This one thought the sand beside my red wading shoe made a good hiding place; he stayed there for a long time, until I got tired of not moving.
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| Zoomed in, with contrast slightly increased. The red serves as a handy distraction. |
Each of these sculpins is slightly different from his neighbour, so I can't generalize, but I found it interesting that the eyes are so inconspicuous. Instead, the round, dark spots surrounded by a lighter circle at the root of his side fins look like eyes, which gives the impression of a much larger fish.
In the summer, when the water is warmer, try walking barefoot-the sculpins will seek out any kind of shelter, including the nooks under the arch of your foot. The feeling of them squirming underfoot might make some squeamish, but is a rare circumstance where the wildlife comes to us, rather than the other way around.
ReplyDeleteI haven't walked barefoot for years, but I used to use sandals for wading. Unfortunately, when a fish or hermit got in between the sole of the sandal and my foot, I jumped first and thought second. I'm just lucky I never dropped my camera in the water!
ReplyDeleteMaybe if I walk expecting a fish, I might do better.