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

Brilliant Butterfish

What a contrast we are noticing between our Butterfish residents of this year and those of last year! We currently have 3 individuals all as bold as each other. During the touch tank demonstrations, they are sure to be nearby; watch out, you may feel them as they peck your hand looking for their next meal! I've also included a couple of photos of two of our other creatures.

One of our 3 Butterfish. There are 2 smaller ones and one big one.

Whoever said Prawns aren't pretty?

 

 

 

Boss of the big tank!

Lorna

Here come the animals!

I'm very happy and excited about my second year here at the Islay Natural History Trust visitor centre. The arrival of some of our popular tank inhabitants last night makes me even more so. So far we have a spiny starfish, common starfish, sun stars, hermit crabs, lobster (I wonder what we shall name him/her this year) and my favourite the piecrust crabs!

Come to the visitor centre to give me a proper INHT welcome!

Lorna

News from the Visitor Centre

It's always exciting to come into the Centre and see that some of the chrysalises have turned into butterflies. Altogether I have released seven Small Tortoiseshell and there are still a lot to go. I leave them for several hours in the pavilion to give them a chance to dry their wings and then release them. You never see them better than when freshly emerged from their chrysalis; they are so beautiful and pristine.

Our Sea Hares are breeding like their land counterparts and new eggs keep appearing in their tank. They graze ever so elegantly on a variety of seaweed.

Meanwhile in the big tank, one Beadlet Anemone has found a way to stop being pestered by the Piecrust Crab at feeding time - stick to its back!

Small Tortoiseshell in the pavilion

Beadlet Anemone on a Piecrust Crab

Becky

The latest from the visitor centre

I couldn't resist including this one of a prawn and my favourite - the piecrust crab!

Sea Hares (Aplysia punctata)

Dahlia Anemone

Our new Shark display

Our Sea Hare tank

I've had a great day adding to the Shark display and our newest arrivals, the Sea Hares. Two of the four creatures of the latter are getting to know each other very well, and seem to be mating! I also added a dahlia anenome to the main tank.


Lorna

More Tank Creatures

I am not getting very much done today because I haven't been able to prise myself away from the new tanks! In the large tank, we have some almost fully grown Long Spined Sea Scorpion (c.20cm. Will grow to 25cm), and a large Three-bearded Rockling (25cm).  Here is a picture of the two new species together!

Lorna

Three-bearded Rockling with Long Spined Sea Scorpion. Piecrust Crab is staying put!