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Caught between sea and sky
Feb. 4th, 2009 10:01 amI found a new bit of beach today. I'd not been there yet because it is a bit inaccessible; the trail ends at something of a cliff, which can be gotten down with safety and without damaging any vegetation, but just barely and not without focused concentration.
Worth it, though. And I took a lot of pictures. It was a nice low tide, and this beach had both exposed and protected intertidal areas---so I got to see almost everything that is commonly living out there. Creatures spotted include ochre, bat, leather and sunflower stars, purple urchins, black, lined and gumboot chitons, giant green, aggregating and brooding anemones, purple shore, hermit and rock crabs, tidepool sculpins, red, yellow and purple sponges, spotted and lemon nudibranchs and all manner of mussels and barnacles.
Of these, the black chiton, rock crab and brooding anemone are creatures I've never seen in the wild---lifers, if you're a birdwatching type. This makes me all bouncy in a way that the bird people here should have no problem imagining. Many sightings, particularly the nudibranchs, are creatures that are exciting and rare to see at any time. There were a lot of the spotted nudibranchs, which with their dull yellow coloration and shape are very well camouflaged against the sponges that they eat and resemble amusingly their shorebound banana slug cousins. I may see more of them now that I refreshed my knowledge of their habits by reading through my tidepool books again. Nudibranchs in general feed on sponges, and often each sponge has its own little coevolved sluggy predator. So, if you're in search of a predator, find its prey---I'll be extra careful checking over the sponges in the future.
It was an awesome day.
As well, I beg your indulgence.
( treasures to be had between the sea and sky )
Worth it, though. And I took a lot of pictures. It was a nice low tide, and this beach had both exposed and protected intertidal areas---so I got to see almost everything that is commonly living out there. Creatures spotted include ochre, bat, leather and sunflower stars, purple urchins, black, lined and gumboot chitons, giant green, aggregating and brooding anemones, purple shore, hermit and rock crabs, tidepool sculpins, red, yellow and purple sponges, spotted and lemon nudibranchs and all manner of mussels and barnacles.
Of these, the black chiton, rock crab and brooding anemone are creatures I've never seen in the wild---lifers, if you're a birdwatching type. This makes me all bouncy in a way that the bird people here should have no problem imagining. Many sightings, particularly the nudibranchs, are creatures that are exciting and rare to see at any time. There were a lot of the spotted nudibranchs, which with their dull yellow coloration and shape are very well camouflaged against the sponges that they eat and resemble amusingly their shorebound banana slug cousins. I may see more of them now that I refreshed my knowledge of their habits by reading through my tidepool books again. Nudibranchs in general feed on sponges, and often each sponge has its own little coevolved sluggy predator. So, if you're in search of a predator, find its prey---I'll be extra careful checking over the sponges in the future.
It was an awesome day.
As well, I beg your indulgence.
( treasures to be had between the sea and sky )
