Estuary Sands On horizon cloud washes into oceans waves. Streaks of cloud, violet blue lines on dual-grey. Waters ripple reflect violet greys. Distant islands float closer today, their wake green reflects on sea, So it seems. The inlet to the estuary I hear gentle surf pushing its way upstream, white breasted shags watch soaking in sun. Smaller black shags huddle on waters border soon fly upstream. Oyster catcher orange beaks oscillate between calling its mate and piercing sand. Joyful shoreline sonics, Dotterals tweet, Waters move in concentric waves pulsating upstream. Shags preen, snooze, waddle, watch peers dive for fish. A fish jumps, a shag dives. Elegant sharp beaks trap slender fish. Another fish jumps - dangerous lives. Pied shags bulging breasts, well fed, paddle, legs down touch sand, waddle ashore, stretch sinews of their wings hang them out to dry. After a preen hide away their head. Starlings arrive, rumage amongst matted driftwood, Far away from surf and wind on the spit gulls roost on sheltered sands On sand flats empty shells broken, dominican gulls well fed. Breeze off the sea, now hidden sun. The channel flow carves into the sand, deeper beside me, shallow on the otherside. Sand banks fall, sands plop into running waves heard above the surf. Channels widen. Smooth waves massage the shifting sands. © Craig A Roberts, 2022