From Moon to Sun to Duck and Gators - oh my!

It's a brand new day and I have free time - the full "Pink Moon" is also calling me - so off I go....

I made my way to my neighborhood beach and arrived on time to see the full moon in all its glory only to be blessed with....

a brand new spectacular sunrise on the horizon - I ask you: "Is there a better way to start the day?" and I say: "I think not".

Of course it also happens to be Easter week and look at the amount of people out on the beach at 7:00 in the morning! I'll leave it to your imagination as to how busy it gets come 10-11 o'clock.....if you didn't get a parking spot by then - you're out of luck.

Okay, enough about people - especially since I came over to observe nature and the beautiful world as it wakes up - This Black-bellied Plover is getting quite colorful as the season approaches.

And the regular Snowy Plovers were busy chasing bugs and staying out of people's way. Shortly after I left to investigate a recent sighting at the Sanibel Garden preserve....

I was quite delighted to see that it was still here - a male Northern Shoveler in the company of Black-necked Stilt.

Flying above my head I spotted an Osprey carrying more nesting material.

Back to this breathtaking Shoveler - my photos does not do it justice - my position and the sun was not conducive for optimal colorful photo and I wasn't about to get in that water where the gators live - no thank you.

How often do you see those two together?

This pair of Black-necked Stilts made this day even more special.

A pair of Killdeer tends to hang out there too and I suspect they might have started the family ritual.

Up on the tower - this Black Vulture kept its eyes on anything that moved - probably waiting for something to stop moving - if you catch my drift.

A young Gator was savoring something while sporting an evil looking grin.

In the meantime I'm thinking and hoping that this Black-necked Stilt pair will be successful this year.

Well, time is rushing away from me once again and the 'errands' are calling - on my way out I counted the young gators - all 12 of them....given the law of averages, they should prosper to a long life.