Morning on the Galveston shore

I got down to the beach early this morning and had the shoreline almost to myself. The Gulf was in a gentle mood: small, even swells rolling in and a wide band of wet sand catching the light.

The sky was the real show. Long, feathery streaks of high cloud fanned out across the whole horizon, the kind that make a wide shot worth taking even when nothing is moving.

Out on the rock groin a few anglers were already set up, and that's always a good sign. Where there are fish there are usually birds.

If you go

• Go early. The light is softer, the beach is quieter, and the birds are busy at the waterline.
• Walk the wet sand. Shorebirds feed right where the waves pull back. Crouch low and let them come to you instead of walking at them.
• Watch the groins. The rock jetties draw fish, anglers, and the pelicans, gulls and terns that follow them. Give the anglers room, and never feed the birds.
• Mind the salt. Sea spray and sand are hard on gear. Wipe your lens and camera down when you get home.
• Look up. A sky like this morning's can carry a landscape shot on its own.

Fall is a great time to visit the Texas coast, with migrants moving through and cooler mornings. I'll be back soon.