Haystack Rock Awareness Program Nature Blog

Daily Low Tides Monday, September 22nd 0.4' @ 6:11 AM 0.9' @ 6:28 PM Tuesday, September 23rd; both sessions cancelled due to no one on the beach and rain 0.5' @ 6:55 AM 0.6' @ 7:06 PM Wednesday, September 24th 0.7' @ 7:15 AM 0.3' @ 7:43 PM Thursday, September 25th 0.9' @ 7:45 AM 0.1' @ 8:17 PM Friday, September 26th 1.2' @ 8:15 AM Saturday, September 27th 1.5' @ 8:46 AM Sunday, September 28th 1.9' @ 9:20 AM Thats A Wrap! The last week on the beach saw a turn in the weather and the seas. Rain on Tuesday kept visitors from the beach and both the morning and evening shifts were canceled. Heavy surf and huge surges were the order of the day on Wednesday; the morning shift was ended 30 minutes early to ensure everyone made it safely off the beach! But by Saturday it was clear and sunny again making for a fabulous last weekend of the season! Notes from the week A Rufus Tipped Nudibranch was seen in the tidepo...

Daily Low Tides Monday, September 15th 2.4' @ 11:47 AM Tuesday, September 16th 2.8' @ 12:51 PM Wednesday, September 17th; shift cancelled due to high water 2.9' @ 2:03 PM Thursday, September 18th 2.7' @ 3:12 PM Friday, September 19th 2.3' @ 4:12 PM Saturday, September 20th 1.8' @ 5:03 PM Sunday, September 21st 1.3' @ 5:48 PM Notes from the week Leather Stars ( Dermasterias imbricata)  are not seen frequently seen at Haystack Rock, although they are a common species from Alaska to southern California. They can range in color from red-brown to orange and their surface is covered with a slippery secretion. The leather star can reach diameters to 10 inches and reside on rocky shores in the low intertidal zone to depths of 300 feet.  As the name suggests, this star feels like wet leather. It feeds predominately on anemones and urchins which it swallows whole and then digests! Leather Star (Photo from 2005) Leather Sta...

Daily Low Tides Monday, September 8th -0.9' @ 6:33 AM 0.2' @ 6:50 PM Tuesday, September 9th -0.8' @ 7:17 AM -0.3 @ 7:41 PM Wednesday, September 10th -0.5' @ 7:59 AM -0.6 @ 8:30 PM Thursday, September 11th 0.0' @ 8:41 AM -0.6 @ 9:19 PM Friday, September 12th 0.6' @ 9:22 AM Saturday, September 13th 1.2' @ 10:06 AM Sunday, September 14th 1.8' @ 10:53 AM Notes from the week Plumrose Anemone ( Metridium senile ), an infrequent sighting for Haystack Rock, were seen on the north wall of Haystack Rock.  This anemone is typically 2 inches high and can grow to a 2 inch diameter at the base. It feeds on inverterbrate larvae and copepods.  The anemone produces asexually and the new individual is a clone of the original. A large colony of Plumose Anemones on the north side of Haystack Rock Photo by Katie Corliss Another infrequently sighted invertebrate, the Swimming Scallop ( Chlamys rubida) - also called the Smooth P...

September 1st - September 7th Daily Low Tides Monday, September 1st 2.1' @ 11:09 AM Tuesday, September 2nd 2.6' @ 12:07 PM Wednesday, September 3rd 2.8' @ 1:24 PM Thursday, September 4th 2.7' @ 2:46 PM Friday, September 5th 2.3' @ 3:58 PM Saturday, September 6th 1.6' @ 5:01 PM Sunday, September 7th -0.8' @ 5:47 AM Though our nesting birds have left us, there was still lots to see in the intertidal last week.  HRAP interpreters stumbled onto some kind of sea slug party when they came across ten opalescent nudibranchs all gathered together on one rock-- and the next day they found even more. One of about ten nudibranchs all found on the same rock. Photo by Donna Lenius On the north side of the Rock, interpreters spotted about a dozen healthy-looking sea stars, including several juveniles. As for what the humans of Haystack Rock are up to, HRAP added a sustainable seafood display to the big red truck this week. Stop by for...