South Whidbey State Park

South Whidbey State Park Team Photo 2010 South Whidbey State Park Team Photo 2010

..Cancer productus.. Red rock crab Red rock crab Red rock crab

Libby Hayward brought a dedicated team of seven to the beach at South Whidbey State Park to work in the drenching downpour on May 28th. The -2.4 tide level made it well worthwhile to brave the elements that day. Charlie Seablom found a freshly molted red rock crab (Cancer productus). Team members gently touched the new exoskeleton and marveled at its softness. Other highlights for the team included a tiny dime sized green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) and a northern clingfish. One team member got quite a thrill when a bird landed on his hat!

South Whidbey State Park - April 27, 2009

Team Photo South Whidbey State Park 2009

Onchidoris with eggs

A team was also hard at work at South Whidbey State Park on April 27th. Team captain Libby Haywood reports that her enthusiastic group identified barnacle eating nudibranchs and their egg ribbons, hermit crabs, and they found four species of barnacles on a massive erratic that was also home to quite a variety of seaweeds. Charlie Seablom got photos of a dark colored 1 cm long invertebrate believed to be either Melanochlymus or the very similar appearing Aglaja, both of which are nudibranch relatives. The team rotated jobs, giving everyone a turn at taking measurements, recording data, and working on quadrats.