Surprises at Shell Bay

 Examining the lichen on this rock at Shell Bay, I suddenly was aware of the 'crocodile' lying on top.

A little further along the beach another surprise.


The bright yellow patches are yellow splash lichen - Xanthoria parietina. I think that the grey patches are black shields - Tephromela atra.

Finally I picked up a horseshoe which I found on a path through the woods. It was covered in sand and mud and still had some nails attached but it's polished up quite well. Maybe it will be a lucky one for 2017.

Tiny Elvers

Noticed rapid movement in one of the rock pools as I walked along the beach at Lundin Links last weekend. Tiny snake-like creatures, about 3cm long, swimming first one way then back the other way. I wasn't sure what they were but having looked closely at the photos I took I think that they were elvers. (Click to enlarge)

A Sunny Afternoon After a Snowy Morning

Woke up to grey skies and lying snow but by lunchtime the snow had melted and the sun had come out. The tide was out and the beach at Lower Largo was sparkling.

Looking back to the Crusoe Hotel.

Looking across the bright red sandstone and other rocky outcrops to Ruddon's Point at the East end of Largo Bay.

Boats parked up for the winter in the sunshine at the back of the Temple car park.

Periwinkles Making Tracks

Periwinkle. Can just see the tentacles coming out from the front of the shell.

Took a walk from Lower Largo along the disused railway line. Saw a yellow wagtail in the trees on the landward side of the path. Walked back along the beach as the tide was going out. Noticed there were tracked grooves in the sand, and then saw that it was the periwinkles that were making the tracks.

In this photo (above) can clearly see the track that the periwinkle has made.

Periwinkles attached to a nearby rock. The periwinkles on the move seemed to be going in the direction of this rock. (Click on photos to see larger images)

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.