By Tara McEvoy-Wilding
Saturday was a Bideford boat so after some toast and cleaning the Vestry it was time to go down to see the Oldenburg in! Meanwhile, Greg was on census and spotted a Cormorant perched on Quarry Cottages! Other highlights included the Buzzard on the airfield, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 17 Willow Warblers and 2 Yellow Wagtails.
Today was a very good spring tide, so we took advantage of it to complete some of our annual rockpool surveys. This entails surveying 5 pools that are in various intertidal zones and recording the different species and how abundant they are in each pool. The idea is that over time, changed to the rockpool community composition can be identified.
Today it was the turn of two of the middle pools to be surveyed. After around 20 minutes of trying to find them based on the photos provided we found D and then quickly after E (we have now taken what three words for the pool's locations!). With the help of Jessie and Willow we identified most species in the pools and took photos of any unknown ones for later identification! Highlights included a new location for Celtic Sea Slugs, a Long Spined Sea Scorpion and lots od very tiny Cushion Stars. I also found a single Scarlet and Gold Star Coral, however it sadly couldn't be counted in the survey as it was above the water line.
Sadly, I didn't take any photos today, but I did take one on Thursday and Jessie and Kirsty surveying Rockpool G!
Jessie and Kirsty surveying rockpool G!
After we had finished the surveys myself and Jessie donned some waders and paddled out to look for things on below the low tide. The main goal was to find sea slugs after the recent sighting on the first Rainbow Seaslug for Lundy round the corner at the Rattles. Sadly we didn't find a rainbow slug but Jessie did find a different species (yet to be ID'd) as well as some beautiful Star Asidians and Blue Rayed Limpets.
Time went fast and I had to drag mayself away from the rockpools and walked back up the hill ready to do the lifts down for the boat!