Down on the shore in Port Charlotte

I have often been too pushed for time to properly get down on my hands and knees and delve in to the rocky exposed shore next to Port Charlotte beach. However, one sunny day last week, the opportunity arose. Apart from finding an abundance of  Dahlia Anemones, and releasing a deadly looking jellyfish into the open sea, we uncovered many exciting creatures, photographed below.

Mum's favourite, the Broad Clawed Porcelain Crab. Both these individuals were missing a claw each, testament to their fragile nature. Not often seen, this species is found at very low tides often under rocks under rocks! They are very good at clinging onto surfaces with their back legs, including your hand when it is time to return them!

Not two, but one Piecrust Crab which has recently moulted, leaving its old, paler armour behind. Be careful when handling crabs at this time of year, as moulting is in full swing and the shells take a while to harden, making them very vulnerable.

Sea Lemon. We found two on this occasion, both feasting on Breadcrumb Sponge, their favourite food.

Sea slug, possibly Grey Sea slug, which along with many other sea slug species, are busy laying eggs under rocks and seaweed at this time of year.

Lorna

Rockpooling at Bruichladdich

Having recently arrived back on Islay for the summer, high on my list of priorities was, of course to explore some rockpools! At Bruichladdich, this usually means turning over the many stones available at low tide, and often discovering something different with each visit. The weather yesterday was not exactly in our favour, and also seemed to affect the usual abundance of creatures. However, dipping into the shallows, mum and I were excited to find a Comb Jelly (4cm long, but grows up to 12cm), and a Leuckartiara Jellyfish (about 1cm long) which belongs to the Hydrozan medusae group. I have long wanted to see the latter, sometimes wandering down to the shore at night, hoping to pick them out by torchlight. We were happy to be able to contribute a few new additions to the INHT Visitor  Centre touch tank, such as 15 Spined Sticklebacks, and a pretty pink Hermit Crab. Another species common at this location is the Small Brittlestar, which due to their size, will not be kept in our tanks, but are well worth looking for. 

Keep an eye out for our INHT family activity sessions, including our popular rockpooling trips. On Friday 4 July, at 2-3.30pm in Port Ellen, we will be Exploring Sandy Shores. Bring your wellies, and join us! 

Comb Jelly

Leuckartiara Jellyfish

Lorna

Family Activity Rockpooling

Summer has truly arrived with soaring temperatures, and the sun ever shining down on Islay. On Tuesday I was treated to leading  the second of this year's family activity sessions for the rockpooling. There wasn't a slippy rock in sight (almost) and we delighted, adults, children and all, in discovering Chitons, Prawns and one seriously abundant Shore crab city! It was such a joy to see so much enthusiasm for the abundant Beadlet anemones as well. We also caught more 15 Spined sticklebacks than ever and 2  Father lashers. Thanks to all who came - keep up the great rockpooling!

Lepidochitona cinerea

Lorna

Sea slugs and Sea squirts

The spring tide means the biggest difference between low and high tide creating the perfect environment for keen rockpoolers such as myself and mum (Becky). This weekend was such a time, and our morning (and neglected lunch) were consumed with a thorough exploration of the sub littoral zone at Bruichladdich. This area, the very low shore and shallows, is a treasure trove for tiny gems often overlooked in rockpooling expeditions. These include sea spiders, sea slugs, sea sponges and sea squirts, all of which we found (with the exception of the sea spider this time). You may also remember 'Benny the Blenny' from last year, who I am pleased to report returned to our bucket and can be visited in the visitor centre sea tank once again! Here are some photos of our finds. I will post sea slug photos upon identification, and also add a species list in the mean time.

Orange lights sea squirt



Star ascidian. These come in beautiful variations.







Unidentified sea squirt





Ascidiella scabra





Unidentified sea squirt



Lorna

Bruichladdich Rockpooling

It's about time I blogged our rockpooling at Bruichladdich last Sunday. The full species list for this is upstairs in my room, and after today's long walk with  mum (Becky Williamson) it's staying there! Sorry for the disappointment.. Here are the best finds from the day.

Mystery worm/leech.

One of two trays we emptied the buckets into back at the visitor centre, before deciding what to keep in the tanks.

James introducing us to Benny the blenny!

Breadcrumb sponge. This one is demonstrating a lack of algae due to little light, shown by its orange colour. As in the Port Mor specimen from Tuesday's activity session, they are usually green.

Sand/small brittlestar. Found in abundance under stones at Bruichladdich, particularly in muddy pools.

Chiton.

Lorna

Benny the Blenny

Welcome Benny, another arrival to our sea tank. James joined us for rockpooling at Bruichladdich on Sunday (blog to follow soon), finding this impressive blenny under a rock. There were hundreds of slippery rocks separating us at the time, so we heard him shout "Wow, this thing is massive!" before we saw it. Of course, we were very excited. Benny is now happy living amongst the piecrust crabs and sea scorpions. He has become part of the gang, spotted using the latter as a tummy rest this afternoon! Check out that pucker!

Lorna

Family Activity Session - Rockpooling

Around 20 intrepid explorers set out for the final rockpooling session this afternoon. The rain arrived on cue as we clambered over the slippery rocks, but it was well worth it. The highlights were plenty of 3 spined sticklebacks (nearly 30 of them), ragworms, baby shorecrabs and shannies, and a worm pipefish. Plenty of lion's mane jellyfish have been reported washed up on the shore, and today they were indeed lining the rocks. We also delighted in the breadcrumb, and estuary sponges, comparing textures and 'squidgyness'. Thanks everyone for spending your afternoon rockpooling with the INHT!

Looking for shore crabs

Brilliantly coloured breadcrumb sponge (left) and estuary sponge (right). Sponges are one of the world's simplest animals as they lack internal organs such as a brain, heart or lungs! However they do have a skeleton, which when washed up, finds its way into our bath tubs.

Species List

shanny
hermit crab
shore crab
3 spined stickleback
worm pipefish
prawn
breadcrumb sponge
estuary sponge
beadlet anemone
flat winkle
periwinkle
rough winkle
topshell
limpet
ragworm (possibly estuary or nephtys caeca)
kelp
egg wrack
spiral wrack
bladder wrack
lithophyllum incrustans

Lorna

Butterfish Bonanza

Another weekend, another rockpooling adventure! The destination: Killinallan. Well, the rumour was true of the bountiful butterfish found there.We found about 5 under one patch of sea weed, including one tiny individual. I was also pleased to discover 5 bearded rockling, a fish that I have found can be scarce previously. There were egg bearing worm pipefish, and mum was delighted with her sponge encrusted spider crab. The tide was exceptionally low as a result of the full moon, which brings a spring tide. This is the best time for rockpool enthusiasts, such as us. We are pleased to say that there are now 3 new residents in the visitor centre touch tank. I wonder if you can guess what they are!

Worm pipefish with eggs. Like the seahorse, it is the male pipefish that carries the eggs.

Butterfish Phollis gunellus. This was one of the largest I have seen. They can grow up to 25cm long.

Shore crab. Mum insisted I clamber back over the sea weedy rocks to see this large male.

Common eel. We got excited about this one, as I have only found minute elvers before. Once mature, the adult will migrate to the Sargasso Sea to spawn, and die.

Worm pipefish peeping out from my hand.

5 bearded rockling. The slippy skin and flappiness of these fish make them a real challenge to catch!

Alcyonidium hirsutum. This bryozoan completely covered the Serrated wrack it lives on. Apparently, when submerged, zooids emerge, like tiny sea anemones, each with 16-20 tentacles.

Great spider crab. I have never seen one adorned with so much sponge!

Full Species List

Common prawn

Dahlia anemone

Beadlet anemone

Shore crab

Piecrust crab

Great spider crab

Hermit crab

15 spined stickleback

Worm pipefish

Father lasher

5 bearded rockling

Common eel

Butterfish

Goby sp. (probably sand)

Oppossum shrimp

Sand brittle star

Sea squirt

Chiton

Sand mason worm

Alcyonidium hirsutum (bryozoan)

Hymeniaciadon perleve (sponge)

Breadcrumb Sponge

Electra pilosa (sponge)

Sponge sp.

Hydractina echinata (hydrioid)

Lorna

Windy Ardnave Rockpooling!

I always find new rockpooling locations exciting, and Ardnave was no exception. Mum and I were treated to sponges galore, and hermit crab city! Mum also discovered a colony of Orange lights sea squirts, which is mainly restricted to SW England and Wales.

We begun by skimming the seaweed in the shallows with our net, being won over by the hundreds of Oppossum shrimps that gazed vertically at us behind every wave. As we progressed towards an exposed tidal pool, we happened upon shannies, father lashers, gobies and an overwhelming array of frantic hermit crabs and colourful sponges. At one point, while peering into the murky depths of our bucket, we realised a tiny worm pipefish had found its way into our little water world, un-noticed. A highlight for me was the Aplidium Punctum sea squirt, which resembles squidgy orange pom poms. We will definitely be paying a return visit to this haven of surprise.

Mystery sponge. The aplidium punctum sponge can be seen just under the water.

Another mystery sponge

One of the most impressive hermit crabs.

Orange lights sea squirts. They appeared in the net dislodged, and twisted and turned a bit in the bucket. We returned them to the rocky over hang where we found them.


Lorna

Rockpooling at Bruichladdich

Surprisingly there were no takers for the Kilchiaran ramble today. Lorna and I went rockpooling at Bruichladdich instead and have been discovering a whole new world under the rocks we usually turn over and discard as being devoid of life - how wrong we were! Watch this space for potentially yawn-worthy information about sea squirts and sponges! Meanwhile, here's a taster of what you're missing when you fail to look closely or turn over a stone on the shore. Becky

Baby shore crab

Small brittlestar

Myxilla incrustans Sponge

Hymeniacidon perleve (Estuary sponge) 

Sea Sponge/mat

These mating Shore Crabs were not amused when we disturbed them! We quickly left them to it!

Leucosolenia botryoides

Hymeniacidon perleve

Leptasterias muelleri (Northern starfish)

Bruichladdich Rockpooling Galore 5 July 2012

Niall, Lynda, Isi and I had a fantastic time wandering the shallows and turning over rocks at Bruichladdich on Thursday. Niall particulary enjoyed chasing after Common gobies while encountering countless Hermit Crabs, while Lynda, Isi and I discovered lots of mysterious creatures under rocks, many a challenge to identify. We spent the lowest part of the tide at Bruichladdich before continuing to Port Mor.



Hymeniacidon perleve - often found alongside Breadcrumb sponge.





Ascidiella aspersa - sea squirt




Corella parallelogramma - sea squirt




The star ascidian - our most beautiful species of sea squirt.




Eggs of the Nucella lapillus (pictured next to edible periwinkle.)




My favourite - the Breadcrumb sponge! There is something about its little craters and squidgy texture I find endearing.



Complete Species List

Common starfish, 15 spined stickleback, paddle worm, ragworm, lugworm, chiton, common limpet, periwinkle, flat winkle, rough winkle, dog whelk, common mussel, sandhopper, common acorn barnacle, butterfish, common goby, worm pipefish, flatfish, sprat, shore crab, snakeslock anemone, beadlet anemone, breadcrumb sponge, common prawn, common shrimp, oppossum shrimp, common hermit crab, common jellyfish, coiled tube worm, keel worm, star ascidian, nucella lapillus (eggs), corella paralellogramma, ascidiella aspersa, common saddle oyster (empty).

Lorna

First of our Family Activity Sessions is tomorrow - 5th July

Out on a Bug Hunt last year

Our first Family Activity Session is tomorrow - meet Fiona at Port Mor at 2.00 pm for Rockpooling!!