Buzz's Marine Life of Puget Sound: 06/01/2013

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Olympics Clearing at Sunset

Not much to say about this.........just some images from Alki.

From Duwamish Head-West Seattle

Mt. Constance

The Brothers

Mt. Washington and Ellinor

Washington State Ferry

Constellation Marine Reserve - Strange 3 siphon Piddock Clam

The last good low tide series for a month brought out two unusual items. The Cryptic Nudibranch which is found only in association with Kelp Bryozoans and a very strange Piddock Clam with an extra siphon Some other more common individual species a posted here just because I'm working with a new camera and trying some closeup work. Noelle Congdon discovered a 3 siphon Piddock Clam....extremely unusual. It has one exhalant siphon and two inhalant siphons, perhaps due to a genetic error or repaired damage to the siphon that resulted in an extra opening. Whatever the reason it's the only one I've ever seen with 3 siphons....so very cool.
Lots of rain this week....heavy showers, and steady all night rain.......next week...sunny and mid 80's for Seattle...and a cooking 100+ on the east side of the Cascades. Next good low tide series July 20,21, 22,23,24.

Piddock Clam with 3 siphons

Extra inhalant siphon

Gaper clam siphon

Hairy Sea Squirt

Moonglow Anemone

Orange Encrusting Bryozoan

Cryptic Nudibranch on Kelp Bryozoan

Hairy Shore Crab

Helmet Crab

Moon Snail

Plainfin Midshipman eggs

Red Rock Crab mouth

Red Rock Crab showing 5 spines between eyes

Hairy Shore Crab - snow camouflage

Thickclaw Porcelain Crab with eggs

Thickclaw Porcelain Crab

Tidepool Sculpin

White Burrowing Sea Cucumber

Red Rock Crab claw

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Tongue Point June 2013

An unusual weather pattern called an Atmospheric River pointed a fire hose blast of rain onto the West Coast of N. America over the last few days. Northern California got most of the moisture which is good news for them. Seattle saw heavy rain showers and even some uncommon thunderstorms. We picked this period for our annual trip to Tongue Point Marine Reserve on the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula, braving the northern edge of the Atmospheric River. While it rained a little both nights we were camped it rained not a drop during our tidepooling sessions. So forget the forecast....just go.
Tongue Point is a 1/4 mile rectangular block of basalt the sticks out from the mid-north Olympic Coast into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Tidepool exploration here is as good as it gets in Washington State, and this current full Moon cycle provides some of the lowest tides of the year.
Species are found here that do not occur in the more protected waters of Puget Sound. The pools abound with marine life both plant and animal.
This year's exploration turned up many species we have seen before but some in numbers we have not experienced. Slimy Snailfish were common....where we normally are happy to find one. Red Dorid Nudibranchs mating and laying eggs were common. Blue Porcelain Crabs were seen here for the first time...by us that is. We encountered the same research team that we and met 2 years ago studying Purple Sea Urchin disease....still no answers here.
As usual it was a great trip......made better with Gretchen's breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and eggs......
the Southern Comfort didn't hurt any either.