, so I'm used to stripped vehicles, but it really disturbed me to come across this one and to see all of the damage that people had inflicted on it.  It's not obvious, but the entire rear windshield is busted out.