The birds take back the beach.

When I wake now, its not to the sounds of children on the beach but to the honking of geese. With few people walking and lots of hunters on the bay side, the birds are taking back the beach.

They fly overhead in huge flocks and settle on the beach or on the sandbars. In the evening they fly off again.

So different from a summer walk on the beach; no toys, umbrellas, towels, tents, hibachis, coolers - no people.

Just waves,

ripples

and time to contemplate whether to take the picture of the driftwood with a wave creeping in,

or with the perfect reflection

or with the shadow instead.

Sand sculptures

Garbage disposal

Flocks of gulls and terns

and about half way to the horizon, flocks of ducks, "rafting", amassing to fly across the lake.