Standing along the shoreline of a pond turned completely green with floating duckweed, a great blue heron waits patiently. I'm sure it knows what it's looking for.
North Carolina
Storm Surge
Along the barrier islands of North Carolina, storms regularly inundate the shoreline, undercutting and killing trees, which then fall into the sound. The actual shore shifts back and forth as erosion takes its toll. In some areas, fewer and fewer trees remain, as high water has become common enough that they can't get a foothold.
Ghosts on the Beach
Atlantic Ghost Crabs (Ocypode quadrata) dig, hunt and square off on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Photo Credit - Lynn Abbott