theoutershores

Surfperch and nature on the sandy beaches

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  • Limpet

Out of the Shadows

  • by minustide
  • Posted on July 13, 2019
  • Photo Challenge

A Walk Along the Shore

  • by minustide
  • Posted on July 8, 2019
  • Photo Challenge

Serenity on the Shore

  • by minustide
  • Posted on June 30, 2019
  • Photo Challenge

Construction on the Coast

  • by minustide
  • Posted on June 27, 2019June 27, 2019
  • Photo Challenge

Sitka Spruce, Ally in the Maritime Forest

  • by minustide
  • Posted on June 20, 2019June 20, 2019
  • Photo Challenge

Moody Closeups from the Intertidal

  • by minustide
  • Posted on June 12, 2019
  • Photo Challenge

Minimalist Scenes from the Rocky Intertidal

  • by minustide
  • Posted on April 28, 2019April 29, 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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Every lost float has a story⁣ ⁣ What is This? This small float, only about 5 1/4” (13 cm) long, is somewhat common on exposed Pacific Northwest shores. Its application is a mystery to me.⁣ ⁣ Notes on the Zone: This way up in the highest intertidal, almost beyond. Only sea spray and the biggest surf can reach this zone. The float is resting on wrack of California mussel shells.⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #beaches #beachcombing #wrackline #driftline #tideline #fbf
Energy⁣ ⁣ Notes on Zones: In this scene you’re in the mussel beds, a mid-intertidal community. The exposed rocks in the surf are low to very low intertidal. ⁣ ⁣ Notes on Names: In the mussel bed, Mytilus californianus and a couple prominent barnacles, Pollicipes polymerus and Semibalanus cariosus. On the outer rocks, to the left, surfgrass, a couple kinds of kelp (probably Laminaria sinclairii and Laminaria setchellii), and a carpet of reds. On the rock at the top, mostly Laminaria sinclairii.⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #beaches #tbt
Flashing its golden globes⁣ ⁣ Notes on names: This is Soranthera ulvoidea, a brown. It’s an epiphyte on reds. These are attached to a mat of black pine, Neorhodomela, that’s seen better days.⁣ ⁣ Notes on the zone: Call it mid-intertidal.⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #seaweed #algae #fbf
⁣⁣The split in split kelp⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #seaweed #algae
Throwing some intertidal iridescence your way⁣ ⁣ Notes on the names: Showing off here, Mazzaella, probably M. splendens, a red. On the bottom left, a touch of Ulva.⁣ ⁣ Notes on the zone: There’s not much to go on here. Let’s call it semi-sheltered low intertidal. ⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #seaweed #algae #tbt
Flashing back three weeks to a curious wrackline find.⁣ ⁣ Notes on the zone: This is way up in the highest intertidal or beyond. The highest reaches of the supralittoral fringe might be a good description. Not many landmarks here- California mussel shells, delivered by big surf, and a somewhat salt tolerant sedge perhaps.⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #beachcombing #wrackline #driftline #tideline #fbf
⁣⁣New construction⁣ ⁣ What is this? This is the work of colonial tube-dwelling worms. Externally the mound is composed of calcareous tubes and cemented sand. It’s abrasive and rock-hard to the touch.⁣ ⁣ Notes on names: I imagine the worms inside are Dodecaceria, but there are alternatives, other colonial polychaete builders. I’m open to any and all suggestions. Also prominent, giant green anemones and purple urchins. One of the urchins is clinging to a bit of surfgrass, another to a fragment of several small barnacles. Above the water line in the background you’ll notice lots of openings- also Dodecaceria? Barely noticeable in the upper left, Pisaster. And there are a few calcareous tubeworms, concentrated on the left, above the water line.⁣ ⁣ Notes on the zone: The urchins are an indicator that this is a quite low intertidal setting. The site is pounded by surf and surge most of the time.⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #polychaeta #tbt
⁣⁣Waiting it out⁣ ⁣ Flashing back to that low tide on June 5th when a nudibranch, a starfish, and three anemones kept close quarters.⁣ ⁣ Notes on names: The nudibranch is a dorid. The yellow dorids can be tricky so my confidence isn’t super high, but Monterey dorid, Doris montereyensis, is a reasonable starting point. The starfish is Pisaster ochraceus, and the anemones are giant greens, Anthopleura xanthogrammica (cool scientific name, eh?).⁣ ⁣ Notes on the nudibranch’s orientation: Its head is pointing down, the two little bumps down there are rhinophores, structures associated with chemoreception. The round patch on the other end are gills. The rhinophores and gills can be extended when the nudibranch is submerged, active and undisturbed.⁣ ⁣ Notes on zones: This scene is a vertical wall above a low tidepool.⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #fbf
⁣⁣Calling card from the maritime forest⁣ ⁣ Notes on the name: This branchlet is from a Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis.⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #beaches #beachcombing #wrackline #driftline #tideline #sitkaspruce #tbt
Flashing back one year, to June 14, 2018 and that Alaria-covered rock (foreground)⁣ ⁣ Notes on names: This is winged kelp, Alaria marginata. The wings aren’t evident here. Our Alaria also goes by ribbon kelp, for its blade’s broad midrib. You’ll notice the midrib on at least a couple of the blades. Looks like there might be a bit of Mazzaella creeping in on the right edge, just above center. The dark crinkly blade, lower right, is Hedophyllum sessile. Surf grass and kelp (Laminaria?) in the middle distance.⁣ ⁣ Notes on zones: This is low intertidal on the exposed coast. The rocks in the background protect this spot a little. That said, it’s raucous when the tide rolls in. ⁣ ⁣ #intertidal #pnw #oregoncoast #oregonshores #beachnaturalist #tidepools #seaweed #algae #fbf

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Amphistichus rhodoterus anal fin barnacle barnacles beaches beach hopper Beach walk bull kelp Chondracanthus exasperatus drift line driftline Embiotocidae Emerita analoga Floats high tide Hyperprosopon argenteum Hyperprosopon ellipticum intertidal intertidal zone keystone species king tide Lens-Artists Leptocottus armatus Lissocrangon stylirostris low tide Megalorchestia californiana ocean orange Pacific mole crab Pisaster ochraceus redtail surfperch sand sole seascapes sea star sea star wasting syndrome shiner surfperch silver surfperch smooth bay shrimp Staghorn Sculpin starfish surfperch surf zone tidepools tide pools tides turkish towel walleye surfperch wrack line year in review zonation

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