Tuesday Dawns

Tuesday dawns calm and warm.  If the clouds dissipate, the day will become quite hot as the sun climbs in the sky.  The still, early morning is my favorite time to walk the beach. Only one small boat, our neighbor Lloydie taking his lady to the village for the day, makes waves through the sea and the air. 

The sea is nearly flat with only the smallest of waves lapping the shore.  In the distance the rain softens the suns glare.

Twenty minutes later, the sun is behind the second tier of clouds, highlighting the cumulus clouds it has risen above into a sort of city-scape in the distance.

Birds are flying overhead; the herons, egrets, and storks en route from their roosts to their feeding grounds, while the various swallow are zooming around catching breakfast on the wing.

These woodstorks were in a party of five, four adults and one juvie, that flew from the lagoon behind us to the north.  Hmmm - that's where the shrimp farms are.  Coincidence?  I think not!

Tides here amount to only about 18 inches and with last night's calm sea, not too much washed up on the beach overnight. 

Whelk egg case, wet from the nighttime drizzle, glistens in the morning light.

Soon the silence will be broken by the sound of the generator and the construction.  For now, I am headed to the veranda to enjoy my morning tea before the business of the day begins.

A Bit of Belize: Land, Sea, and Air

A small selection of photos from two of my Belize kayak trips back in October and November; mostly to bring to mind a warm,sunny place on these cold February days when we are so ready for spring.  Spring is still a few months away for us in Minnesota.  :-( 
The two "land" photos were taken along the canal where I was surprised to see a couple of ferns growing just above the water line.  

I haven't keyed this fern out yet.  It appears to be a climbing fern that was growing profusely on the banks of the canal. I need to get photos of its spore-bearing leaves to help ID it.

Actually, I am not positive that this one is a fern, but I think it may be in the genus Ophioglossum (adder's tongue ferns) or maybe a tongue fern.  
I will have to go back to take a closer, more definitive look.   hmmm... a good mystery to work on next time I'm in Belize.
Seeing the ferns along this part of the canal made me realize that I was upstream of the tidal portion and in an area that is fresh water.
Back out into the salt water, I saw this sting ray making its way along the shallows.  This is a medium sized individual.
Closer to home in Belize, this little whelk was grazing in the shallows.  I love the way the sunlight is refracted by the little ripples on the water; you can see how clear the water is.

While paddling back in the mangrove marsh, I heard this  frantic flapping of a flock of birds that I disturbed as they went crashing through the trees.  When I was finally able to see them, I was surprised that they were doves.  There is no solid ground below these mangroves, and I am more used to doves that like to hang out on the ground.

They wouldn't sit still for a second so my shots are not very good.  But they were good enough for me to identify them as Pale Vented Doves, which are known to prefer mangrove habitats.  I would like to get some better shots of them.
Looks like I have work my cut out for my next trip.  :-)