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Surfperch and nature on the sandy beaches

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  • Algae

Dreamy Drift Macrocystis

  • by minustide
  • Posted on July 24, 2019
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Melobesia, a Coralline Crust on Seagrasses

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  • Posted on July 18, 2019
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Out of the Shadows

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  • Posted on July 13, 2019
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A Walk Along the Shore

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  • Posted on July 8, 2019
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Serenity on the Shore

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  • Posted on June 30, 2019
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Construction on the Coast

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  • Posted on June 27, 2019June 27, 2019
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Sitka Spruce, Ally in the Maritime Forest

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  • Posted on June 20, 2019June 20, 2019

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Beach Combing

theoutershores

My thoughts and experiences on the exposed outer coast. Lots of photos and a few words about intertidal nature. I’m always thinking about sandy beach connections to its sister ecosystems, the rocky intertidal, estuaries, and coastal forests. You can see photos of things I’ve found washed ashore on my Wrack Line pages. If you are looking for new takes on common intertidal algae, plants, and animals, I’m always updating my Variety of Life pages. I love the full-page layout on all theoutershores’ pages.

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Ceramium⁣ ⁣ Notes on Names: Harry Potter seaweed is the best common name I’ve come across. I think it’s in reference to the apparent pinching claws on this delicate red’s branch tips. If you can confirm, please let me know. There are a few Ceramium on Pacific shores. This is one of the big ones. I estimate it’s long dimension at around 6 in. (15 cm). If you want to see the pincher-like branch tips you’ll have to spend some time scanning around the image. Below and to the left of the Ceramium you’ll notice blue or bay mussels, Mytilus. Normally, I would call these Mytilus trossulus, but mussels are complicated in this neck of the woods (Salish Sea).⁣ ⁣ Notes on Zones: I came across this healthy-looking specimen in an isolated high mid-intertidal pool.⁣ ⁣ Natural History Notes: Lamb and Hanby say Ceramium likes shallow pools where the water warms beyond that of the surrounding sea. That was certainly the case with this one. I’ve either not come across or not recognized Ceramium on my home beaches. This one is from Galiano Island, BC, Canada.⁣ ⁣ August 19, 2019⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #salishsea #beachnaturalist #tidepools #seaweed #algae #tbt
Winding down with a dire whelk ⁣ Notes on Names: Lirabuccinum dirum⁣ ⁣ Notes on Zones: Mid- to lower intertidal and subtidal⁣ ⁣ Natural History Notes: Specializes in injured animal prey. This snail is about 2 inches (5 cm) long⁣ ⁣ August 17, 2019⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #salishsea #beaches #beachnaturalist #tidepools #pacificshells
Ostrich plume⁣ ⁣ Notes on Names: Hydroids can become detached and wind up in the drift. There is good hydroid diversity, so you may see a few different kinds. This one is distinctive. Everybody calls it ostrich plume, or Aglaophenia if they are a show-off.⁣ ⁣ Notes on Zones: Most of the live ostrich plumes I find are attached to vertical rocks and other structure (e.g., kelp stipe) in the exposed low intertidal. This one, detached and drifted, is shown with a drifted mussel shell for scale.⁣ ⁣ June 4, 2019 ⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #beaches #beachcombing #wrackline #tideline #fbf
Blending in, as amphipods are wont to do.⁣ ⁣ Notes on Orientation: The head is pointing left and slightly downward. On that end there are two pairs of antennae. The eye is barely visible at the base of the first antennae. Behind the head are seven segments, each with a pair of legs. The first two legs are called gnathopods. They are tipped with pinching claws. The remaining five legs are called pereopods. The abdomen and what we might call the tail curve underneath the body on the right. Females brood embryos there. ⁣ ⁣ Notes on Names: There are lots of amphipods on exposed rocky intertidal shores. They are referred to as beach hoppers or sea fleas. Beyond that, this one’s going to remain a mystery for now. As consolation, you might be interested in the tiny white solitary hydroid rising up in front of the the hopper, just about center view. For scale, the amphipod is a little less than an inch long, let’s say 1.8 cm.⁣ ⁣ Notes on the Zone: Get the alga the mystery hopper is sitting on and you’ll get the zone…⁣ ⁣ That’s right, it’s Ptilota, a low intertidal to subtidal red. This is down in the lowest intertidal.⁣ ⁣ August 1, 2019⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #crustacean #amphipod #tbt
Flashing back to a cloudless sunrise⁣ ⁣ Notes on Names: The green is surfgrass, Phyllospadix. The backlit brownish-orange kelp is mostly sea cabbage, Hedophyllum sessile, and feather boa, Egregia menziesii.⁣ ⁣ Notes on the zone: This is a very low tide.⁣ ⁣ August 1, 2019⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #fbf
Distinctive Osmundea spectabilis. I love the way morning sun lights up the blades.⁣ ⁣ Notes on Names: Goes by red sea fern or sea laurel. ⁣ ⁣ Notes on the Zone: The image affords no clues so I’ll just tell you. Mid- to low intertidal. This one was on the edge of a somewhat sheltered low tidepool.⁣ ⁣ Natural History Notes: It could just be me, but don’t see Osmundea much on the northern Oregon coast. This one’s from the central coast.⁣ ⁣ August 1, 2019⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #seaweed #algae #tbt
Aequorea⁣ ⁣ Notes on Names: Aequorea are often called water jellies. Given the genus name, Aequorea, that makes sense, but there’s a great alternative. Look in the center of this one. That’s not open space, it’s crystal clear jelly. You’ll sometimes hear them called crystal jellies. ⁣ ⁣ Natural History Notes: Aequorea’s medusae, the free-swimming jellyfish stage, like the one seen here, wash ashore on Pacific Northwest beaches during summer.⁣ ⁣ Notes on Zones: The medusae are pelagic. On exposed shores the most likely place to see them is in the summer driftline.⁣ ⁣ July 30, 2019⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beaches #beachnaturalist #beachcombing #wrackline #tideline #cnidaria #fbf
With arms in the 15 cm range, this is an impressive ochre star, but they grow much larger. ⁣ ⁣ Notes on names: Say hello to Pisaster ochraceus. The common and scientific names refer to ochre, a vaguely orange color and not a good match to the purple seen here. ⁣ ⁣ Notes on zones: P. ochraceus patrol the rocks from the lower edge of the mussel beds down into the subtidal.⁣ ⁣ July 4, 2019⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beaches #beachnaturalist #tidepools #pisaster #tbt
Exuvia⁣ ⁣ Notes on names: This is the molted carapace (the top of the shell) from a Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister. Crustacean exuviae are common clutter in the spring and summer driftline.⁣ ⁣ Natural history notes: Crabs and other crustaceans grow by shedding their exoskeletons. This time of year there’s a lot of mounting going on. Shells and shell parts can accumulate alarmingly on the beach, and molting is risky business, so there are always a few dead individuals in the mix too. No wonder people sometimes imagine they are witnessing a die-off.⁣ ⁣ July 30, 2019⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beaches #beachnaturalist #beachcombing #wrackline #tideline
Flashing back to the cutest little palm⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Notes on names: This is Postelsia palmaeformis, sea palm. Also in the foreground, goose barnacles and California mussels.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Notes on zones: It’s easy to lapse into thinking Postelsia is a low intertidal form, but look at the holdfast. We’re in mussel beds. That’s high mid-intertidal! Wherever you find Postelsia it’s a steep drop to the subtidal. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Natural history notes: Postelsia occurs in small to extensive groves. I don’t really like showing just a single palm. This one was a bit off by itself, the closest, and worth noting, the safest one for me to get close to. Even so, my time with it was fleeting, courtesy of a crowding swell.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ June 5, 2019⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #kelp #seaweed #algae #fbf

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