So we "blitzed" the Boundary Bay beach, instead of my vacant lot.
On the beach, we found seaweeds, crabs (dead and alive) seagulls and mallards, and millions of small snails. (I have the species written down somewhere; I'll find it soon.) More or less the usual.Coming back, we cut across the dunes. We had not been there in the spring time before; the dried beach grasses we expected were still scarce. Instead, we found these:
I have never seen these. Does anybody know what they are? Here are two more views: these are all taken from an ant's-eye viewpoint. I had to lie full-length on the sand to get them. It was silky-soft and warm, down there out of the wind.
This one looks familiar. I think I can find it in my books.
Sourgrass sprouts and tiny moss.
The moss, close-up:
More moss, with lichen, on a log:
And tiny yellow and white lichens (I think) on a burnt log:
A miniature blue flower:
And some of the grass-like plants that will cover the dunes later in the season:
Farther up the beach, close to the slough, we found silverweed:
And over the slough, violet-green swallows chased mosquitos. A beautiful end to the walk, but almost impossible to track with a camera. I got a bit of video and this photo:
Supper-time. Tired and happy. And feeling good!And tomorrow, if it's not pouring rain, the vacant lot.
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Link to Flickr Blogger Bioblitz Photo pool.
Wow, great photos.
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ReplyDeleteHI! I enjoyed seeing your Blitzen' pix! I miss walking down to the beach(I grew up on Puget Sound).
ReplyDeleteI think the snail is Batillaria attramentaria, known as the Mudflat Snail, or Asian Mud Snail. It's an introduced species, from Japan, a tag-along with oysters.
ReplyDeleteHugh;
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ID of the snail. I think you are right. They have completely overrun most of the beach area, leaving little space for more than a few crabs besides, although there is some variation; some of the snails may be bittium eschrichtii, which is native to the area.
Nice pictures and great colour. The natural splendour of B.C. is very alluring. And the photos of your street look very much the same as mine in Vancouver. This is my favourite time of year to be sure, whereas in the East it was the autumn with the deciduous trees changing their colours.
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