A Seashore Safari Week

Two visits to the seashore to try and make the most of good tides this week. 

A visit to the Battery shore west of Bowmore on Tuesday, a sunny but very blustery day.  The water didn't go out as far as it should have due to the winds pushing water up the loch, however, sandy shores and mussel beds were open and exposed. Various shrimps and fishes were caught and small shore crabs.  The highlight was a Sea Stickleback.























Jura on Thursday was contrastly a warm, calm, intensely sunny affair, many edible periwinkles were collected by one eager young lad filling his net, crabs (common shore and an edible), shrimps and sea anemones were collected and put in the bucket for closer inspection. 

Inspecting the finer features of the edible periwinkle

'Flappy' was missing one of its claws and a leg or two!
 

The star of the afternoon was a Squat Lobster (Munida rugosa), duly named 'Flappy', found in a small pool higher up on the shore than I would have expected!  I am of the opinion that this individual had bid an escape for freedom, possibly from the Hotel and some ones dinner menu!  It was returned to the sea at the end after many photo opportunities.

We have a break from exploration activities until Thursday 20th (when we will be beachcombing on Uiskentuie Strand) due to the Islay Show this Thursday.  We have a stall there so do come and see us, hope for fine weather!