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!
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| Looking for shore crabs |
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| 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
Good to see so many smiles on faces despite the rain! Well done, Lorna! xx
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