perched

A butterfly is perched, feeding from a zinnia.

low tide

Yesterday's low tide walk at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge was delightful. I was accompanied by the sound of ocean waves and the sight of sea gulls and skittering sanderlings.

evening flowers

Late day light decorated the garden as I wandered through the dahlias.

at Odiorne Point State Park

A walk along the coast was on my wishlist today.

I headed to Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, NH with the hope of walking before the rain came. While wet roads indicated there was rain earlier, it was a dry, low tide walk.

pink

A pink dahlia decorates a late summer garden.

look down!

At this time of year I find I need to look down as I walk through the woods. Wonderful mushrooms are on display!

open!

The piping plover nesting season has ended; the beach at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge reopened to people today. A statement from the refuge indicated that 50 pairs of plovers nested on the beach and 44 chicks fledged.

This is the earliest open date that I can remember. As soon as I heard the beach was open I checked the tide chart, arriving at the beach at about the midpoint of the outbound tide. It would have been easier walking if I'd waited a little longer but I was impatient.

What an awesome day for a walk on the beach!

backlit

A dahlia glows with light from the setting sun.

back to the beach

Nesting piping plovers have moved on from a small portion of the beach at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. While most of the 6-mile long beach remains closed, a half mile section of beach at the northern end of the refuge has reopened to people.

I visited today, enjoying a short beach walk.

flitting

A butterfly flits about the garden, happily settling on a lavender plant.