Here we are at the end of the school year so this will be the last installment until September (unless I learn something really exciting over the summer)!
- Some salt marsh birds build their nest out of straw that grows in the marsh. Because the straw is hollow, the nests float and move up and down with the tide water. The birds “anchor” the nests with seaweed tied to mussel shells buried in the sand. This keep the nest from floating away.
- The male fiddler crab has one large claw and one small. He waves this large claw in the air to attract female fiddler crabs.
- Mudskippers are fish that can live on land as well as in the water. They use their fins to drag themselves along on the sand and they breath through their gills by storing water in pockets on their sides that keep their skin moist.
And with that bit of water related trivia I’m off to the beach!!
The View from the Porch 
I just love how innovative birds are. I had a chance to study a hummingbird’s nest on my in-laws’ deck up close and personal over Easter, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever how they use spider silk to wrap the materials together. Lots of winged smarty-pantses out there!
Hummingbirds are so cool. I would love to see a nest up close. I have a feeder in my yard and I get really excited when I see one at it.
When I read about stuff like this, it just amazes me. To visualize a bird making their nest, (no..designing their nest) so that it can survive the ever changing tides..I’m just awestruck…and inspired. I need to make my “nest” like that, so I too can move with the ebb and flow of life without the fear of being washed away.
Well, you know we humans are pretty adaptable creatures ourselves!
Birds are such impressive little creatures …these little boat-nests are really interesting.
… and if I ever seen a fish crawling on the beach, I won’t be wondering if evolution is happening right before my eyes 🙂
Evolution or Dr Seuss! Some of his creatures are pretty unusual too!