What is it?!

RDP: Thursday – Bamboozle

Found in a billabong, somewhere in the Midwest outback, Western Australia

It was a hot drive of several hours in the outback but rain had preceded our trip, so there were large billabongs along the way. We stopped at one to stretch our legs because my colleague had not seen so much water in these parts before. Knowing my love for photographing birds, she was convinced there would be waterbirds there. We parked the 4WD and walked across a deserted highway to the other side and with our boots squelching in mousse like mud we carefully walked along the edge of the billabong. 

My steps were slower. I savoured the stillness. The silence. I was lost in reverie. The outback does that to me. 

My colleague is a curious soul. She has a sharp eye for detail and sees things invisible to me. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard her call out in delight, “Oh! Loooook!”. This time she added, “What is it?!” 

On our drive back, whenever we got some coverage, we would try and google what we found. The best we could find this is a species of Triops. If you view the image by expanding it, you’ll see how perfect a creature this is!

And if you know what it is, tell me!

Until next time

As always

a dawn bird

In shells, a memory …

When in Geraldton, in the Midwest of Western Australia, I often find myself grabbing a quick lunch at St Georges Beach while seated in my car.  I angle myself comfortably, to watch the distinctive trees.  In the still of the moment, they look like they are responding to a sea breeze.  They are poised, but do not break.

During the last trip, the trees took me where I’ve wanted to be each time I visit this sea city.  Just beyond the beige.

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Is white a different shade of beige?  I’m not sure but the difference is remarkable.

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I zoomed in for a closer look, and saw so much more.  In a cup of a shell, there were smaller, tinier shells.

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Some fused with coral.

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My first blue shell!

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A sea sponge, as distinctive as a hairdo.

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Thousands of broken and whole shells, pieces of coral too.

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A translucent shell, agape.

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I missed the details on the countless trips I’ve made.

Moving from the beige to beyond, I returned home and read up on shells.  There is so much about them I do not know and have yet to learn.

What I did learn is, shells once belonged to living creatures.  They are remnants of what was and become footprints in the sand.

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Just like memories.

Until next time

As always

a dawn bird