The shores visited this month for the group surveys were Rhos-on-sea/Penrhyn Bay (Liverpool bay SPA), Rhosneigr (Rhosneigr reefs SSSI) and Porth Ysgaden (Pen LLyn A'r Sarnau SAC). Our rafting bivalves workshop took us to Cricieth, for an inspection of the strandline litter with Anna Holmes (Amgueddfa Cymru) and across the low tide at the end of the month our volunteers were out surveying shores across North Wales for particular species of focus (see below).

Surveys completed

Number of quadrats: 21;

Time spent on species searches - over 6.5 hours (slipper limpet 210+mins; pacific oyster 180+mins; sugar kelp 30mins; oarweed 120mins; wakame 40mins; bladder wrack 30mins; Montagu’s crab 40minutes; honeycomb worm 20mins, Irish moss 30mins, false irish moss 30mins)!

Number of volunteers: 22 (self-led surveyors: 10); course attendees 10 

Seasonal findings barnacles come into focus as we head into wintery months with the expected low temperatures triggering our native northern rock barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides) into breeding and the storms from the south washing in those rafts we’re looking out for after our recent workshop and which are sometimes coated in a slightly more tropical barnacle group (the various species of goose barnacles). All of these demand a closer inspection and why not? You might even get the footage we’d like to see of the world’s largest penis (in relation to their body size).

Goose barnacles as a group come in from the Atlantic ocean attached to floating items (for centuries this has been natural items and now is also our litter). The real ocean drifters, they can settle on shore and some species do that in those parts of the world with warmer climate than us for now. When these are seen coming in, we can use it as a herald of warm waters having travelled from the Caribbean and therefore a good time to inspect the strandline further for those rafting bivalves and many other far-flung floaters.

A voracious barnacle predator was also seen in numbers on our October timed species searches. Barnacles have plenty of predators e.g. dog whelks/gwichiad y cwn (Nucella lapillus) and greenleaf worm (Eulalia clavigera), both seen out hunting as well, but a particular recent sight was of groups of feeding marine springtails (Anurida maritima). Once thought to be one of the few marine insects, marine springtails have now been moved out of the insect grouping, making marine insect species very few in number. These weeny creatures (described wonderfully as “cosmopolitan collembolan” by the NBN the main UK Atlas of biodiversity data) are major scavengers and can often be seen, with a closer look, around barnacles and on the water surface of small pools. Seeing large numbers of large clusters on barnacle-covered boulders was new to us, however.

The Shoresearch surveys are designed to help monitor some areas of shore by volunteers recording what they find using various types of surveys. Training is given to the volunteers who sign up to help us carry out these surveys.

We are liaising with other organisations to hone these surveys, so they become a vital tool in the help to monitor wildlife in our intertidal areas. Whilst they can also help to introduce volunteers to the species which live in this intertidal zone, the ideal is to build up some regular teams to regularly survey certain areas, building a clearer picture over the long term and in particular to keep an eye out for Invasive species and Climate change indicators.

If you would like to join us to volunteer your time at our repeated survey sites, then please get in touch. It is likely to be just one 2-3 hr session out on shore once every month at the least, as well as any time you can spare to do online training or website reading. 

Want to help with Shoresearch volunteering

Of course, feel free to help in other ways too via becoming a member, donating or buying a gift membership for someone. Thank you.

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