Monday, 28 January 2008

Life on the Rocks

Sunday morning, walked down to the beach. The tide was right out, which gave an oppotunity to wander amongst the rocks to see what I could see. Very windy and not many birds about, apart from black-headed gulls, which always seem to be about whatever the weather.

Large mussel shell, whelks eggcase, razor shell.

Whelks eggcases. I've often seen these strange spongy objects on the beach and wondered what they were. I didn't even know where to start looking them up, so had to go through my seashore guide page by page. Whelks lay their eggs in shallow water attached to rocks or even wooden structures like pier posts. After stormy weather as we've had over the last few days they get detached and washed up on to the beach.

Periwnkles on small rock with seaweed attached.

Limpets on barnacle encrusted rocks.

Young mussels, limpet and barnacles.

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