Birding Center and the beach - Day 6

Today we set off the Birding Center.  I had read wonderful things about this center.  It was right next door to the Sea Turtle Inc.  We paid our fees, got our scavenger hunt and started off in the museum.  In the museum, we learned about the different types of birds in the area, different types of crabs and fish.  We headed up to the lookout and then out to the boardwalks

It was very very windy.  We all almost lost our hats a few times and there would have been no retrieving them.  

 

We saw lots of neat birds but we ended up taking more pictures of each other than of the birds.  By the end of the boardwalk all the hats were stuffed in my purse, and the sunscreen was sweating off.  The breeze was nice but still super hot.  We saw a Great Blue Heron, a Willet, a White Ibis, a Great Egret, and a Little Blue Heron.

After the boardwalk we went inside to get our smashed pennies and visit the gift shop.  While inside the gift shop, Andrew spied something he wanted - a toy of some sort.  I asked him if he had brought his money and he said no it was back at the hotel.  Then he came up with the idea that he could take the toy and then bring the money back later.  I told him he was welcome to ask the man behind the counter.  So he did.  Since Andrew is still a little difficult to understand so I helped translate for the man.  "He said, is it okay if he takes this toy to his hotel and then he will bring you back the money later?"

"Sure." the man says.  I looked at him incredulously and then turned to Andrew and said, "no you can't do that - that would be stealing."  I was floored that he would say that - he must not have any kids and not get the lesson that he just screwed up.

Anyway, we were able to get out of the store without the store which was really pretty easy since the kids know we don't buy toys for them in the gift shop.  We buy books and postcards.  Then we were off to lunch, we tried a couple different places and they were either closing for the afternoon or not open yet so we ended up heading back to the hotel to eat.  Then off to the beach, then in for a later dinner since we had a late lunch and then a late bed.  Another fantastic, relaxing day at the beach.