Ala Spit

Charlie gives an explanation Charlie gives an explanation

Taking a profile reading Taking a profile reading

Ala Spit team photo 2010 Ala Spit team photo 2010

..Evasterias troschelii.. Mottled sea star 3-rayed seastar 3-rayed seastar

..Haliplanella lineata.. Striped anemone Haliplanella lineata Haliplanella lineata

..Zostera marina.. Eelgrass Eelgrass Eelgrass

..Abarenicola pacifica.. Lugworm Lugworm fecal spiral Lugworm fecal spiral

Sammye Kempbell's Ala Spit team hit the beach on May 14th when the tide fell back to -2.3 feet. Half of the team was made up of brand new Beach Watchers from the class of 2010 working on their very first monitoring project. They were eager to learn and bursting with enthusiasm. Highlights for the day included digging up a lugworm after finding a hole in the sand marked with the characteristic "cake decorator" fecal spiral, the discovery of a crescent gunnel that had taken refuge under an empty clam shell, and a mottled sea star (Evasterias troschelli) with only three full rays and 2 buds that marked the emergence of replacements for the two that were missing. A polychaete from the family Glyceridae entertained the team everting its massive proboscis and one of the new folks surprised even herself with the utterance that "Worms are fun!" The tiny anemone Haliplanella lineata was also found as were pickleweed and the native eelgrass, Zostera marina. A Skagit County Beach Watcher came by and said hello as he hiked along the spit working on his COAST bird survey. It was a fun day of sunshine and discovery!