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Wildlife

A Year in the Cornish Rockpools – 2017 Highlights

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Happy New Year everyone! Having started 2018 in bed with flu, I’m hoping this year’s going to improve as it goes along. The sun’s shining and there are some good tides later in the week, so I’m feeling hopeful.

In the meantime, I’m cheering myself up looking back at some of the incredible creatures I met in the Cornish rock pools last year.

I hope you enjoy last year’s highlights and I’m looking forward to seeing what 2018 brings.

January

'Sea potato' - these little urchins are covered in spines when alive. They bury themselves in muddy sand but sometimes get washed to the surface in storms.
‘Sea potato’ – these little urchins are covered in spines when alive. They bury themselves in muddy sand but sometimes get washed to the surface in storms.

Feburary

My unexpected encounter with 'Bob' the lobster in February was one of those wildlife moments that takes your breath away. You really never know what might be lurking in the Cornish rock pools.
My unexpected encounter with ‘Bob’ the lobster in February was one of those wildlife moments that takes your breath away. You really never know what might be lurking in the Cornish rock pools.

March

This mutant double-headed stalked jellyfish (Calvadosia cruxmelitensis) caught my eye in March. Stalked jellyfish have special protection and I spend a lot of time recording these species. There are several different species in Cornwall and some of our Marine Conservation Zones and other areas of coast are importants sites for them.
This mutant double-headed stalked jellyfish (Calvadosia cruxmelitensis) caught my eye in March. Stalked jellyfish have special protection and I spend a lot of time recording these species. There are several different species in Cornwall and some of our Marine Conservation Zones and other areas of coast are importants sites for them.

April

I'm always getting distracted... while surveying for stalked jellyfish at a site which may be threatened by development, this absolutely tiny sea slug caught my eye. It's a Doto coronata - such a great name. There were several 'crowned Dotty' slugs among the hydroids at this site.
I’m always getting distracted… while surveying for stalked jellyfish at a site which may be threatened by development, this absolutely tiny sea slug caught my eye. It’s a Doto coronata – such a great name. There were several ‘crowned Dotty’ slugs among the hydroids.

June

2017 was my first year of leading events for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust's junior branch. I used to love the events as a kid and introducing a new generation and their families to jellyfish, starfish and other rockpool creatures is so much fun! I can't wait for my 2018 Wildlife Watch events and the Looe Marine Conservation Group rockpool rambles where I also volunteer.
2017 was my first year of leading events for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s junior branch. I used to love the events as a kid and introducing a new generation and their families to jellyfish, starfish and other rockpool creatures is so much fun! I can’t wait for my 2018 Wildlife Watch events and the Looe Marine Conservation Group rockpool rambles where I also volunteer.

July

Fish always seem to get away, so we were all very excited when I managed to coax this beautiful Corkwing wrasse into my bucket on a family rockpooling day. It's such a tropical looking fish.
Fish always seem to get away, so we were all very excited when I managed to coax this beautiful Corkwing wrasse into my bucket on a family rockpooling day. It’s such a tropical looking fish.

August

My absolute favourite finds of the year were the two species of sea slug that feed on fish eggs. Calma glaucoides (pictured here with its own eggs) feeds on clingfish eggs. I also found Calma gobioophaga, which feeds on goby eggs. Sea slugs really do have the best names.
My absolute favourite finds of the year were the two species of sea slug that feed on fish eggs. Calma glaucoides (pictured here with its own eggs) feeds on clingfish eggs. I also found Calma gobioophaga, which feeds on goby eggs. Sea slugs really do have the best names.

September

I was away in Brittany in September visiting our twin town, Quiberon. I couldn't resist having a rummage to see what was in the pools and was amazed to find this crab, Pachygrapsus marmoratus. It's native to the Mediterranean but is gradually moving north. Next stop Cornwall?
I was away in Brittany in September visiting our twin town, Quiberon. I couldn’t resist having a rummage to see what was in the pools and was amazed to find this crab, Pachygrapsus marmoratus. It’s native to the Mediterranean but is gradually moving north. Next stop Cornwall?

October

Portuguese Man O'War jellies began washing onto Cornish beaches in the summer, but didn't turn up in Looe until October. Amazing creatures - like pink and purple stinging pasties. Happy days!
Portuguese Men O’War began washing onto Cornish beaches in the summer, but didn’t turn up in Looe until October. Amazing creatures – like pink and purple stinging pasties. Happy days!

November

Most people think there's not much to see in the rock pools in November. They're wrong, of course! This sponge, possibly Myxilla rosacea, was one of the prettiest things I saw all year.
Most people think there’s not much to see in the rock pools in November. They’re wrong of course! This sponge, possibly Myxilla rosacea, was one of the prettiest things I saw all year.

December

The Cornish rock pools are full of tiny creatures that are often overlooked. I could have spent all day watching this 3-spot cowrie (Trivia monacha). The colours are amazing and there's something incredibly fetching about its big orange syphon. A perfect way to end the year.
The Cornish rock pools are full of tiny creatures that are often overlooked. I could have spent all day watching this 3-spot cowrie (Trivia monacha). The colours are amazing and there’s something incredibly fetching about its big orange syphon. A perfect way to end the year.

 

 

13 thoughts on “A Year in the Cornish Rockpools – 2017 Highlights”

    1. Thanks Rob – much appreciated. I don’t know if you’ve seen my social media, but this blog has just been awarded BBC Wildlife Magazine’s blog of the year award. Very exciting! Thanks for you support – knowing that people are reading it keeps me going when it’s freezing and bleak on the shore 😀 Happy New Year!

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  4. Excellent news about Wildlife Blogger of the Year! Hope you recover from the lurgy quickly. By the way, how big are the nudibranchs? I’m constantly looking for them in backgrounds of photos I take but am really not sure how big the ones you see are.
    Jackie Skipper

    Dr. Jacqueline Skipper BSc PhD DIC CGeol FGS
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    1. Hi Jackie, Thanks so much 🙂 Sea slugs vary quite a lot in size but some of the biggest, like the sea lemon are only a few cm long and from that they can go right down to the almost microscopic. Most are only a few mm – 1/ 2 cm long. The best thing to look out for are their eggs, which are most commonly spiral shaped so quite distinctive. The adult slugs are often to be found close by. The other thing to do is to learn what particular species of slugs like to eat – often hydroids or sponges etc… lots of species have a very specific diet. Then you can find the prey species and look at it closely – that’s how I found the slugs that eat fish eggs…. the slugs are so well camouflaged that you almost have to believe in them to see them 😀 I hope that helps. I’ll email you a couple of pics of sea slugs on my hand to give you an idea of the size. There are some photos in this blog that might help too… https://cornishrockpools.com/2017/08/17/for-the-love-of-sea-slugs/ Happy searching 🙂 Heather

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    1. Thanks Jo. So glad you enjoy my blog. Happy New Year to you too – I’m already much better thanks and hoping the weather will be good enough to enjoy the spring tides at the end of the week. Watch this space!

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