This week Tina challenges us to feature our neighborhood or someone else’s that makes us feel welcome or comfortable. I have always felt comfortable around water so I decided to feature a few pictures of wildlife and activities on Kiawah’s beach, which is in our neighborhood and walking distance from our home. Except for the first image, these other sights are fairly common. I believe the quote below also implies being a good neighbor to wildlife, helping them to preserve their future.
“To be a good neighbor is one of life’s richest joys!” – unknown
This Loggerhead turtle laid her eggs in the sand dunes and is very slowly laboring to get back into the ocean before the tide goes out further and the sun gets higher in the sky. She is exhausted and only able to travel a few feet at a time before having to stop and rest. Loggerheads can weigh between 155 and 375 pounds (70 to 170 kg) and generally lay between 100 and 126 eggs at a time. Their body weight makes it imperative for them to return to the ocean as soon as possible.
This buck was one of several out together jumping over the board walk and racing through the sand dunes along the Ocean. It is not unusual to see them out playing. Some deer even raise their young in the brush where it is dense enough for them to hide.
These birds are feeding on conch shells and other live creatures buried in the wet sand.
Shrimp boats are gathering their daily catch to take back to the seafood company, located on Wadlamaw Island. Sea Gulls and pelicans follow the boats hoping for an opportunity to grab something to eat.
This last picture is a very familar sight along Kiawah’s 10 mile coastline. The beach is a big attraction for families and groups to ride bicycles along the water’s edge. Riders are treated to a real show when the occasional eagle or opsrey swoops down to grab a fish in it’s talons, pelicans dive head first to feed or dolphins swim close to the shore, playing along the way. The beach is also a relaxing heaven for those who want to sit beside the ocean and listen to the soothing sounds of the waves.
“This is our neighborhood — All of us.” – John Dagenhart