Greetings from Indian River Inlet

I had a wonderful anniversary on Wednesday doing beachy things. Morning walk after the early rain to see shore birds and somewhat confused ghost crabs out under the cloud cover. Quick shower and sandwiches, then a drive through Bethany Beach and over the Indian River Inlet Bridge to park in the marina parking lot, from which we walked to the Burton Island Nature Preserve hiking trail, crossing the bridge past the horseshoe crab post-mating carnage to boardwalks over marshes full of fiddler crabs and seabirds. Return drive stop at Kohr Bros before some afternoon beach time. Dinner picked up and carried back from nearby Warren Station. Just briefly Skyped the kids, then watched Agents of SHIELD while uploading these photos:


Morning on the beach


Least tern, not a shore bird we've often seen in the numbers we've seen in the past day


Diamondback terrapin who greeted us in the Indian River Marina parking lot racing past our car


Fiddler crabs in the nearby Burton Island Nature Preserve


The crabs can be seen from boardwalks like this one, which also offers views of egrets, cormorants, horseshoe crabs, and many smaller birds (plus a snake found by a young fellow visitor)


There are many nearby osprey nests, this one with a pair of parents feeding chicks


Wednesday's beautiful sunset after an overcast day with patches of rain


We brought our anniversary dinner in from Warren's Station across the street (Beyond Burger for me, seafood for him)