The sun has been shining and six
spring surveys have been completed! Due
to the large spring tides we've had, we have been able to explore and discover species
and habitats that wouldn’t be feasible on a normal neap tide. We have surveyed
four new locations and recorded a large variety of fascinating organisms.
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| Codium and Corralina rockpool landscape Matt Slater |
South Fistral beach, Newquay
Our first spring event in Newquay
was a huge success. After five minutes
of exploring we had already recorded a large abundance of purse sponge, Grantia compressa that covered the lower
shore, numerous chitons, Polyplacophora sp and colourful anemones which lined gullies and hidden caves. The cave of dreams (first found here by shoresearch volounteers in 2014) was
the ultimate highlight however, with the presence of Scarlet and
Gold cup corals, Balanophyllia regia, Oaten pipe hydroids, Tubularia indivisa, Celtic sea slugs, Onchidella celtica Dahlia anemones, Urticina felina and a variety of sponges. We also spotted two juvenile Sea Hares, Aplysia punctata which
marked the beginning of sea hare season!
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| Celtic sea slug, Onchidella celtica and a Beadlet anemone, Actinia equina photo by Adele Morgan |
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| Scarlet and Gold cup corals - Balanophyllia regia photo by Adele Morgan |
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| Snakelocks anemones - Anemonia viridis Photo by Adele Morgan |
Porth Mear, Park head
Porth mear was one of the new
locations we were super excited about surveying! We got in contact with Richard
Pierce, a gentleman who has been surveying the shore for over 50 years who led us to a pool that was filled with St Pirans crabs, Clibanarius erythropus, a warm water hermit crab
that was rediscovered on a Shoresearch survey last year in Falmouth. Since then they have been popping up everywhere and are a key species we look for on our surveys. We discovered numerous Shore Cling fish, Lepadogaster lepadogaster, A Great grey sea slug, Aeolidia papillosa and large variety of crabs species. Another highlight was finding a gully lined with Scarlet and Gold cup corals, including a rare yellow colour morph. So exciting!
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| St Piran's crab - Clibanarius erythropus photo by Adele Morgan |
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| A sea Hare - Aplysia punctata by Matt Slater |
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| Scarlet and Gold cup corals - unusual pale colour morph of Balanophyllia regia Photo by Adele Morgan |
Castle Beach, Falmouth
A beautiful sunny survey in Falmouth. With such a low tide we were able to explore the lower rocky reefs and kelp beds. We recorded Green leaf worms,
Eulalia viridis, bright orange breadcrumb sponge,
Halichondria panicea, chitons,
Polyplacophora, a Fan Worm,
Megalomma vesiculosum and many hiding crabs. We even spotted a Corkwing Wrasse,
Symphodus melops and a Kaleidoscope Stalked jellyfish,
Haliclystus
octoradiatus.
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| Fan worm - Megalomma vesiculosum By Adele Morgan |
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| Stalked jellyfish - Haliclystus octoradiatus Photo Adele Morgan |
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| The common hermit crab - Pagurus bernhardus Photo Adele Morgan |
This incredible rocky reef is famous for surfing but as we discovered it also has a greatAnother new location in the North of Cornwall, known for its
abundance of Honeycomb worm, Sabellaria alveolata and amazing geology. The great quantity of
Honeycomb worm reefs covering the area meant that bare rock was unusual and
uncommon, yet the area was still rich in life! Down the lower shore we were
able to identify two species of Stalked jellyfish, Haliclystus octoradiatus and
Lucernariopsis cruxmelitensis, Matt found a
Molgula species of sea squirt and a large estuary ragworm, Hediste diversicolor. At the end of the survey, volunteer John
Blackburn found an amazing Crystal Goby, Crystallogobius linearis in a High shore pool.
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| Honeycomb worm reefs - Sabellaria alveolata |
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| Juvenile common limpet - Patella vulgata photo Matt Slater |
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| Molgula sp seasquirt -sand covered |
Porthleven
Our Porthleven survey was one of our favourites! This popular surfing reef is teaming with life including huge numbers of St Piran's crabs Clibanarius erythropus and during out timed species search we identified Dabberlocks, Alaria esculenta, purse sponge, Grantia compressa and numerous painted
top shells, Calliostoma ziziphinum! Throughout the survey we also discovered spotted cowries, Trivia monacha, lots of anemones, an Orange clubbed sea slug, Limacia clavigera and a long spinned sea scorpion, Taurulus bubalis. Matt used his Goby traps and was able to
catch and release a Giant Goby, Gobius cobitis which is a rare and protected species under the
Wildlife and countryside act 1981.
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| Montagu's Blenny - Coryphoblennius galerita Photo by Adele Morgan |
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| Orange clubbed sea slug - Limacia clavigera Photo Matt Slater |
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| Giant Goby - Gobius cobitis photo by Matt Slater |
Pentewen, St Austell
We were hit by stormy, rainy weather at our Pentewen survey
but that didn’t stop us! The shore was rather rocky, making it the perfect
habitat for a variety of crab species and marine snails. A few smaller rock pools were
lined with beautiful seaweeds, such as Bryopsis mossy feather weeds, that when
magnified look like little trees. In the same pool a species of Obelia hydroid was recorded and Blennys were seen swimming under rocks for shelter.
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| Barnacle species - Semibalanus balanoides Adele Morgan |
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| Dahlia anemone - Urticina felina, photo Adele Morgan |
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| Bryopsis feather weeds, Adele Morgan |
Article by Adele Morgan
With lots more Shoreserach surveys and extreme eco events planned for this year all are welcome to get involved and survey the shore! To be added to the shoresearch email list so you will be kept up to date please email matt.slater@Cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
for a full list of events for this year visit http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/shoresearch
